GMC Terrain Remote Start Not Working (Troubleshooting Guide)

If you’re having problems with your GMC Terrain remote start, we’re here to help you out. The issue of your remote start system failing to respond when you press the start button is quite common. This article discusses everything you need to know about this issue, including solutions to get your remote system up and working again.

GMC Terrain remote start not working has many potential issues including a dead key fob battery, programming issues, your car isn’t in start-ready mode, electrical issues, check engine light is on, incorrect use, the remote start is switched off or your remote system is faulty.

In this article, we’re going to share with you more valuable insights on why your GMC Terrain’s remote start may be behaving oddly. We’ll also share helpful troubleshooting tips to resolve the underlying issue and make your remote start work as smoothly as before.

Why Your Gmc Terrain Remote Start Is Not Working

Below, we’re going to explore the most potential causes behind your GMC terrain remote start failing to respond when you press the start button on your remote.

Weak or dead key fob battery

The most common culprit behind a failing remote start system in all cars is a weak or dead key fob battery. The battery gets weak over time and at some point, you’ll need to replace it with a new one.

If your battery is more than 3 years old, then you’ll highly likely need to replace it with a new one to see if it solves the problem.

Solution: The fix here is to replace the battery to see if your remote system, starts working again. And when doing so, you want to ensure you use the correct type of battery for your remote system.

You also want to ensure you buy high-quality batteries that won’t die soon. Be sure to install the battery correctly.

Incorrect use

You may also be using your remote starts incorrectly, thus making it fail to function. Most people tend to wrongly use their key fobs to activate the remote start in their vehicles.

This is usually due to ignoring the owner’s manual procedure for the correct steps to follow.

What works for one system doesn’t work for another, so you should be familiar with your remote system starting procedure.

While some systems require just a single press of a button to start the engine, others require a combination of buttons.

In some cases, multiple attempts to use your remote system may also lead to a loss of programming for your key fob, so you need to check this as well.

Solution: Check your owner manual for the correct procedure for using your GMC Terrain remote system, including safety concerns, and mistakes to avoid to ensure a smooth remote start.

Programming issues

Sometimes your GMC Terrain remote start may require you to reprogram it or sync it with your vehicle’s computer system.

This is especially so if you recently installed it or there have been some software updates. Also, changing the key fob battery may require you to reprogram this system.

The remote start may also loose its programming along the way, requiring you to reprogram it. In all these instances, your remote start may fail to work until you reprogram it.

Solution: Check your vehicle’s manual for full instructions on how to reprogram your remote starts system.

This process usually involves simple steps such as pressing a combination of specific buttons on your key fob.

You can also get a professional installer to reprogram your system for you if you’re not sure how to go about it.

Your vehicle isn’t in the remote start-ready state

A set of conditions must be met for your GMC Terrain remote starts system to be functional.

For instance, your hood should be properly closed, all the doors should be locked, hazard lights should be off, and your vehicle fuel tank should have sufficient gas.

For the hood part, your vehicle hood has sensors/pins that receive signals from your remote starter system.

This is a safety feature that helps ensure the hood doesn’t close when someone is working under the hood, say when you accidentally press your key fob buttons.

If these pins get broken, they can start malfunctioning and send false signals to your remote start system, making it fail to start your vehicle.

The remote start is also designed not to turn on your engine if the car is not in parking or neutral mode.

If one of these conditions isn’t met, then we can say your car is not in start-ready mode and your remote start attempts will fail until you meet all these conditions.

Solution: Ensure all the necessary conditions for using the remote start function are met before you attempt to use this function.

Lock all your doors, close the hood, ensure the hazard lights are off, make sure your car is in park mode, and Ensure your vehicle is in the park or neutral mode.

Once you have checked all these conditions, try restarting your vehicle.

The remote start switch is off

The remote start feature on your vehicle usually comes with an on/off switch situated on the dash on the driver’s side.

Most of the time, people tend to turn off this toggle and completely forget about it.

Other times, you may accidentally turn it off. Your kids playing in the front passenger seat may also deactivate the switch when playing.

Solution: You’ll need to locate this switch on your dash and check its status. If it’s in the off position, simply turn it on and your remote start will most probably resume working as before.

The key is in the ignition

Yes, if the key in your vehicle is in the ignition, attempting to use remote start will be met with challenges.

