Chevy Silverado Remote Start Not Working

Chevy Silverado Remote Start Not Working (Troubleshooting Tips)

Many Chevy Silverado owners have to deal with a malfunctioning remote start from time to time. If you’re also experiencing this issue currently, you’ll find this guide helpful. We’ll discuss why this issue happens and how you can resolve it and restore your remote start feature.

Chevy Silverado remote start not working can be caused by many different culprits. These include a dead key fob battery, incorrect start procedure, faulty key fob, valet mode, car not in Park, programming issues, high coolant temperatures, hazard lights flashing, check engine light, key fob inside your car, multiple start attempts, incorrect starting procedure, open hood or doors, or a bad hood switch.

In this article, we’ll discuss more comprehensive details about the various causes for your Chevy Silverado remote start malfunction and point you towards practical solutions for these issues. These will help you troubleshoot and fix your remote start not working issue.

Chevy Silverado Remote Start Not Working Causes:

Chevy Silverado Remote Start Not Working Causes

If your Silverado suddenly stops working, there are many factors to consider as listed below:

A weak or dead remote battery

This is the most common culprit that makes remote start failure in different Chevy vehicles. The battery enables them remote to send signals to your vehicle to turn on the engine.

If it dies, your remote won’t be able to communicate with your vehicle, so you’ll get no response.

Chevy Silverado dead remote battery

Solution: The best fix here is to replace the dead remote battery with a new one. Most remote starts usually use the CR2032 battery.

However, you may want to confirm with your user manual the correct replacement battery for your remote and the replacement procedure to follow.

Make sure you install your new battery correctly to make your remote functional again.

Your key fob could be faulty

You may still have issues using your remote start system even after changing the battery.

In this case, the issue may be lying in your key fob. It could be broken or damaged, thus unable to work properly.

The battery contacts could also be worn out, thus making the buttons not work when pressed.

The battery contacts could also be rusty or loose, making the key fob non-functional.

In some cases, your key fob could have been infiltrated with moisture, which messes up its system and renders it non-functional.

Solution: Try using your backup remote to see if your vehicle remote start will engage. If it does, that’s a confirmation that your key fob is remote.

You’ll need to take it to your dealership or mechanic for further inspection and repair or replacement as necessary.

Incorrect start procedure

Another factor to consider when your remote starter malfunctions is whether you’re using the correct procedure to activate it.

It’s common for most people to do it wrongly and thus cause malfunctioning problems. This is especially true if you just bought your car or haven’t used the remote start in a long time.

Chevy Silverado Incorrect start procedure

Solution: Confirm with your user manual whether you’re following the correct procedure to remote start your Silverado.

According to sunsetchevrolet.com, you can remotely start your Chevy Silverado using either the key fob or the smartphone App.

For the key fob part, these are the correct steps to follow:

Step 1. Ensure you are within 200 ft. range of your truck

Step 2. Point your key fob toward your car

Step 3. Press the lock button on your key fob

Step 4. Now press and hold down the start button. Your Chevy will turn on in a moment.

If you’re using the app, these are the steps follow:

Step 1. Press the key fob button located on the top of your screen

Step 2.  Go to the specific command for your vehicle model

Step 3. Now select the button that matches your car and your vehicle will start.

Open hood or bad hood switch

The Chevy factory remote start doesn’t work if the hood is open and you may even get the “HOOD OPEN” error on your river Information Center (DIC).

The automatic start assumes that an open hood indicates the car owner or a mechanic is inspecting the engine.

It, therefore, prevents the engine from turning on as it could get damaged or the mechanic could be harmed.

Moreover, if you start driving your car with an incorrectly closed hood, it may spread over your windshield and lead to potential accidents, as you won’t be able to see ahead clearly.

In some cases, your hood may be properly closed and latched, but the hood switch is malfunctioning. This will cause your remote system to believe the hood is still open and fail to engage.

Chevy Silverado Open hood or bad hood switch

Solution: The first thing you’ll need to do in this case is check whether your hood is properly closed and latched. Consider opening and closing it again before you attempt to remote start your Chevy.

If that doesn’t help, access the hood switch sensor and inspect it for signs of rust or damage as these could make it malfunction. If it looks rusty/dirty, clean it with WD40 and it will resume its function

However, if your switch looks damaged, replace it with a new one. If the hood is missing, you should also replace it with a new one.

Open doors and windows

If any of your truck doors or windows are not properly closed, they may also affect your remote start functionality. This is a safety precaution that helps ensure the safety of occupants inside your car.

At the same time, it helps prevent unauthorized access to your vehicle and deters theft.

Solution: Check whether any of your doors are open and close them. If the “Door Ajar” error is displayed on your DIC, then you should be able to know which door to check.

Also, ensure you have rolled up your windows all the way up before you attempt to remote start your car again.

