How to Fix Your Overly Sensitive Car Fob: A DIY Guide

Is your car fob acting up, unlocking your doors or popping the trunk seemingly at random? Many car owners experience issues with overly sensitive key fobs, leading to accidental alarms and unintended car actions. If you’re tired of your car fob’s hair-trigger responses, you’re in luck. This guide will walk you through a simple DIY fix to reduce your car fob’s sensitivity and regain control.

Identifying the Problem: Why is Your Car Fob So Sensitive?

Before diving into the fix, let’s understand why your car fob might be overreacting. Often, the culprit lies within the fob itself. Inside, small metal discs are attached to the rubber buttons. These discs make contact with the circuit board when you press a button, activating the fob’s functions. Over time, these metal discs can become loose or shift, leading to unintended contact and increased sensitivity. Sometimes, they can even detach completely and float around inside, causing unpredictable behavior.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing a Sensitive Car Fob

This repair focuses on adjusting the button sensitivity by addressing the metal discs inside your car fob. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Your Car Fob

Start by opening your car fob. First, remove the valet key if your fob has one. There’s usually a small switch or button to release it.

Opened car fob showing internal components including circuit board and rubber button pad

Once the valet key is removed, carefully pry open the fob casing. You can use a small screwdriver or even the valet key itself to gently separate the two halves of the fob. Be careful not to damage the plastic casing.

2. Inspect the Button Pad and Metal Discs

With the fob open, you’ll see the internal components. Carefully remove the rubber button pad. On the back of this pad, you should see small metal discs. Examine these discs closely.

Close-up of car fob rubber button pad with metal discs detached from some buttons

Check if any discs are loose, missing from their intended button locations, or floating freely inside the fob. In many cases of overly sensitive fobs, these discs are the source of the problem.

3. Removing Metal Discs and Clipping Button Nubs (Sensitivity Reduction)

To reduce sensitivity, we’ll modify the rubber buttons. Use nail clippers to carefully clip off the small center nub on the back of each button on the rubber pad. These nubs are where the metal discs were originally attached.

Clipping the center nub on a car fob button pad using nail clippers for sensitivity repair

By removing these nubs, you reduce the direct pressure applied to the metal discs (or the circuit board if you choose not to re-glue the discs) when you press the buttons, making them less sensitive.

4. Re-gluing Metal Discs (Optional – For Standard Button Function)

If you want to maintain standard button function but with reduced sensitivity, clean off any old glue from the metal discs and the rubber button pad. Use a small amount of Loctite repair adhesive or similar glue to reattach the metal discs to the buttons you want to remain active.

Alternatively, if you have buttons you rarely or never use (like panic or remote start), you can choose not to re-glue the metal discs to those buttons. This effectively disables those buttons, preventing accidental presses.

5. Battery Replacement (Optional)

While you have your car fob open, it’s a good time to replace the battery, especially if you don’t remember the last time you changed it. The battery size is typically CR-2032. Having a fresh battery can ensure optimal fob performance.

6. Reassembling the Car Fob

Carefully reassemble the car fob, ensuring all pieces fit back together snugly. Make sure the rubber button pad is correctly positioned before closing the casing.

7. Testing the Fixed Fob

Test all the buttons on your car fob. They should now require a more deliberate press to activate, resolving the issue of over-sensitivity. Buttons from which you removed the metal discs (if any) should no longer function.

Applicable Car Models

This DIY fix is reported to work for various Ford models that use the FCC M3N5WY8609 (Ford Smart Key) remote, OE part number 164-R8091. This includes models such as:

• Ford Escape (2011-2018)
• Ford C-Max (2011-2018)
• Ford Focus (2011-2018)
• Ford Flex (2011-2018)
• Ford Explorer (2011-2018)
• Ford Expedition (2011-2018)
• Ford Taurus (2011-2018)

The circuit board may be marked with “Continental 1408-2” and “94V-0”. While these specific models are mentioned, the principle of adjusting button sensitivity by modifying the rubber pad and metal discs might be applicable to other car makes and models with similar key fob designs.

Conclusion: Regain Control of Your Car Fob

By following these simple steps, you can effectively fix an overly sensitive car fob and prevent accidental button presses. This DIY solution can save you the cost of replacing the entire fob and restore удобство and peace of mind in your daily car use. Enjoy a car fob that works when you want it to, and not when it feels like it!