# Why does my remote stop working sometimes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-remote-stop-working-sometimes/189734>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 20, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-remote-stop-working-sometimes/189734 "2003-07-20T13:43:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-remote-stop-working-sometimes/189734/1 "2003-07-20T13:43:34Z")

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Last night, I kept hitting various buttons and it affected my VCR/TV like I was pointing a soda botle at it. Nothing. Zip.

I changed the batteries. Nothing. I pointing at the sensor from every single conceivable angle. Nada.

I had planned to go get a Universal remote replacement today, but I was sitting in front of the unit and idly pointed the remote at it this morning. It worked perfectly.

Something like this sometimes occurs with my car alarm/opener remote, and I was told it was local interference (someone nearby was operating a device that sent out waves jamming that frequency, or something like that). Is that’s what’s going on here, do you think, or do I have a remote that’s on the fritz?

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-remote-stop-working-sometimes/189734/2 "2003-07-20T13:49:45Z")

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1: Possible light corrosion on battery contacts.

2: Wire attached to battery contacts is almost broken and is making intermittent contact.

Get a pencil eraser or an emery board and rub/scrape the battery contact points inside the remote housing. Blow our debris if any and see if situation improves.

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**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-remote-stop-working-sometimes/189734/3 "2003-07-20T14:30:08Z")

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I had one with a cold solder joint on the IR led, resoldered it and it worked fine.

You can test your tv remote with a didgital camera and a dark room. At least you will know it is lighting up.