Key FOB battery life

[GregH]

FWIW, the car doesn't start very easy on a nearly dead FOB.

I'm not sure how the "low FOB battery warning" is detected.. it might be a combination of time and maybe number of "start" requests without getting a return ping from the key. Somehow I doubt the key itself has a battery voltage detection... could be wrong..

I was getting the warning for a while with no sign of trouble from the key so after a while of getting tired of the messages I swapped both batteries even though it was working fine.

Now only 4-5 months later I'm having problems unlocking the door (via proximity) and starting the car. This has been getting progressively worse for about a week but no low FOB battery warning. Then today after about 10 tries to get the car started I got the low FOB warning as well. Using the spare for now, but don't have much confidence in it at this point.. will have to replace both again.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I imagine the car decides, based on the signal strength when the lock button on the door is pushed, how weak the fob battery is...

 

[QueenBee]

is dead key fob covered under warranty (if miles under 36,000) ?


do we go to service? or parts?

The 12V battery is covered for complete replacement to 3 years / 36,000 miles, but not the FOB battery.

The key fob batteries are covered under warranty. I'd go to service and they'll install the new one.

 

[TimLee]

FWIW, the car doesn't start very easy on a nearly dead FOB.
...
I was getting the warning for a while with no sign of trouble from the key so after a while of getting tired of the messages I swapped both batteries even though it was working fine.

Now only 4-5 months later I'm having problems unlocking the door (via proximity) and starting the car. This has been getting progressively worse for about a week but no low FOB battery warning. Then today after about 10 tries to get the car started I got the low FOB warning as well. Using the spare for now, but don't have much confidence in it at this point.. will have to replace both again.

If the fob battery is nearly dead or has been removed, the fob has to be very close to the Start button for the vehicle to read the RFID built into the fob.
If in very close proximity, the car starts fine.

Your experience with LEAF fob is similar to problems I have with one on an Altima.
I let the fob go totally dead before I replaced the battery, and it has been marginal ever since.
It is the better safer practice to replace the fob battery with the correct battery as soon as you get the dash warning.

 

[TimLee]

Yes, CR2025. Two things:

1) it doesn't really matter if you let the batteries die because you can still enter the car and start it with the internal key and the RFID chip. So, no need to replace the battery early. Since I need only one fob I leave the other one dead, and sometimes use it when it is nearer to hand than the live one.

And 2, some people have suggested dollar stores, such as Dollar Tree, for these sorts of batteries, ...

CR2025 is correct for the 2011 fob.
I don't think the later model years changed, but I do not know for certain.

Although some people have gotten some brands of CR2032 to work and a person at a dealership in Canada says that is what they use, the Dollar Tree Sunbeam brand (made in China) CR2032 properly installed in my LEAF fob would not work and easily could have damaged the fob.
I recommend using the correct CR2025.

If Dollar Tree has the battery you need, they are extremely low cost.
But I have never found the CR2025 at the six Dollar Tree stores in my area.
But finding the small coin or other small batteries such as LR44 (which is 357) is very spotty.
The Dollar Tree price is so low that people that need them buy everything they have.
In looking for the LR44 I finally found it in the sixth store I went to and bought all eleven packages of four that they had.
Impossible to find it four for $1 anywhere else, even on line.
Dollar Tree price is so low people may be buying and reselling them on ebay.

I recommend replacing fob battery as soon as you get the dash warning. Details why in previous post.

 

[TimLee]

The key fob batteries are covered under warranty. I'd go to service and they'll install the new one.

Are you certain of that and have details from the written warranty :?:

 

[mwalsh]

If Dollar Tree has the battery you need, they are extremely low cost.
But I have never found the CR2025 at the six Dollar Tree stores in my area.

I haven't seen them in my local Dollar Tree either, and I'm in there all the time.

A more consistent local source at a slightly higher price is Harbor Freight. $2.99 for four minus $0.60 with 20% off coupon:

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=CR2025" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[QueenBee]

The key fob batteries are covered under warranty. I'd go to service and they'll install the new one.

Are you certain of that and have details from the written warranty :?:

Only from our local LEAF tech. Searched the warranty for it being specifically mentioned but didn't find it. Though the warranty is exclusionary, as in everything is covered except for the specifically excluded things and the things that specifically have their own different warranty coverage.

