Hi Guys,

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

I have a 2005 Equinox LS.

When I purchased the car (USED) a few years ago it came with keyless entry, and car starter. Everything worked fine. Lock/Unlock, Hold lock alarm would set and horn would beep, car starter.

I then lost the remote and did not bother replacing it for about a year. Now I went to get a new remote.

I contacted the Chevy dealer and asked for a new car starter remote. They looked up the serial and said my Equinox didn't come with a car starter and it must have been an aftermarket job. They told me to go to a few car shops and see if they have a aftermarket remote that will work.

So I did and they were able to program a new remote (Orbit) in like 2 minutes. The guy pressed a little button for under the hood, turned the key a few times and the remote was programmed.

This was great car starter was working again. Holding the lock but sounded the horn as if the car alarm was triggered.

1 problem though. The doors don't lock and unlock with the remote... The lights on the car flash when the lock or unlock button is hit but the locks don't work.

The guy at the shop said I could make an appointment as whoever installed might not have done something right. He would have to check all the wires to see if something came loose causing the issue... I then explained to him that nothing has been touched or changed I just simply lost my remote... He said he does not know without checking. At this point have not made any appointment with him.

I brought the car home and started playing with the remote... After pressing the lock buttons over and over, opening the doors, locking manually all of a sudden the locking and unlocking started working on the remote... Then after using the car again it simply stops working and goes back to just flashing lights.

I also noticed then when the door locks actually start working with the remote. The "anti theft" yellow light on the dashboard by the speedometers lights up and starts flashing.... When the locks don't work and only the lights flash that "anti theft" light is not there.

So now I am at the point that I think it'* an issue with this aftermarket remote and I really have some type of factory car starter keyless entry.

I've pulled up the Equinox manual now and sure enough right in the manual is the keyless entry, anti theft system, etc.

I looked up my original remote. It appears to be an "original" GM factory remote that I had.

The remote in the manual has 3 buttons lock, unlock, panic button.

My original remote that I had was exactly the same but I had a 4th button that started the car.

When looking online I can't find my exact remote... I do see the 4 button remotes but the 4th button I see is for opening the truck.

I'm 99.9% sure that is exactly the same remote I had but rather then the trunk button it was the button to start the car.... Is there any of these remotes out there?

Unless it was another button like holding lock button to start the car?

Anyways at this point I am convinced that the issue is with this after market remote and that I do in fact need a factory GM remote.

The problem is Chevy is telling me my car didn't come with a car starter and they basically have no idea what I'm talking about and since I lost my original remote I have no way to prove to them that it was a factory GM remote.

I hope this makes sense to someone lol.

So currently I have this "Orbit" remote (since yesterday)

The car starter button works fine

Holding the lock button makes the horn beep activating the alarm (although the "anti theft" yellow light on dash does not appear i've tried opening the door and stuff and the alarm does go off)

Pressing unlock or unlock just flashes the lights and nothing else.

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And finally sometimes (happened 3 times so far) if I press buttons multiple times like lock, then hold lock again for alarm to sound then lock, unlock, then magically the "door locks" start working and the anti theft light appears on the dash board...


So anyone have an idea how I can resolve this issue?

Thank you for your time!

it sounds like its a aftermarket unit to me because the units that retain your factory fob dont have the start button, they work by multiple presses of the lock or unlock. as far as the doors working then not it sounds like the relay for it is going out. some are in the remote module, some are just cheap universal type relays that use a output from the remote module to control it, if you have one of these its fairly easy to replace, not so much if its in the module. as far as the factory security light there are actually two aspects to the lock and unlock, obviously locking and unlocking the door and arming and disarming the factory anti-theft. if it is intermittently working so is the disarming of the oem anti-theft. the dealer is not going to be any help. if you are not familiar with electronics you should take it to a good aftermarket place to see if they can fix it but if the problem with the unit you may have to buy a new one. i would try to find the "brain" module and find out what brand it is and see if there is a dealer in your area that has that brand, as it may be under warranty, at the very least you may find they know what they are looking at