Lost your key fob or need to program a new one for your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500? Programming your key fob yourself can save you time and money compared to going to a dealership. This guide provides simple, step-by-step instructions to program your 2008 Gmc Sierra 1500 Key Fob, ensuring you regain keyless entry and remote locking/unlocking functionality quickly. There are two methods depending on whether your Sierra 1500 is equipped with Driver Information Center buttons. Let’s find the right method for your vehicle.
Method 1: Programming Your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 Key Fob with Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons
This method applies to 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 models that have Driver Information Center buttons on the steering wheel. These buttons allow you to navigate vehicle information displays, including the key fob programming menu.
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Start the Vehicle and Access DIC: Insert your key into the ignition and turn it to the “ON” position. This is the position right before you would crank the engine to start. Ensure you can access the Driver Information Center display.
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Navigate to the Key Fob Relearn Menu: Use the vehicle information button (often depicted as a car or information icon) on your steering wheel to cycle through the Driver Information Center menus. Continue pressing the button until you see PRESS TO RELEARN REMOTE KEY displayed on the screen.
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Activate Key Fob Learning Mode: Once PRESS TO RELEARN REMOTE KEY is displayed, press the set/reset button (often a checkmark or set symbol). Hold the button until the Driver Information Center displays REMOTE KEY LEARNING ACTIVE. Your vehicle is now in programming mode, ready to learn the new key fob.
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Program the Key Fob: Take your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 key fob. Simultaneously press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the key fob. Continue holding both buttons for approximately 15 seconds. After about 15 seconds, you should hear a chime sound from the vehicle. This chime indicates that the key fob has been successfully programmed.
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Program Additional Key Fobs (Optional): If you have additional 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 key fobs to program, repeat step 4 immediately for each additional fob. You can program up to a maximum of eight key fobs for your vehicle using this procedure.
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Exit Programming Mode and Test: To exit the key fob programming mode, turn the ignition key to the “OFF” position and remove the key from the ignition. Now, test each programmed key fob to ensure it successfully locks and unlocks your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 remotely.
Method 2: Programming Your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 Key Fob Without Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons
If your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 model does not have Driver Information Center buttons, you can still program your key fob using the trip odometer reset stem.
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Prepare the Vehicle: Ensure your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 is in “Park” (P) and the ignition key is in the “ON” position (as far as you can turn it without starting the engine).
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Access Relearn Remote Key Menu: Locate the trip odometer reset stem on your instrument panel. Press and release the trip odometer reset stem repeatedly until the Driver Information Center (even without dedicated buttons, there’s a basic display) shows RELEARN REMOTE KEY.
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Activate Key Fob Learning Mode: Once RELEARN REMOTE KEY is displayed, press and hold the trip odometer reset stem for approximately three seconds. After holding for three seconds, the display should change to REMOTE KEY LEARNING ACTIVE. The vehicle is now ready to learn the key fob signal.
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Program the Key Fob: Take your first 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 key fob. Press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the key fob simultaneously for about 15 seconds. Listen for a chime from the vehicle, which signals successful programming of the key fob.
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Program Additional Key Fobs (Optional): To program more key fobs, immediately repeat step 4 for each additional 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 key fob. Remember, a maximum of eight key fobs can be programmed to your vehicle.
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Exit Programming Mode and Test: Turn the ignition key to the “OFF” position and remove the key to exit programming mode. Test all programmed key fobs to verify they are working correctly with your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500.
By following these straightforward steps, you can easily program your 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 key fob and regain the convenience of keyless entry. If you encounter any issues or the programming is unsuccessful, double-check the steps and ensure you are using a compatible key fob for your vehicle. For further assistance, consider consulting your GMC Sierra owner’s manual or contacting a certified GMC dealership.
