Just a thought: Maybe something conductive got into the keyboard? I know this same kind of behavior happens on microwave ovens if you get detergent (from cleaning) getting in behind the touch panel. Same for anything where the buttons are wired in a matix, like a computer keyboard. I'm betting the hard button on the remote are also wired as a matrix, and if you spilled something or cleaned it with something conductive and it got down into the contact area the same behavior might result? Just a wild theory of course, and as its a remote control I would imagine it has a solid membrane in there to reduce the chance of this.