18 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHAnother way to fix your key fobs
Leading reported evidence
Replace button/switches
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Leading evidence: 'Replace button/switches' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'first' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Inspect circuit board' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Many of the ovens used for reflow soldering are convection with the main difference from the ovens we have in our kitchen being their conveyors and multiple zone configuration allowing temperatures to be ramped up and cooled which is important for both the integrity of the PCB and components but also the activation of the flux which is contained within the solder paste the components are placed on.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Hot air is also commonly used for Rework/Repair operations as a less intrusive method than using a soldering iron.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I preheated my oven and used three aluminum foil ***** to hold the board up off of a cookie sheet.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that suspect a cause
1
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Suspected cause
It is always good to inspect your circuit board with a loupe or strong magnifying glass to see if any of the solder joints are suspect first.
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Suggestion
FWIW...I started using the kitchen oven, but my wife wasn't too willing to share her range and since she's "management" a trip to Goodwill for the toaster oven saved me from being murdered in my sleep
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Many of the ovens used for reflow soldering are convection with the main difference from the ovens we have in our kitchen being their conveyors and multiple zone configuration allowing temperatures to be ramped up and cooled which is important for both the integrity of the PCB and components but also the activation of the flux which is contained within the solder paste the components are placed on.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
18 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
5 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
A while back I read some posts about people disassembling and resoldering all the joints in their keys to get them to lock and unlock their doors again. I'm pretty clumsy with a soldering iron so I've been hesitant to try this. A friend of mine suggested baking the circuit board in the oven to reflow all the joints at once. I gave it a shot, and it worked!
I read some computer forum posts about people doing this with computer components. They said to bake the board at 385 F for 8 minutes. Before I baked my board I de-soldered the battery holder since I was worried about it melting. I preheated my oven and used three aluminum foil ***** to hold the board up off of a cookie sheet. After baking it for 8 minutes I shut the oven off and opened the door leaving the board in there to come to room temperature slowly. Once it was cool enough to touch, I resoldered in the battery holder and put it back together. Thats all it took. The most difficult part is removing and replacing the battery holder and that just requires some patience.
I didn't come across any posts on here describing this method so I thought it could be useful for some of you.
I applaud your ingenuity, but advising people to "cook" their circuit boards is not wise since circuit boards can melt and it can prematurely age components on the board. You're better off buying a cheap soldering clamp (i.e. vise) and large desktop magnifying glass and reflow the solder safely.
If that doesn't work, then purchase a new keyfob and take it to the dealership for programming. My keyfobs have last me years.
Question - do you have a backup keyfob or is this your only one?
I believe the idea is to bake the board at a temperature that will slightly melt the solder but not the board. I removed the plastic battery tray because I was afraid it would melt at a lower temperature than the rest of the components. There were no signs of melted components on the board after baking it. Both of the keys that came with my car were not working. Their lights would blink but they wouldn't unlock the doors. I tried this with just one of the keys and was elated when it worked. I will be doing the same with the other key at some point.
I am no professional mechanic or electronics specialist so I am not advising anyone to do this. I'm just a guy who had nothing to lose with two key fobs that didn't work but now has one that does. I've read that buying new fobs is quite expensive and that getting them programmed to your car is even more expensive. To me, this was worth a shot before I shell out the money for new stuff. YMMV.
Reflowing with ovens is a standard soldering technique and the SMD industry uses industrial reflow ovens for original work. I do some hobby electronics and have both a hot air reflowing/rework station and a toaster oven that I've hacked to make into my own reflow oven. My max temperature setting is usually near 500 F on the work I have done (no more than 8 min total time, and 30 sec at max temp) and I've yet to have a problem. There's a good body of work that supports this out on the web. FWIW...I started using the kitchen oven, but my wife wasn't too willing to share her range and since she's "management" a trip to Goodwill for the toaster oven saved me from being murdered in my sleep
Unless you're doing a lot more reflow/rework, the oven should be just fine.
Thanks for something different. I had button/switches replaced. Worked for a few hours, then battery drain returned. Switches feel like new, but something is sucking life out of battery. I will give it a try and report back.
I've got two keys and the frunk function doesn't work on either. Any ideas?
I doubt both would have solder joint problems at the same time, but you never know.
You could also get something like a hot air station with is pretty cheap and you have more control over it. Sort of like a heat gun but more nimble and precise.
I didn�t �advise� any one to �cook� their circuit board. Quotation marks are used to quote something someone actually said.
Buying and programing new key fobs are quite expensive from my understanding. I have two fobs and neither worked. The way I saw it, I had nothing to lose so I tried something and it worked. Now I have working fobs.
I felt like this could be valuable info for the people in the same situation as me.
unfortunately it didn't work for me. It didn't melt the plastic battery holder either.
positive side, I tried my PSC2'S in 38* temps....held up at triple didgets, who'd a thought?
It is always good to inspect your circuit board with a loupe or strong magnifying glass to see if any of the solder joints are suspect first. Again, there are many examples on the web but here's a couple...
Using quotation marks to note an expression or adage is grammatically correct. The word "cook" is a one-word expression or lab slang in Chemistry to begin a procedure that involves heat. But let's not have a English debate, shall we?
I'm glad you got your keyfobs to work, but my opinion is just that... an opinion. Aren't you glad the place is not filled with "yes-men"? Oppps, sorry I did it again. I'm not quoting you.
did any part of the fob work prior to reflowing the solder?
one of my fobs wont open the doors or frunk, but the light comes on when i press the button
I manage a factory that assemblies a couple hundred thousand PCBAs in a year. Reflow (Cook) soldering is SOP for SMT components. Hot air is also commonly used for Rework/Repair operations as a less intrusive method than using a soldering iron.
Many of the ovens used for reflow soldering are convection with the main difference from the ovens we have in our kitchen being their conveyors and multiple zone configuration allowing temperatures to be ramped up and cooled which is important for both the integrity of the PCB and components but also the activation of the flux which is contained within the solder paste the components are placed on.
Caution for any parts that are plated through hole which are not configured to withstand reflow temperatures and do not exceed 255C.
Here is a generic profile:
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
