Losing or breaking your car key fob can be a frustrating experience. If you’re a Chevy owner and find yourself in this situation, especially when you only have one working key or none at all, you might think a costly trip to the dealership is your only option. However, for many Chevy models, you can actually reprogram your Chevy key fob yourself, saving both time and money. This guide will walk you through the process of programming a new key fob when you don’t have a recognized, working key.
Programming Your Chevy Key Fob When You Don’t Have a Recognized Key
This procedure is designed for situations where you need to program a new Chevy key fob and do not have a previously recognized key to start the process. It’s important to note that Canadian regulations may require owners to visit their dealer for key programming. This process can take approximately 30 minutes and requires all the key fobs you wish to program to be present with you.
Step 1: Prepare Your Vehicle
Ensure your Chevy vehicle is turned off. Gather all the transmitters (key fobs) you intend to program. Locate your driver’s side door handle and find the key lock cylinder cap. You will need to remove this cap to access the physical key lock cylinder.
Step 2: Initiate the Programming Sequence
Insert the vehicle key into the key lock cylinder on the driver’s door handle. Turn the key to the unlock position five times within a 10-second period. After completing this step, observe the Driver Information Center (DIC) display in your vehicle. It should display “REMOTE LEARN PENDING, PLEASE WAIT.”
Step 3: Wait and Repeat the Learning Process
You will need to wait for 10 minutes. After this waiting period, the DIC should display “PRESS START BUTTON TO LEARN.” Once you see this message, press the POWER button (or START button in some models) located on your center console. The DIC will once again show “REMOTE LEARN PENDING, PLEASE WAIT.”
Repeat this 10-minute waiting process and POWER button press two more times. This means you will perform Step 2 and Step 3 a total of three times. After the third repetition, all previously programmed key fobs will be erased from the system. Don’t worry, you will program the new fobs in the next steps. The DIC display should now indicate “READY FOR REMOTE #1.”
Step 4: Access the Transmitter Pocket
Inside your vehicle, locate the center console storage area. You’ll need to remove the rubber mat that lines the bottom of this storage area. Beneath this mat, you will find the transmitter pocket, which is designed to hold the key fob during the programming process.
Step 5: Program the New Transmitter
Place the new key fob directly into the transmitter pocket you just accessed. Press and hold the POWER button (or START button) for approximately two seconds. When the key fob is successfully programmed, the DIC will display a message indicating that it is ready to program the next transmitter, likely showing “READY FOR REMOTE #2” or similar.
Step 6: Program Additional Transmitters (Optional)
If you have additional key fobs to program, repeat Step 5 with each of them. Place each new transmitter into the pocket, one at a time, and press and hold the POWER button until the DIC confirms programming.
Step 7: Exit Programming Mode
Once you have programmed all desired key fobs, press and hold the POWER button for approximately 12 seconds. This action will exit the key fob programming mode.
After completing these steps, retrieve your key from the transmitter pocket and test all programmed key fobs to ensure they are working correctly with your Chevy vehicle. You should now be able to lock, unlock, and start your car with your newly programmed Chevy key fobs.
