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Chevy Key Fob Programming

GM PEPS learning, the 30-minute relearn everyone forgets, and the Chevrolet fobs worth stocking deep.

Car Key Source Trade Desk 6 min read

Who this page is for

Most people searching for chevy key fob programming are not planning to do the work alone — they are working out what has to be bought and who has to touch the vehicle. This page answers both halves: what the Chevrolet system actually requires, and which parts to have in hand before the job starts.

The system on these vehicles

Chevrolet uses GM Passive Entry Passive Start. GM shares one keyless platform across Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac, which is why a single HYQ1EA or HYQ1AA fob covers an unusually wide slice of the parc. It also means a fob that physically fits may still be the wrong frequency or button count for the trim, so match the part number, not just the shape.

Before you order the fob

The wrong fob is the single most common reason a programming job stalls. Confirm all four of these against the customer's original, not against the model name:

  • FCC ID — printed on the back of the original fob.
  • Part number — ties the fob to the trim level and its button set.
  • Frequency — 315 MHz and 433 MHz parts look identical and are not interchangeable.
  • Battery type — CR2032, CR2450 and friends; worth stocking alongside the fob.

If any of those are unknown, run the original through Find My Fob or search by FCC ID before you commit to a part.

Programming a Chevrolet fob, step by step

The verified onboard procedure for Chevrolet is being reviewed by our trade desk before it goes up. We do not publish programming sequences we have not confirmed on the bench — the wrong sequence can lock a module.

Internal draft — compiled from published sources, not yet bench-verified

Applies to: Chevrolet bladed-key vehicles with onboard remote learn (roughly 1997-2013), plus Driver Information Center (DIC) menu learning on later body styles. Push-button-start smart keys use the DIC procedure at the bottom.

Older body style — power-lock-switch method

  1. Close all doors and insert the key into the ignition without starting the vehicle.
  2. Press and hold the power UNLOCK button on the driver's door panel and keep holding it.
  3. While holding, cycle the ignition OFF - ON - OFF - ON in fairly rapid succession (ON means as far as it goes without cranking).
  4. Release the door UNLOCK button. The doors lock and unlock automatically to confirm programming mode.
  5. Hold LOCK and UNLOCK together on the remote until the doors cycle again — this can take up to 30 seconds.
  6. Repeat step 5 for every remaining remote, including existing ones.
  7. Turn the ignition to ON to exit, then test all remotes.

Newer body style — DIC method

  1. With the vehicle off, use the DIC buttons to scroll to the "Remote Key Learn" or "Programming" option and confirm.
  2. When the display asks, place the remote in the console pocket or press ENGINE START/STOP as prompted, then press and hold LOCK and UNLOCK on the remote until the display advances.
  3. Repeat for each remote and exit as prompted.

Push-button-start smart keys with two working fobs: turn the driver's door key cylinder counterclockwise to unlock five times within 10 seconds until the DIC shows READY FOR REMOTE, place the new fob in the cup holder, press ENGINE START/STOP, then press LOCK or UNLOCK on the fob. Hold ENGINE START/STOP for 12 seconds to exit.

Need the steps for a specific year and trim today? Call the trade desk and we will walk it through with you, or email info@carkeysource.com.

Need the Chevrolet procedure now?Call(855) 522-7539Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm ET

When all keys are lost

All-keys-lost on GM proximity vehicles is where the platform gets expensive. Expect either a programmer that can pull the PIN from the BCM or dealer-level SPS access, plus the relearn timer. Several 2020+ models have moved behind subscription access entirely.

Stocking for Chevrolet work

If Chevrolet is a regular part of your book, the fobs below are the ones that repeat. Stocking two or three deep on the highest-volume part numbers is usually the difference between finishing a job the same day and ordering a part while the vehicle sits.

Chevrolet fobs in stock now

Published SKUs from the live catalog. Confirm the FCC ID and part number on the customer's original before you order.

Everything we hold for these vehicles: Chevrolet · GMC · Cadillac.

Not sure which part fits?Call(855) 522-7539Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm ET

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