Having RKE issues? Here's the solution....

[Starflare5]

Hey there,

 

About a week ago, the RKE started to only work very intermittently in my 1989 Cutlass Supreme. Worked fine when outside temps would be cool and then seldomly or not at all in high temps. I realized that first of all, part of the problen was the sun beating down on the rear deck and causing the reciever board to warp, and secondly, with this being a 22 year old vehicle, it's quite obvious that there might be a few bad solder joints.

 

Before you start to work on this, I would suggest that you buy a basic soldering iron kit from Radio Shack, and possibly more solder if needed, and another tip due to the original tip might get ruined by glue on the PCB of the RKE.

 

Now take note that you must first remove the rear seats (especially the seat back), and remove the left and right rear plastic pillar covers, and then the rear deck cover panel in order to get to this module.

 

After that, simply unplug and remove the unit by popping out the 2 plastic fasteners and popping out the plastic plug securing tab, then the plug itself. Now, all you may need to open the unit and remove it from it's plastic box is a flathead screw driver. Carefully pry the cover off and remove, then layout both PCBs attached by a ribbon cable with the component side (capacitors, diodes, relays, resistors) down. Now take note that the reason that this board is soo shiny (like most older GM electronic components) is due to it being coated in a layer of clear glue.

 

From here, you may notice a few to several cold or bad solder joints under this glue. A cold or bad solder joint basically looks like a components pin sticking up in the PCB with solder around it, however, with a circle crack or line around it between the outer solder and the solder on the component leg.

 

In my RKE's case, there were several like that on the reciever PCB which is the smaller board with the antenna and is unsually on the top side of the unit facing the sun. There were also a few on the controller PCB which is the larger board with the relays.

 

Warm up your soldering iron, and then carefully heat through the glue and then the solder underneath. you may also carefully put more solder on the component as well while you are able to heat and penatrate through the glue. Repeat this step for each and every bad solder joint that you see on both boards. Be advised that due to the layer of glue, that this will not be a perfect re-soldering. Just make sure you get enough on there good enough to better solidify the connection between the PCB and the components.

 

Once you have completed soldering, before you put the RKE PCB assemblies back into the plastic box, go ahead anad plug the unit back in in your vehicle and test your key fob(s). Take note, that since you have unplugged the unit, that reprogramming might be neccessary. Make sure that you have new batteries in your key fob(s) and that is the correct one(s) for the vehicle's RKE and that they have the same FCC ID as the one marked on the plastic box of the module.

 

If the key fob(s) is still non responsive, and/or, you cannot get it to program to the RKE module, Unplug the module and check for anymore bad solder joints and repeat the above soldering steps.

 

If it is still not working, replace the RKE module and/or the key fob(s).

 

If it is working properly, unplug and re-assemble the module and reinstall it into the vehicle.

 

This solution worked for me perfectly and now my RKE works perfectly in any weather.

 

I hope this helps some of you out there.

 

Thank you,

Starflare5.

Edited July 4, 2011 by Starflare5

[ScoobyDoo82]

I did it the lazy way and just tried all the RKE modules I could find in the junkyard till I found a working one. I also relocated mine into the trunk so that its not sitting baking in the sun any more.

[Oilpatch197]

WTF is a RKE?

[94 olds vert]

Remote Keyless Entry.

[Oilpatch197]

Oh.