Question Panasonic Remote buttons getting unresponsive one by one!

TheyCallMeTJ

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Hi guys, I own a Panasonic TX-L55DT65 TV since November 2013. A wonderful TV that I am proud to have enjoyed over the last few years.

But something peculiar is happening with my remote control. Its started with the AV button where I have to press it so hard for the TV to respond. Then as the days and weeks pass, other buttons, one by become hard to respond. I have to press on them so hard and sometimes completely fail. Some buttons are fine, some not but its been a gradual decline over a few weeks. Of course I fit in new batteries but that doesn't change anything. I have come to a point where I am forced to use my mobile phone remote app but nothing beats a tactile button pressing control.

Any ideas what has happened to my poor remote? I dont own a cat and nothing has ever being spilt on it. My remote has always been in a complete hazard free zone!
 
The usual cause of multiple button failure is due to contamination of the rubber membrane pads and contact surfaces of the PCB.

Typically it is as a result of vapour deposition from leaky batteries.

It is treatable by splitting the remote ( in Panasonic remotes typically there may be one or two screws in the battery compartment somewhere)
You will probably find areas of the contact pads which are oily and sticky.

Dispose of the batteries.
Remove any screws, then split the remote using thumbnails - Do not use a tool - it will result in damage. Start in the middle of one of the long sides.

They can be hard to start - but easy to open once started.

Dismantle. Wash the rubber pad in warm fairy liquid solution, or similar, and dry carefully.

Wipe down the contact face of the PCB with cotton buds using isopropanol - or methylated spirit.

Reassemble, with new batteries, and it should be as good as new.
 
Thanks very much for your advice and suggestion! Sounds very logical. I did change the batteries already but will follow your instructions tomorrow and let you all know how I get on!
 
So just an update, I did what Gavtech suggested. My remote had five screws to lift the lid off. Washed the rubber pads in fairy liquid warm. Used my telescope eyepieces cleaning fluid to wipe the PCB.

And hey presto, remote works nicely again....except for one button! The AV button. That was the first button to give me trouble and eventually had stopped responding totally. I opened the remote again and cleaned the contacts on that particular area more thoroughly but it still doesnt work. Probably because it was the button I had being pressing the hardest for longest time...something else is probably wrong with it.

But you know, I can live without that AV button not working as I only need it when I want to switch to my PS4 to watch blu rays and when I do, I'll just use my phone remote app to switch it :)

Thanks again, Gavtech. You saved me and maybe others in future from buying another remote :)
 
The next stage might be to trace the two copper tracks back from this button pad to known good buttons or back to the next component back in the chain, and check for continuity with a multimeter.

Both tracks should show 0 ohms. If both of the tracks don't show close to 0 ohms on the resistance setting, take a close look for cracks on the remote control circuit board on the track that isn't showing 0 ohms. If you find a crack the simplest solution would be to scrape off the insulation and install a short section of one strand of speaker wire or similar using a soldering iron. I once fixed a VCR Remote that was snapped in half using this method (and superglue for the plastic part).

If both tracks show close to 0 ohms, try activating the pad by installing the batteries and "shorting out" the two copper tracks on the button pad with the multimeter on Amps setting. If this activates the switch, check that the rubber membrane is still conductive for this button, as the electrical connections would have checked out fine. I'm not sure how you would fix this particular problem as I've never encountered it, but I would suggest a thin coating of conductive paint (like you would get for a heated rear window) on the rubber membrane might fix it.

Hope this helps,
Jas.
 
Thank you so much for this. I've been struggling with my Panasonic remote for months. Followed your advice and its fully working again 🙂 Amazing, although the back was a pig to get off, but I did it yay!!
 
Thanks for this Gavtech - my remote was playing up and I followed your guide and all well now! Awesome stuff!
 

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