Q: Remote car starter and automatic door locking mechanism won't work after crash.

asked by on January 01, 2017

I recently got in a minor car accident. I was driving fast into deep snow, lost control, then my car crashed into a speed sign. The obvious damages were the right signal light, water reservoir, bumper, and right inner fender, which I all patched up. But after, I noticed that my remote starter and my automatic door lock(when I shift to drive, it locks doors, and when I pull keys out, it unlocks doors)both stopped working. I've checked the fuse box and battery and am clueless on what the cause is. Another detail of the crash was that right after the crash, I couldn't start my car, so someone had to help jumpstart it. A few days after the crash while testing the repaired right signal light, the battery failed and had to be jumpstarted again. Later, I realized the problem with the battery was a loose positive terminal, which I then tightened. After all this, my automatic door lock and remote starter both still fail to work. Can you please give me some insight on the situation?

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Hi there. With having the battery cable loose, that caused the computer to reset and lose its memory. I recommend reprogramming the key fob to the vehicle to allow the door locks and ignition to work. First put the key in the door and as you unlock the driver door, push on the unlock button. Do the same for locking the driver door. You will need to do this 3 times and then the key fob should recognize the door locks. Then put the key in the ignition and turn on the power but do not start the engine. Then remove the key and then put it back in and start the engine. Now the key fob should be reprogrammed and should work properly. If you are still having trouble with your key fob not working, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

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