Key fob Locking & Unlocking Problems on 2009 Buick LaCrosse

Hello,

Have a 2009 Buick LaCrosse.

Up until now, the automatic locking and unlocking via the key fob worked
fine.

It has become, as best I can describe it, "flaky". Sometimes it works,
sometimes it takes many presses of the button, sometimes it won't no
matter how often I press it.

But the funny thing is that the unlocking of the trunk always works
perfectly, as does the horn and lights flashing whenever I press to lock
or unlock.

Put in a new fob battery, but still the same.

I think that it may not be the keyring fob transmitter at all, as the
car has built in according to the Manual a feature where the doors all
lock themselves automatically as soon as the car moves, and that this
feature cannot be disabled. This, of course, has nothing to do with the
keyring fob.
It also has become "flaky" now.

Thought I would like to learn a bit more about how this system is
supposed to function before bringing it to dealership.

e.g., is there one logic board that controls everything, or are there
separate modules for each function ?

What is the most likely cause of the problem(s) ?
Anything I can check out myself fairly easily ?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Bob wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Have a 2009 Buick LaCrosse.
>
> Up until now, the automatic locking and unlocking via the key fob worked
> fine.
>
> It has become, as best I can describe it, "flaky". Sometimes it works,
> sometimes it takes many presses of the button, sometimes it won't no
> matter how often I press it.
>
> But the funny thing is that the unlocking of the trunk always works
> perfectly, as does the horn and lights flashing whenever I press to lock
> or unlock.
>
> Put in a new fob battery, but still the same.
>
> I think that it may not be the keyring fob transmitter at all, as the
> car has built in according to the Manual a feature where the doors all
> lock themselves automatically as soon as the car moves, and that this
> feature cannot be disabled. This, of course, has nothing to do with the
> keyring fob.
> It also has become "flaky" now.
>
> Thought I would like to learn a bit more about how this system is
> supposed to function before bringing it to dealership.
>
> e.g., is there one logic board that controls everything, or are there
> separate modules for each function ?
>
> What is the most likely cause of the problem(s) ?
> Anything I can check out myself fairly easily ?
>
> Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Bob

Common problem with remotes are the contact pads getting covered with
crud. The solution is simple. Take the fob apart. Clean the switch pads
and the contacts on the board with some clean alcohol. Also clean the
battery contacts and reassemble the fob.

--
Steve W.

On Thu, 24 Oct 2013 19:24:08 -0400, Bob > wrote:

>Hello,
>
>Have a 2009 Buick LaCrosse.
>
>Up until now, the automatic locking and unlocking via the key fob worked
>fine.
>
>It has become, as best I can describe it, "flaky". Sometimes it works,
>sometimes it takes many presses of the button, sometimes it won't no
>matter how often I press it.
>
>But the funny thing is that the unlocking of the trunk always works
>perfectly, as does the horn and lights flashing whenever I press to lock
>or unlock.
>
>Put in a new fob battery, but still the same.
>
>I think that it may not be the keyring fob transmitter at all, as the
>car has built in according to the Manual a feature where the doors all
>lock themselves automatically as soon as the car moves, and that this
>feature cannot be disabled. This, of course, has nothing to do with the
>keyring fob.
>It also has become "flaky" now.
>
>Thought I would like to learn a bit more about how this system is
>supposed to function before bringing it to dealership.
>
>e.g., is there one logic board that controls everything, or are there
>separate modules for each function ?
>
>What is the most likely cause of the problem(s) ?
>Anything I can check out myself fairly easily ?
>
>Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>Bob

You need to find out if some door lock are working properly, while
others are not. If that's the case, the door lock actuators inside the
doors that aren't working properly are the problem, not the remote.

There has to be a door lock switch on the door panel or the console.
Use that, and watch each door as you toggle between lock and unlock.
If, on some of the doors, you see the manual lock knob moving
slightly, but it's not fully unlocking or locking the door, or it's
not moving at all on some doors, it's going to be actuators.

If it's the actuator(s), that repair is probably beyond the skills of
an amateur.

