This is what I was thinking. If your stepdad dropped the keys it wouldn't take much to cause the holder's solder to break loose. This is what happened to my key fob. It's easy enough to fix with a soldering iron and a little dab of solder.

 

But remember, the cover was found off on the console.

 

Hey guys thank you all so much! I found fuse #26 in the interior panel fuse box, and really pushed it in. My fob is now working, though it takes about 10 presses of my remote key before my car actually locks/unlocks, and I have to be very close to the car (if I'm inside the car, it works pretty much instantaneously). But I'm not sure why this is. Before yesterday, I was able to lock my car and hear the beep from inside my house. I tried switching out the batteries and same result

 

Check the battery cage it might have broken during that drop of the fob.

 

I know someone suggested the fob could've been dropped (it wasn't),a as I've been switching out the battery multiple times, I have looked at the prong/battery holder many times. Everything inside the fob is intact

 

Natalie, if you can just as a test, go to the back of the car where the spare tire is and disconnect the NEGITIVE battery cable for a half hour.
Make sure you put a towel down before closing the rear hatch !
Reconnect the battery and see if your remote works correctly.
You will have to reset time and date only on your radio, no presets are lost.

 

The fob doesn't have to be dropped for it to become unsoldered.

 

This a long one, but here is the repair:

 

Pulling the battery in/out will damage the solder points, especially if you apply any upward force.

You pad contacts may be wearing out. new keypads and cases are cheap. Somebody will suggest a fob saver thing. Check ebay/amazon/many auto parts stores.

In a 2006 the radio receiver is behind the driver side rear seat under the trim panel. The closer to it the better reception.

 

If you put the battery in upside down, it will short and you’ll have a dead battery. (I, um, had a friend who made this mistake once.) I surmise it might heat the clip up enough to melt the solder, too.

You might check the voltage on one of the “new” batteries you pulled out. And maybe post a pick of the installed battery.