Need help asap! Key prob..
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
From: Scott afb IL
Need help asap! Key prob..
My 05 c6 was having an air issue and was causing a code. I thought I would start from the sourse and work my way through its problems. I unhooked the POWER off the battery not thinking about the fobs
Any way took intake tubes and bridge off to inspect and clean MAF. Put everything back together, and hooked power back up. Got my fob to open doors and nothing. Like as if the car was dead. I had no manuel key, so it was a trip x2 to the dealer to Have a key cut, twice. It didnt fit the first time. They said if it dont work this time call a locksmith. My question is there another way to make it inside to program my fobs? Or what else can I do to fix this issue?
PLEASE HELP!!
Thanks
CHAD
Any way took intake tubes and bridge off to inspect and clean MAF. Put everything back together, and hooked power back up. Got my fob to open doors and nothing. Like as if the car was dead. I had no manuel key, so it was a trip x2 to the dealer to Have a key cut, twice. It didnt fit the first time. They said if it dont work this time call a locksmith. My question is there another way to make it inside to program my fobs? Or what else can I do to fix this issue? PLEASE HELP!!
Thanks
CHAD
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 854
From: Daytona Beach FL
I'm afraid you're totally, completely, 100% SOL.
If your Fob was working but the car's battery died, and you didn't have your key to open the hatch, you could jack up the right front of the car to access the starter and a ground to hook up jumper cables or a charger to power up the electrical system and then use the Fob to open a door.
If you need to program a Fob, take a look in your owner's manual and you'll see that, IIRC, you need a working Fob and you also need to insert the key in the hatch lock and turn it during the Fob programming procedure.
So.....with an inop Fob and no key, you're screwed!!!
Bob
If your Fob was working but the car's battery died, and you didn't have your key to open the hatch, you could jack up the right front of the car to access the starter and a ground to hook up jumper cables or a charger to power up the electrical system and then use the Fob to open a door.
If you need to program a Fob, take a look in your owner's manual and you'll see that, IIRC, you need a working Fob and you also need to insert the key in the hatch lock and turn it during the Fob programming procedure.
So.....with an inop Fob and no key, you're screwed!!!
Bob
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
From: Scott afb IL
Thats what i figured. The dealer cut a new key but it doesnt fit. It goes in but will not turn. Im thinking maybe the car was re-keyed since the vin coded key from the dealer doesnt work. What do you all think the easiest way in with the least damage be?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 26
From: Austin Texas
Disconnecting the battery shouldn't have any effect on the fobs. I had the battery disconnected many times on my '05 and never had any problem with the fobs, something else is wrong with your car.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 854
From: Daytona Beach FL
Excellent!!! 
But, with an inop Fob, what did you do from there???
Did the Fob work when put into the glove compartment slot???
I've never needed it, but I always carry a key with me in case I have a situation like yours. When I travel I take both Fobs with me.
Everybody should check their key every once in a while to make sure the cable from the lock above the license plate to the latch in the cargo compartment is working properly. The end of the cable that attaches to the latch has a ball on the end, and if the ball isn't seated in the hook in the latch then it won't open the hatch.
Here's a picture of the end of the cable that is NOT attached properly:
Below is a picture of the cable where the ball IS properly seated into the release lever in the latch:
If your key isn't working, check that the cable is properly seated in the latch lever - if not, it's easy to hook it into the lever.
Bob
But, with an inop Fob, what did you do from there???
Did the Fob work when put into the glove compartment slot???
I've never needed it, but I always carry a key with me in case I have a situation like yours. When I travel I take both Fobs with me.
Everybody should check their key every once in a while to make sure the cable from the lock above the license plate to the latch in the cargo compartment is working properly. The end of the cable that attaches to the latch has a ball on the end, and if the ball isn't seated in the hook in the latch then it won't open the hatch.
Here's a picture of the end of the cable that is NOT attached properly:
Below is a picture of the cable where the ball IS properly seated into the release lever in the latch:
If your key isn't working, check that the cable is properly seated in the latch lever - if not, it's easy to hook it into the lever.