This is because the key being in ignition mode means the ignition is already turned on, so you can’t use the remote start.

Solution: Turn off your ignition from the button on the key fob or use the keys to turn the engine on with the button on the key fob.

Your check engine light is on

If your vehicle check engine light (CEL) is illuminating on the dash, it may be another reason your remote starts is failing to start.

Most remote systems are designed such that they disable themselves whenever your car vehicle’s onboard diagnostic system detects faults with your car.

Solution: If your CEL is on, you’ll need to find out what issues caused it and resolve it to make your remote system start working again.

In this case, you’ll need to use an OBB-II scanning tool to help you pull any trouble codes stored in your vehicle computer.

These will provide you with ideas about the specific issue causing your CEL to illuminate, and help you determine the best repairs to resolve the problem.

The remote starts system is faulty

If none of the above issues seems to be the culprit behind your remote start malfunction, then you may consider mechanical failure as the cause. The remote start system becoming faulty can easily affect its overall functionality.

Case in point, if the key fob buttons are broken or loose, say due to frequent use, they can make the key fob fail to work. Weather elements such as moisture may also get into your key fob accidentally and cause it to malfunction.

The remote start module inside your car may also develop faults and prevent your remote system from functioning as expected.

Solution: If you suspect your remote start is faulty, get a professional installer to diagnose it and fix it to make your remote start system start working again.

Why Your Gmc Terrain Remote Start Is Not Working And Check Engine Light Is On

If your GMC Terrain remote start is not working and the check engine light is on, this is your part.

Your remote start is designed not to activate the engine if the warning light is on. This is a safety issue as the CEL usually signals an issue with your car engine or system issue.

A check engine may come on due to a variety of issues such as an overheating engine, loose gaskets in combustion and compression chambers, low coolant and oil levels, etc.

When faced with this situation, we advise you to scan your car computer to find out the issue causing the check engine light to come on and fix it to clean the CEL.

This way, you can make your remote system start functioning again.

Why Your Gmc Terrain Key Fob Is Not Working

If you have noticed malfunction issues with your key fob, there could be several things to check to ensure it is in good condition.

First, you want to check if the key fob batteries are weak or dead and replace them as necessary.

Most car owners don’t know this, but the key fob takes in batteries that enable it to communicate with the remote start control module inside your car.

If these batteries become weak or dead, the remote can’t send signals to the control module. If you haven’t replaced our key fob batteries, consider replacing them with the correct batteries and see if it helps.

If you recently changed the batteries and your key fob isn’t working correctly, you’d want to check if you did the battery installation correctly (check your user manual for more info).

You also want to ensure you didn’t get crappy batteries that won’t keep charge for long.

The key fob may also need reprogramming after battery replacement to ensure it continues working correctly.

Another possibility behind your malfunctioning key fob is damage to the fob. Inspect your fob for any visible signs of damage such as loose or broken buttons.

If any, you may consider replacing the key fob to ensure smooth use of the remote start feature.

Sometimes moisture may also find its way into your key fob and cause it to start malfunctioning, in which case, you may need to replace the fob as well.

While dissecting the challenges of the GMC Terrain’s remote start system, it’s enlightening to acknowledge that vehicles across the spectrum, from luxury to mainstream, can experience parallel issues. Take Lincoln, for instance, a brand synonymous with luxury and comfort, yet it isn’t immune to remote start difficulties. For an in-depth look at their challenges, our article on Lincoln remote start issues is a valuable read. In a similar vein, the Chevy Sonic, a staple in the compact car segment, has had its share of remote start woes, detailed in our comprehensive guide on Chevy Sonic remote start problems.

Conclusion

It’s quite common for GMC Terrain remote start to stop working. When faced with this issue, we advise you to find the cause behind it and fix it to restore your remote start functionality. The most common culprits include dead/weak key fob battery, incorrect uses, issues with the programming, the remote start switch being off, the key is in the ignition, and the check engine light being on. If conditions necessary for the remote start to work aren’t met, it may also fail to work.

We have offered you troubleshooting tips for each of these issues, so you have an idea of what to do in each case. If you’re unable to find the cause of your malfunctioning remote start system, don’t hesitate to consult your GMNC technician for professional assistance.