Remote Function Actuator Transmitter - Synchronizing

File In Section: 9 - Accessories

Bulletin No.: 63-90-10

Date: August, 1996

INFORMATION

Subject:
Synchronizing the Remote Function Actuator (RFA) Transmitter

Models:
1996-97 Buick LeSabre, Park Avenue, Riviera
1996-97 Oldsmobile Aurora, Eighty Eight, LSS, Ninety Eight
1996-97 Pontiac Bonneville

The Remote Function Actuator (RFA) systems that CLCD began using in 1996 have incorporated "Rolling Code" technology. "Rolling Code" offers a new level of security for the RFA system that was not available in pre-1996 vehicles. This new level of security prevents anyone from recording the message being sent from the transmitter to the receiver and playing it back to gain entry to a vehicle.

"Rolling Code" refers to the way the information is being sent out by the RFA transmitters and accepted by the receivers. The transmitted signal is scrambled in a different order upon every RFA transmission. The transmitter and receiver keep track of the appropriate order of the transmitted information. When the signal being sent by the transmitter is not in the order that the receiver is expecting, the transmission is deemed invalid and no operation is performed. This occurs when the receiver and transmitter are "OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION".

When the transmitters are out of synchronization, look for the following symptoms:

RFA-B: When transmitters are "out of synchronization", all buttons except the panic button will be inoperative.

Causes for loss of "Synchronization"

^ 256 button presses out of range of vehicle for RFA-B

^ Replacing the transmitter battery

^ Performing the resynchronization procedure out of range of the vehicle

To determine if a transmitter is out of synchronization, all functions appear to be inoperative, press the RED PANIC button. If the horn starts honking and lights start flashing, the transmitter is out of synchronization.

Refer to "Resynchronizing Transmitters" in Section 9K of the Service Manual. The customer should be made aware of this condition and directed to review the resynchronization procedure in the Owner's Manual.

Warranty information

This procedure should not be charged to warranty.