This is my first post. What a great forum!

I read with interest the suggestions on how to fix the well-documented key FOB problem. Both of my key FOBs now suffer from the broken joints on the battery holder. However, I don't have soldering equipment. I also don't mind just using the key to unlock the door (even though there's only a manual keylock on the driver's side door).

However, every time I unlock the car door with my key, the "alarm" goes off. I dive in and stick the key in the ignition and turn it as fast as I can to stop the alarm. My 13-year old son finds this very humorous and counts the number of horn beeps. My record is two (which the wise-guy 13 year old has witnessed both times), although generally it's 3 on a good day, 4 on an average day, and if I drop the key and mess up, it can be 8 or 9, which happens much more frequently than my speed of limiting it to 2 beeps.

My question is: Is there a way to reprogram the alarm so the horn won't beep when the HHR door is unlocked using the key? I've tried it many times using the owner manual and nothing seems to work.

 

I think it should only do that if you locked the car with the FOB.

 

Thanks Lenny. That would make sense, but I don't lock the car with the FOB because the FOB doesn't work - in fact I no longer even carry it on the key chain. I lock it with the lock switch before I get out of the car. Maybe that's the problem and I need to manually push down and pull-up the locks.

I don't mind being in the 80s and using a key, but I would like to avoid going back to the 70s and having to manually push down and pull up all the locks to lock and unlock the vehicle.

 

Welcome to the forum Ace. Not wanting to make you mad but: Instead of going through the problem of reprogramming the alarm, why not just get a new fob? Or fix the present one.

 

Hey there Fireman, that's a fair question. No madness here!

I guess I'm too cheap and was hoping for an easy way out - you know thinking someone could help me push a couple buttons somewhere. The new FOB's are pretty pricey and I don't really have time to chase around jewelry shops or other places to try and find someone with soldering equipment who can fix the FOB. And back to the cheapness I've gotten by for 40-plus years without soldering stuff, so hate to buy it now to use once every 40-plus years.

But thanks to you all for taking the time to read my question and offer your insight.

 

I can't recall if the alarm can be completely disabled or not, so am not able to help there, but it IS how you are locking the car that is arming the alarm. When you hit the lock switch, that sets the alarm (as would pressing "lock" on a working key fob). I'm not sure if manually pushing the knob down would NOT arm it or not. A test run would show if that would work. One way that should NOT arm the alarm would be to manually lock the door with the key from the outside.

 

Thanks JavaMan. I'll try that later today and report back!

 

Man.... If you lived closer I'd solder up your FOBs for ya.... Are you sure you don't have a friend with a hobby that uses soldering? (audio, RC planes/cars, etc. etc.) It's really a simple job if you have the gear and know how to use it. There are also repair services available that are much cheaper than a new FOB...... not free but cheaper.

 

FOBs' have sold on here for $20. shipped..

Plus they are always on ebay, fwiw..

 

Yeah but then you'd have to have them programmed which could cost anywhere from free to $40-50 depending of the dealership and/or your relationship with them.