 

[TimLee]

Only from our local LEAF tech. Searched the warranty for it being specifically mentioned but didn't find it. Though the warranty is exclusionary, as in everything is covered except for the specifically excluded things and the things that specifically have their own different warranty coverage.

Maybe you have a generous dealer
I did ask on my 2009 Altima and was told no, fob battery not covered.
Based on that I failed to ask on LEAF and paid them around $9 to do it.

Possible your tech is right and Nissan may cover it on the LEAF.
Certainly worth asking.

Dealer fob battery replacement was poor. Had low battery alert in less than two months.
Replacement I put in has lasted nearly a year and a half.

 

[QueenBee]

Maybe you have a generous dealer
I did ask on my 2009 Altima and was told no, fob battery not covered.
Based on that I failed to ask on LEAF and paid them around $9 to do it.

Possible your tech is right and Nissan may cover it on the LEAF.
Certainly worth asking.

Dealer fob battery replacement was poor. Had low battery alert in less than two months.
Replacement I put in has lasted nearly a year and a half.

Seems odd that they'd buy crummy batteries but sometimes people cut corners :/

Googled 2009 Nissan Warranty and found this which appears to be a generic Nissan warranty book:

MAINTENANCE SERVICE EXPENSE
This warranty does not cover normal maintenance services as specified in your NISSAN SERVICE & MAINTENANCE GUIDE such as engine tune-up; cleaning and polishing; wheel alignment; headlight aiming; replacement of filters, replacement of windshield wiper inserts, replacement of key fob batteries, lubricants, coolant; worn brake shoes, pads, drums and rotors and worn clutch discs.

https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/warranty/2009_N_WIB.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now compared that to the same section in the LEAF warranty book:

MAINTENANCE SERVICE EXPENSE
This warranty does not cover normal maintenance services as specified in your NISSAN LEAF SERVICE & MAINTENANCE GUIDE such as cleaning and polishing; wheel alignment; headlight aiming; replacement of filters, replacement of windshield wiper inserts, lubricants,
coolant; worn brake pads, drums and rotors.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Not really related to battery life, but this video about amplifying key fob signals, and how it works, is interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Uqf71muwWc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[UBUYGAS]

I need to change my FOB battery. I know it's CR2025 but how do I open the FOB?

TIA,

Lasareath

 

[mwalsh]

I need to change my FOB battery. I know it's CR2025 but how do I open the FOB?

TIA,

Lasareath

Small screwdriver in the slot at the head end (visible once the regular key is removed).

 

[Valdemar]

Had to use a spare fob that was sitting in the drawer for 45 months due to wife forgetting to take the one we use out from her purse, it was pretty dead. Good I had a replacement battery at home, would be stuck otherwise.

 

[cwerdna]

Had to use a spare fob that was sitting in the drawer for 45 months due to wife forgetting to take the one we use out from her purse, it was pretty dead. Good I had a replacement battery at home, would be stuck otherwise.

Why would you be stuck? You should still be able to use the mechanical key to lock/unlock the car. And, you should be able to hold the fob up to the power button to start.

 

[UBUYGAS]

Thanks Mike that worked.

I need to change my FOB battery. I know it's CR2025 but how do I open the FOB?

TIA,

Lasareath

Small screwdriver in the slot at the head end (visible once the regular key is removed).

 

[Nubo]

So CR2025 is the safe choice for the battery? I've had my 2013 almost two years, and while I rarely use the buttons on the fobs, I don't want the batteries to die. I've found, though, that lithium button batteries ordered online tend to be either counterfeit crap or just not as good. Do places like Target have decent deals on them in the stores? I only need three of them (one for a clock radio).

Yes, the fob is designed for the dimensions of the CR2025. They seem fairly common. I got some (Duracell brand) at our local supermarket. Replaced the cells in both fobs at about 2 years. Don't recall the price only that it seemed reasonable. A couple of bucks one way or another isn't significant vs. total cost of ownership. I don't need the hassle of a dead fob, especially for my wife who doesn't spend any time surfing MNL and probably wouldn't recall the work-around procedure.