Mod: Kill the Panic Button on your Remote Key Fob
Difficulty: 1/10
Time: ~10Minutes

Author: Bob Wenzinger (rwenzing)
Please direct all questions and comments to the author.

This is an unauthorized mod that I did to my own 2003 Ranger remote key fob for my own reasons. I present it here for informational purposes only. If you choose to do something similar, you do so at your own risk. It will render the panic button inoperative permanently. It will also void the warranty on the key fob. Please consider this carefully – this mod is NOT reversible.


Tools/Equipment needed:

• Flat/Standard Screw Driver
• mall electronics flush cutter or similar (ie dykes)

Although I can see the usefulness of the Panic Alarm feature on the Remote Entry key fob in certain situations, I must say that I hate it. I carry a lot of keys on my ring that regularly set off the Panic Button. Almost always at a very inconvenient time! Even though it meant that I would lose the entertainment value of terrifying children and small animals, I decided that it had to go.


Step 1:

Remove the key fob from the key ring and use a small screwdriver or coin to open the plastic case. There is a wider slot at the key ring end to make this easier.



Step 2:

After the case is open, disassemble and remove the printed circuit board as shown in the following three photos:


Step 3:

Turn the board over and there are 3 miniature momentary contact switches. These correspond to the three buttons on the outside of the remote key fob. The one to amputate is in center of the PC board.


Step 4:

Four conductor legs for the switch are soldered to the PC board; these are also the mounts for the switch. To remove the switch, the four legs need to be cut. Care is required in this step to avoid destroying the remote. A sharp-pointed set of miniature flush cutters for electronic work can get in close to clip the legs. A regular diagonal cutter would not work as well, if at all. Perhaps an X-acto knife could be used instead. Again, the important thing is to avoid damage to anything else on the PC board.


Here is the completed modified PC board with the switch removed.


Step 5:

Reassemble in the reverse of disassembly. The case halves snap back together with light finger pressure. Here is the modified key fob and the switch parts removed



Mod Complete:




Edited by Jason Gonderman (rngprerunner) for grammar and format.