Programming issues

Correct programming of your remote start system is key to enabling it to smoothly communicate with your remote and start your engine at the press of the start button.

However, sometimes this system may suffer glitches or loose its programming. In this case, effective communication will be affected.

In some cases, the remote start may have been programmed incorrectly. This will also lead to malfunctions.

Chevy Silverado Programming issues

Solution: If you suspect programming issues are causing your remote start to malfunction, you’ll need to reprogram your system.

Discontenting the battery to reset your car computer can help your key relearn. If this doesn’t work, visit your dealer for further diagnosis and fixing of the programming problem.

Check engine light

If your car’s automatic start won’t work and you can see the check engine light on the dash, then this is most likely the cause. Your remote system won’t work until you have cleared the engine light.

As you may already know, the engine warning light usually alerts you of the emission control system malfunction or an issue with the engine.

Thus, remote start malfunction is usually a helpful safety measure that ensures your engine doesn’t suffer further damage.

Solution: You’ll need to scan your vehicle computer for stored error codes. These will help you determine the kind of problem that triggered the engine light to come on.

Once you have this issue fixed, the engine warning light will clear on its own and the remote feature will be restored.

Valet mode is on

The Valet mode is a helpful security feature in your Chevy Silverado that may also disable the remote start feature.

This mode is helpful in that it limits various features of your vehicle when you hand the keys to the valet or a mechanic.

Therefore, if this mode is activated on your truck, it could be the reason your truck won’t start.

Chevy Silverado Valet mode is on

Solution: Check whether your car is in valet mode and consult your user manual on the correct procedure for exiting this mode.

Ideally, you can turn off valet mode by following the steps outlined below:

Step 1. Go to your vehicle settings

Step 2. Choose the Select Vehicle command

Step 3. Now scroll down until you get to the select valet mode option

Step 4. If the mode is on, you’ll need to enter the 4-digit pin you entered while activating it to turn it off.

Check the video below on how to navigate to the valet mode on your vehicle settings

Video:

Vehicle not in P (park)

For your remote start to work, your vehicle shift lever should be in P (park) mode. Otherwise, the remote start won’t engage.

This is important to prevent your car from accidentally moving after you remote start it.

Chevy Silverado Vehicle not in P (park)

Solution: Check the position of the gear selector in your vehicle. If it is in any other gear apart from the park, simply take it to P and then try restarting your vehicle.

Too many start attempts

You may also have tried remote starting your vehicle too many times, making the automatic feature disabled temporarily.

This is usually a configuration of the Chevy factory remote starts and helps ensure the security of your vehicle by preventing unauthorized access.

The maximum number of times you should try remote starting your vehicle in quick succession is 2 times.

Solution: You’ll need to manually start your car by putting the key in the ignition and turning it to the ON position and then back off.

This simply resets your remote start so that you can continue using it as before.

Key is in the ignition

The remote start cannot start your vehicle if you have left the key in the ignition. In this case, the key in the ignition means that your car is already on, so the remote start will just stop from engaging your vehicle.

Chevy Silverado Key is in the ignition

Solution: Check if you have left your car key in the ignition and take it out. Then, try to remote start your vehicle again to see if it will continue functioning as before.

The key fob is inside the car

Yes, your Chevrolet remote start will also not work if you left a key fob inside your car. This helps ensure you from locking yourself out.

Solution: The fix here is pretty simple. You just need to take out the key fob from your car and then retry the remote start feature to see if it works.

Oil and coolant temperature issues

The Chevy Silverado may also fail to remote start if the oil pressure gets too low or the engine coolant temperature gets too high.

This is another safety precaution that helps ensure high coolant temperature and low oil pressure do not cause engine damage.

Chevy Silverado Oil and coolant temperature issues

Solution: If the engine pressure is too high, give your vehicle some time, say half an hour, to completely cool down.

Also, be sure to check the engine oil and coolant levels before you attempt to remote start your car again.

As Chevy Silverado drivers navigate their way through remote start glitches, it’s worth noting that other vehicles, even within the broader General Motors family, encounter their own sets of challenges. For instance, the midsize sedan lovers among you might be interested in our detailed guide on Chevy Malibu remote start issues, which offers an in-depth analysis of the problems and solutions pertinent to this classic sedan. Moreover, luxury SUV enthusiasts shouldn’t miss our comprehensive article on Cadillac SRX remote start challenges, shedding light on the nuances and remedies for this upscale model.

Conclusion

There’s an array of issues to troubleshoot if your Silverado remote start won’t work. These include a dead key fob battery, check engine light, faulty key fob, valet mode, car not in Park, high coolant temperatures, hazard lights flashing, key fob inside your car, incorrect starting procedure, open hood or doors, bad hood switch, multiple start attempts, and programming issues.

If you have checked all of these issues and your remote start is still having trouble starting, then you should consult a Chevy technician or your nearest dealership for further assistance.

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