Bob
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
From: Scott afb IL
I got it all taken care of. Seems as if the battery completly died. I checked it out and it was only putting down 4 cranking amps and only 2.5 volts. I got new battery in and Fobs are working fine. Thank god nothing too serious was wrong. Thanks for the help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 1
From: Yucaipa California
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
From: Scott afb IL
Well I purchased a stack of composite shimmes, a roll of masking tape and about 7' of copper grounding wire. I taped up the sail panel really well, along with the seal right next it. Sprayed a few wedges with silicone spray and slid them in on the driver side glass right between the sail panel. Tapped them in as far as i thought they would go without breaking the glass. Once i made a gap, i slid one more shim under glass and then inserted the grounding wire on top of the single shim with a slight bend at the end so I could pull the emergency door handle on floor board. Took almost an hour of hit or miss but finally got it up and open.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 1
From: Yucaipa California
Well I purchased a stack of composite shimmes, a roll of masking tape and about 7' of copper grounding wire. I taped up the sail panel really well, along with the seal right next it. Sprayed a few wedges with silicone spray and slid them in on the driver side glass right between the sail panel. Tapped them in as far as i thought they would go without breaking the glass. Once i made a gap, i slid one more shim under glass and then inserted the grounding wire on top of the single shim with a slight bend at the end so I could pull the emergency door handle on floor board. Took almost an hour of hit or miss but finally got it up and open.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 854
From: Daytona Beach FL
Glad you got everything working.
It sounds like there wasn't anything the matter with your Fob all along.
If you've got a dead battery, but you have a good Fob but no key, all you've got to do is get power back on the car so the Fob will work.
If you have a dead battery and the Fob won't open a door and you don't have a key to open the hatch to manually release the door, you can jack up the right front of the car to get under there and attach a battery charger or jumper cables. Once you get the battery charged back up or the system powered back up with jumpers, you can open the door with your Fob.
You hook up the power by attaching the negative lead to any ground, and the positive lead to the lug on the starter that has the positive lead from the battery attached to it.
That way you just charge up the battery and open the door with your Fob.
A better way is to make sure you have a key and that it works to properly pull the cable to the latch release lever.
There really is an easy way to solve these problems!!!
Bob
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
From: Scott afb IL
Excellent!!
Glad you got everything working.
It sounds like there wasn't anything the matter with your Fob all along.
If you've got a dead battery, but you have a good Fob but no key, all you've got to do is get power back on the car so the Fob will work.
If you have a dead battery and the Fob won't open a door and you don't have a key to open the hatch to manually release the door, you can jack up the right front of the car to get under there and attach a battery charger or jumper cables. Once you get the battery charged back up or the system powered back up with jumpers, you can open the door with your Fob.
You hook up the power by attaching the negative lead to any ground, and the positive lead to the lug on the starter that has the positive lead from the battery attached to it.
That way you just charge up the battery and open the door with your Fob.
A better way is to make sure you have a key and that it works to properly pull the cable to the latch release lever.
There really is an easy way to solve these problems!!!
Bob
Glad you got everything working.
It sounds like there wasn't anything the matter with your Fob all along.
If you've got a dead battery, but you have a good Fob but no key, all you've got to do is get power back on the car so the Fob will work.
If you have a dead battery and the Fob won't open a door and you don't have a key to open the hatch to manually release the door, you can jack up the right front of the car to get under there and attach a battery charger or jumper cables. Once you get the battery charged back up or the system powered back up with jumpers, you can open the door with your Fob.
You hook up the power by attaching the negative lead to any ground, and the positive lead to the lug on the starter that has the positive lead from the battery attached to it.
That way you just charge up the battery and open the door with your Fob.
A better way is to make sure you have a key and that it works to properly pull the cable to the latch release lever.
There really is an easy way to solve these problems!!!
Bob
Good info on getting to the power source from the bottom.
