Key FOB battery life

[PatricioEV]

At almost exactly two years of ownership, I was getting the "low battery in key fob" message on the dash and replaced both batteries. The next day, I was in the dealership waiting area while they did the second battery check and a lady next to me was waiting for her LEAF. She brought it in because it wasn't detecting her fob. The problem was, wait for it..... the fob needed a new battery. The dealership replaced it free of charge and sent her on her merry way. It's a pretty good dealership. They also gave me my state inspection sticker free of charge because they had messed up an earlier appointment for the battery check.

 

[fotajoye]

... My FOB works fine on the CR2032 Lithium battery ...

You got lucky. :shock:
Depending on the battery thickness manufacturing tolerance, and the fob manufacturing tolerance, not all CR2032s will work. Safer to go with the correct CR2025.

From The Leaf's Owners Manual section 8-18: "Recommended battery: CR2025 or equivalent"

All I can tell you is the CR2032 worked fine and seems to be an equivalent battery.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

... My FOB works fine on the CR2032 Lithium battery ...

You got lucky. :shock:
Depending on the battery thickness manufacturing tolerance, and the fob manufacturing tolerance, not all CR2032s will work. Safer to go with the correct CR2025.

From The Leaf's Owners Manual section 8-18: "Recommended battery: CR2025 or equivalent"

All I can tell you is the CR2032 worked fine and seems to be an equivalent battery.

not equivalent. the "25" is the diameter of the battery. 32 is simply too big. some have had success using the 32's because they are cheaper but its $2. not worth the headache.

i got a pair of the 25's for $3.99. someone else got the 32's for a buck. so it cost me an extra $2... so what. now i am good for another 3 years.

and Michael; they did see the low battery warning. but like me they said "what's th...oh never mind, its gone now!"

after the warnings start, you got about 2-3 months to think about your next move

 

[davewill]

...not equivalent. the "25" is the diameter of the battery. 32 is simply too big. some have had success using the 32's ...

Actually the difference between the 25 and the 32 is thickness. If it were diameter it wouldn't fit at all. That said, I wouldn't substitute. Even if you get it to work, you're undoubtedly putting extra pressure on the battery holder. It might even fail if, subsequently, someone tries to go back to the 2025 and the contacts don't grab solidly any more.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

...not equivalent. the "25" is the diameter of the battery. 32 is simply too big. some have had success using the 32's ...

Actually the difference between the 25 and the 32 is thickness. If it were diameter it wouldn't fit at all. That said, I wouldn't substitute. Even if you get it to work, you're undoubtedly putting extra pressure on the battery holder. It might even fail if, subsequently, someone tries to go back to the 2025 and the contacts don't grab solidly any more.

oh u r right! but still have had a lot of people locally who tried the 32's and they simply did not work at all. in fact, a few thought their FOBs had become defective

 

[fotajoye]

CR2025 = Diameter: 20 mm. Thickness: 2.5 mm. Capacity: 160 mAh,
CR2032 = Diameter: 20 mm. Thickness: 3.2 mm. Capacity: 220 mAh

.7mm(a little less than 1/32 inch) difference in thickness and 60 more mAh, 38% more capacity to be correct. I'll take the chance!

 

[TimLee]

CR2025 = Diameter: 20 mm. Thickness: 2.5 mm. Capacity: 160 mAh,
CR2032 = Diameter: 20 mm. Thickness: 3.2 mm. Capacity: 220 mAh

.7mm(a little less than 1/32 inch) difference in thickness and 60 more mAh, 38% more capacity to be correct. I'll take the chance!

As I said, you got lucky.
And I'm happy for you, but advocating that people try using the CR2032 is overall BAD advice.
I tried it in mine because someone else in another fob battery thread said it would work and the Dollar Tree only had the CR2032, and the thickness was too much, and only one of the buttons would work at all, the rest would not work at all.
I was lucky that it did not damage my fob. Some others have not been that lucky, and the fob did not work as well after they tried it.
You should be ashamed of yourself for continuing to propagate the bad advice on MNL of trying the CR2032 in the fob.

Also, the fob battery should be changed as soon as you notice the low fob battery warning. As I posted in another fob battery thread (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=11471#p264737" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false, I waited a long time on changing the battery in a 2009 Altima fob, and that fob is still barely functional even if you put a brand new battery in it every two months.
Change the LEAF fob battery as soon as you get the warning, and use the correct CR2025 fob battery :!: :!: :!:
Replacement fobs are just too expensive to take chances with it.