On Thu, 24 Oct 2013 19:31:20 -0400, "Steve W." > wrote:

>Bob wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Have a 2009 Buick LaCrosse.
>>
>> Up until now, the automatic locking and unlocking via the key fob worked
>> fine.
>>
>> It has become, as best I can describe it, "flaky". Sometimes it works,
>> sometimes it takes many presses of the button, sometimes it won't no
>> matter how often I press it.
>>
>> But the funny thing is that the unlocking of the trunk always works
>> perfectly, as does the horn and lights flashing whenever I press to lock
>> or unlock.
>>
>> Put in a new fob battery, but still the same.
>>
>> I think that it may not be the keyring fob transmitter at all, as the
>> car has built in according to the Manual a feature where the doors all
>> lock themselves automatically as soon as the car moves, and that this
>> feature cannot be disabled. This, of course, has nothing to do with the
>> keyring fob.
>> It also has become "flaky" now.
>>
>> Thought I would like to learn a bit more about how this system is
>> supposed to function before bringing it to dealership.
>>
>> e.g., is there one logic board that controls everything, or are there
>> separate modules for each function ?
>>
>> What is the most likely cause of the problem(s) ?
>> Anything I can check out myself fairly easily ?
>>
>> Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Bob
>
>Common problem with remotes are the contact pads getting covered with
>crud. The solution is simple. Take the fob apart. Clean the switch pads
>and the contacts on the board with some clean alcohol. Also clean the
>battery contacts and reassemble the fob.

It's not a fob problem it's a known GM problem, ask them to check their TSB for that
car.

To reply to this message please remove the AT
after the kgs1 in the reply to address.
To a conservatist's it truly is a free country,
YOU may do whatever they wish. KG

On 10/24/2013 09:37 PM, Bill Vanek wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Oct 2013 19:24:08 -0400, Bob > wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Have a 2009 Buick LaCrosse.
>>
>> Up until now, the automatic locking and unlocking via the key fob worked
>> fine.
>>
>> It has become, as best I can describe it, "flaky". Sometimes it works,
>> sometimes it takes many presses of the button, sometimes it won't no
>> matter how often I press it.
>>
>> But the funny thing is that the unlocking of the trunk always works
>> perfectly, as does the horn and lights flashing whenever I press to lock
>> or unlock.
>>
>> Put in a new fob battery, but still the same.
>>
>> I think that it may not be the keyring fob transmitter at all, as the
>> car has built in according to the Manual a feature where the doors all
>> lock themselves automatically as soon as the car moves, and that this
>> feature cannot be disabled. This, of course, has nothing to do with the
>> keyring fob.
>> It also has become "flaky" now.
>>
>> Thought I would like to learn a bit more about how this system is
>> supposed to function before bringing it to dealership.
>>
>> e.g., is there one logic board that controls everything, or are there
>> separate modules for each function ?
>>
>> What is the most likely cause of the problem(s) ?
>> Anything I can check out myself fairly easily ?
>>
>> Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Bob
>
> You need to find out if some door lock are working properly, while
> others are not. If that's the case, the door lock actuators inside the
> doors that aren't working properly are the problem, not the remote.
>
> There has to be a door lock switch on the door panel or the console.
> Use that, and watch each door as you toggle between lock and unlock.
> If, on some of the doors, you see the manual lock knob moving
> slightly, but it's not fully unlocking or locking the door, or it's
> not moving at all on some doors, it's going to be actuators.
>
> If it's the actuator(s), that repair is probably beyond the skills of
> an amateur.

yes, GMs of that era seemed to have crap actuators, several cars in the
company fleet at my last job had to have the actuators replaced,
including one of mine... they seemed to act up more in hot weather/when
parked in the sun. So that is a definite possibility.

nate



--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Have same problem with my buick...have u found a solution

On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 8:42:36 AM UTC-10, wrote:
> Have same problem with my buick...have u found a solution

I'm working on my truck so I borrowed my dad's car (heehee) while he's in Vegas. He has a Dodge Journey and the darn thing acts all kookoo when I use the fob lock button. I opened it up and the contacts are all messed up. I bought a couple of key fobs on eBay to replace them. I have to program them and hopefully they will work like they're supposed to. They were only $22 for the pair so no big deal if they do not.