Have you ever found yourself needing an extra key fob for your Nissan Xterra, or perhaps your original one stopped working? Going to a dealership can be costly and time-consuming. The good news is, for certain Nissan Xterra models, you can program a new key fob yourself, right in your driveway! This guide will walk you through the steps to program your Nissan Xterra key fob, saving you both time and money.
Step-by-Step Guide to Programming Your Nissan Xterra Key Fob
This procedure is designed for Nissan Xterra models within the specified year range and allows you to program your key fob quickly and efficiently. Make sure you follow each step carefully for successful programming.
Before You Begin
Ensure you have your Nissan Xterra and the key fob you wish to program. This procedure is confirmed to work for specific models within the year range of 2000 Nissan Xterra vehicles. It’s always a good idea to have your vehicle’s owner manual handy for any specific details related to your model year.
Programming Procedure
A. Get Inside and Lock Up: Begin by getting inside your Nissan Xterra. Close all doors completely and then lock them using the power door lock switch located on the driver’s side door panel. It’s crucial that all doors are properly closed and locked before proceeding to the next step.
B. The Key Insertion Trick: This step is a bit like a secret handshake for your Xterra. Insert and remove your ignition key from the ignition cylinder rapidly, doing this more than six times within a 10-second timeframe. Aim for a rate of about one insertion and removal per second. It’s important to fully remove the key from the ignition cylinder each time.
NOTE: Don’t rush this step! Consistent and complete insertion and removal are key to triggering the programming sequence.
C. Turn to ACC and Hold: After the key cycling, turn the ignition key to the “ACC” (Accessory) position. Crucially, leave the key in the “ACC” position for the entire programming process, including when you program any additional remote controls.
D. Introduce Your Remote: Now, take the key fob you want to program and press any button on it just one time.
NOTE: Only press a button once during this step. Pressing the button multiple times can disrupt the programming sequence and you’ll need to start over.
If this step is successful, your Nissan Xterra will give you a visual confirmation. The hazard warning lights should flash twice, indicating that the key fob has been successfully programmed. For 2000 Quest vehicles (note: while this guide is for Xterra, the original source mentions Quest), the side marker, tail, and license plate lamps will flash twice instead.
E. Programming Just One Remote? If you are only programming a single key fob, jump ahead to step 3A to finalize the programming. If you have additional remotes to program, proceed to step 2A below.
Programming Additional Remote Controllers (Up to 4 Remotes)
You can program up to a total of four remote key fobs for your Nissan Xterra using this procedure.
A. Stay Put: Remain inside your vehicle after you have successfully programmed the first remote.
B. Unlock and Lock Doors Again: Use the driver’s side power door lock-unlock switch to first unlock and then immediately lock the doors once more.
C. Program the Next Remote: Take your next key fob that you want to program and press any button on it one time.
NOTE: Again, press the button on the remote only once. Multiple presses will cause programming failure.
Just like with the first remote, successful programming of subsequent remotes will be confirmed by two flashes of the hazard warning lights. For 2000 Quest vehicles, the side marker, tail, and license plate lamps will flash.
If you have more remotes to program, repeat steps 2A through 2C for each additional remote, up to the maximum of four.
Finishing the Programming
Once you have programmed all your desired key fobs, it’s time to exit the programming mode and test everything.
A. Key Out: Remove the ignition key from the “ACC” position and take it out of the ignition cylinder completely.
B. Unlock and Open Up: Use the power door lock-unlock switch on the driver’s door to unlock all the doors. Then, open the driver’s side door. Opening the driver’s door is the final step to signal the system to end the programming sequence.
C. Test Your Remotes: Now, test each of your programmed remote key fobs. Use each remote to lock and unlock the doors to ensure they are all working correctly.
By following these steps, you should have successfully programmed your Nissan Xterra key fob(s) yourself. Enjoy the convenience of your newly programmed remote!