 

[Nubo]

Some of this reminds me of Luis CK's routine: "Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy". A smart key that runs continuously for two and a half years on a little battery smaller than a Necco wafer is.... A MIRACLE!

warning: profanity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpUNA2nutbk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Stanton]

I can't believe this is even being debated! It takes a CR2025, period. The same thing went on in the brake fluid flush thread. Why would you try and save a couple of bucks on something that is NOT approved spec on a car that COSTS $35,000! :roll:

 

[TomT]

Because, in the case of the annual brake fluid change, it simply exists to motivate dealer profit...

The same thing went on in the brake fluid flush thread. Why would you try and save a couple of bucks on something that is NOT approved spec on a car that COSTS $35,000! :roll:

 

[fotajoye]

@Tim Lee:
Please read my posts and not assume things. I am not advocating using another battery, I am presenting facts which is what I learned over a long career as an EE.

As to your battery problem: Did you install it correctly, did you check the voltage under load? Was the battery mis-marked? You appear to be predisposed to making wrong assumptions. Perhaps you did so again in you fault analysis of your FOB battery problem.

As far as being ashamed, I quit doing that when I reached 35, 45 years ago.

I think to end this nonsense, you use the battery you want and I'll use the one I want. Others can make up their minds based on the facts, hopefully not assumptions presented.

 

[atlleaf]

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


do we go to service? or parts?

 

[johnrhansen]

I took my battery out, left every thing apart, and put it all in an envelope for storage.

 

[TimLee]

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.

 

[cwerdna]

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

do we go to service? or parts?

You can get CR2025 batteries from any number of places (e.g. Walmart, probably Target, Best Buy, Radio Shack, some sporting goods stores, some supermarkets etc.) Radio Shack is a ripoff. You can get them at http://www.frys.com/ac/storeinfo/storelocator/?site=csfooter_B" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. http://www.frys.com/search?search_type=regular&sqxts=1&cat=&query_string=cr2025" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; says $2/each. I wouldn't pay more than $3/piece for them.

http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/shop/index.php?prc=overseas&sid=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has 2 packs of CR2025 (along w/2 pack of CR2016 and CR2032) for $1.50 per pack of 2, but there don't seem to be any in GA. The ones I've seen there are made in Japan Mitsubishi batteries.

 

[JPWhite]

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

do we go to service? or parts?

You can get CR2025 batteries from any number of places (e.g. Walmart, probably Target, Best Buy, Radio Shack, some sporting goods stores, some supermarkets etc.) Radio Shack is a ripoff. You can get them at http://www.frys.com/ac/storeinfo/storelocator/?site=csfooter_B" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. http://www.frys.com/search?search_type=regular&sqxts=1&cat=&query_string=cr2025" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; says $2/each. I wouldn't pay more than $3/piece for them.

http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/shop/index.php?prc=overseas&sid=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has 2 packs of CR2025 (along w/2 pack of CR2016 and CR2032) for $1.50 per pack of 2, but there don't seem to be any in GA. The ones I've seen there are made in Japan Mitsubishi batteries.

I found a nice deal at Amazon, 10 Sony brand cells for under $9 with free Prime shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...s2&tag=jpwhstebl08-20&linkId=MFQID6PWD4PCFPLK

Unused the cells will last over 10 years on the shelf, in the FOB's they won't fair as well either sitting idle or under use.

 

[LeftieBiker]

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).

 

[dgpcolorado]

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, 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, although I got mine through an Amazon seller (still working fine after a year).

Also, I keep the spare batteries in the refrigerator to preserve their life.

FWIW.

 

[LeftieBiker]

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.

I thought that I had read here that if the battery dies *completely* the fob has to be reprogrammed. No? I knew about getting in with a dead 12 volt battery, and while I guess it also applies to a dead fob battery I'd like to replace the batteries at the optimal time, to avoid that scenario.

 

[jpadc]

I thought that I had read here that if the battery dies *completely* the fob has to be reprogrammed. No?

No, as there is no "programing" in the FOB just a chip. All the programing is in the car so it will recognize that FOB.