One thing about living in the modern technological age is that there are researchers who keep making great discoveries. Those discoveries change how we live and operate our vehicles.
However, not every upgrade or change is as good as it could be. While stopping the theft of cars, etc., technological advances have made car keys more vulnerable. To find out how vulnerable car keys have become, just continue to read our article.
Are car remotes waterproof? No, they are not. They contain electrical components which can be shorted out in the presence of water. Although, if you get yours wet chances are you can let them air out and they should be fine.
Are car remotes waterproof?
There is some good news and some bad news here. The good news is that these modern car remotes give you greater freedom in unlocking or locking your car doors. When your hands are full, this new system lets you unlock your door quickly and easily.
The bad news is that these remotes operate off of electricity and electricity and water do not go together. What that means is that if you go swimming and forget to put your key sin a safe place, or you get in a water fight and forget your keys are in your pocket, they will get damaged and not work.
This goes for car remotes as well as electronic keys. The only way you will be able to start your vehicle is if the transponder was not damaged.
What if your car key remote gets wet
It is not likely to explode but that possibility is not out of the question. Inside the key remote or Fob, there is a battery and if it gets wet it can leak, lose its power or eventually explode. The explosion won’t be that large given the size of the battery.
But that is not the only part inside the key fob that gets damaged. Due to the many technological upgrades, key Fob makers are able to place tiny control panels inside the device.
When these control panels get wet, and they will if you are not careful around water, the control panel can short out, corrode or rust in certain areas. The amount of damage done to the remote will depend largely on how long it was in the water or how thoroughly it got wet.
What to do when your remote gets wet
There are several options at your disposal. The first is the inclination to repair or dry out the inside. You can do this by holding the button side down and giving the remote a little shake or two.
If this doesn’t work, you can open the Fob and remove the battery. Then take a soft clean cloth and wipe the interior nice and dry. Hopefully, you got the moisture out in time and no damage was done.
If the battery is damaged, simply replace it with a new one after drying out the interior of the remote. Even if the battery is not damaged it is always a good idea to replace it after it got wet, just in case.
Once you have done all of this, you need to test the remote and make sure all the buttons are working. If they don’t the first time, repeat the drying and cleaning steps and then try again.
If on the second attempt the Fob does not work, you will have to go to the more expensive option and replace it. It is possible to reprogram the control panel but that may be costly as well.
There is the old fashioned method
If the car won’t start and you are not in a position to do all that drying and cleaning, there is one more option you can try. If the Fob or remote comes with an old-fashioned key, just find the right button or lever to push in order to remove it from its place.
Once inside your car, there should be a plastic cap near the steering wheel. Pull that cap off and you will see an old-fashioned key slot. Put the key inside the slot, as you would on an older model, and turn the key.
After the car is started, you can decide to fix the Fob, replace it, or just stick with the old-fashioned method of driving a car. Sometimes technology is not superior to the old-fashioned ways.
How to repair your car remote & cost
If the Fob or remote can be repaired, it would need to be reprogrammed. This can only be done at the car dealership that services your make and model of car. Going to a dealer costs anywhere between $50 and $100 for an American-made vehicle.
If you own a European-made car or SUV, the cost rises significantly. You could be paying up to $500 for a replacement or reprogramming. The final cost depends on your dealer and the type of car you own.
If you own a ten-year-old vehicle or older, you may be able to buy a cheaper after-market Fob and have a local mechanic program it for you. This will be cheaper than the dealer. As would trying to find instructions on the internet and doing it yourself.
The latter two options may not be the best ones to take.
Some final words
Getting your car key remote wet is never a good idea. Electronics are too sensitive to water and you may not see the damage done right away. The best advice that can be given is to remind you to not forget that you have that remote in your pocket.
Check them before you get involved with any water activity. That way you will save yourself a ton of money and hassles.