Was frustrated last week when my remote quit working. I replaced the battery, showing 3 volts, with a new one, 3.2 volts and no change. Re-programming had no effect either. Would never get the "confirmed" lock/unlock in the final step. Started pricing replacements, minimum $55 (Amazon & eBay) WITH the electronics [don't be confused or misled by shell/case only items! $10-30 range]. Then I thought, what the heck... "let me just brush it off with a toothbrush and see what happens. It'll take 10 minutes ...better than just forking over $55 and waiting for a replacement." Well... it worked! No re-programming necessary. Thought this might be useful for anyone in the same situation.
It may not work for long. Isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip work better......followed by a thorough drying before putting the battery back in should produce results that will last longer.
Many remotes become contaminated from the oil on your finger tips. Yes, over time it will migrate from one side of that rubber membrane to the other side. But there are other things, including wear of the contact points and even maybe a bit of contamination left over from when they were made.
