I noticed that the lock button on my remote was not functioning. I am able to unlock the doors with the remote, and I am able to lock the doors with the switch on the driver's door, but the lock button on the remote yields no action/noise. I assumed it was a dead/dying battery in the remote, but then I grabbed the 2nd remote and it has the same problem. I have not tried reprogramming the remotes to the car yet, but I'm not too optimistic since part of the remote is working fine. Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

ssims,

 

I can't recall how the insides of the 3rd generation Subie remote look, because I've moved on to a 2012 model. But, some remotes have buttons that over time get dirty and refuse to activate or do so intermittently.

 

Open the remote and see if there is a rubber/silicone pad that can be removed. Frequently the underside of the pad has a carbon/brass-like button that gets dirty. Clean it with a pink eraser. Do the same for the printed circuit board where the button touches. In fact, do all of them.

 

Some remotes have a tiny button on the circuit board that is soldered in place and can't be removed. In this case, remove the battery from the unit, and spray the button/s with electrical contact cleaner and then cycle the switches many times. Do this two or three times.

 

Regardless, put the battery back in, after giving the contact cleaner fluid time to evaporate, and ensuring that your battery is good, try it out.

 

If that doesn't do the job, then your receiver that actuates the locks has lost its programming, and needs to have it done again. As I recall, having done this same job on the 07 OBW LTD I had before the present car, it was quite involved with pushing the power door lock switch to spell out the programming code. Its not rocket science but it is involved. You should be able to find the code programming procedure online, as that's where I got it, but that was many years ago. Good Luck!

you could try pairing the remotes again. look on cars101.com for those instructions.

 

otherwise, I think the module in the car could be bad?The odds of having both remotes bad seems low to me.

 

if you know someone with the same generation car, try pairing their working remote to your car and see if it works.