Drivers door lock and remotes

[Bushbasher]

Ok, so I spent a very frustrating 2 hrs yesterday trying to keep my 3 & 5 yr olds out of trouble at the local shops while I waited for some keys to turn up, Here's how it went.....

Jumped out of the 'lane in Mudgee, untied and rounded up the rug rats then went to lock the car with the remote.....nothing..... hmmmm, ok must be the battery has died, no problem, I'll just pick up a new one in the supermarket . So I locked the car with the key and off we went. An hour later back at the car, fresh battery fitted and I'm watching the little red light on the remote flashing and my car NOT unlocking itself, WTF?!! Seems the remote has spontaneously lost the frequency of the car and won't play, hmmm, ok, that's a new one on me. No problem I'll just recode the remotes after I get home; put the key in the door and go to unlock it manually and........... NOTHING!!!. "Your joking!!",: , says me and proceeds to invent some new expletives worthy of the moment but that won't get me in trouble when the kids repeat them later to mum :rolleyes:. Then I had to phone the missus at work, in Gulgong, and organise to get her Fairlane remote to me 30km away in the next town. Thank god that worked or it could have got ugly and expensive. It took 2 hours.
So now to a couple of questions ; Firstly, has anyone else had the remote suddenly not open the car any more for no apparent reason, ( flat battery not withstanding ), and should I now be worried about it and replace the remote?
And secondly; Is the locking mechanism attached to the barrel in the door a mechanical linkage or electronic ? I'd like to know this before I go ripping the door apart to fix it as if it's mechanical it's probably just a connecting rod come adrift but if it's electronic then I might as well track down a replacement before I pull the door apart.

Anyone???

Cheers
Bushbasher