Has your key fob stopped working? Try replacing the battery

By Product Expert | Posted in Technology, Tips and Tricks on Friday, September 8th, 2017 at 3:11 pm
How do you replace the battery in a car key fob?

One of the great advantages of modern cars is the keyless entry that is available thanks to key fobs. Whether your vehicle has automatic unlocking doors and pushbutton start, or you can just lock the doors from a few feet away, key fobs can be a huge benefit. But sometimes when these lovely devices stop working, it can be a huge hassle (and expensive to get one replaced). However, if you have been using the same key for a long time, you may not have an issue with the hardware, it may just be running out of power. But how do you replace the battery in a car key fob?

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How do you replace the battery in a car key fob?

While the black or silver exterior of a key fob may be somewhat intimidating, generally speaking replacing the battery is a straightforward process. Most key fobs will have a seam in the back or the side showing where they come apart. Using a small tool, like a screwdriver or a pliers, you can pry the pieces apart. Most batteries in key fobs are the small round kind that are used for watches and small electronics. The exact type used may vary depending on the fob.

Keep track of all the pieces

This may be obvious advice, but it’s also something that could be easy to forget in the excitement of replacing your own battery. Car key fobs aren’t difficult to disassemble or reassemble, but at the same time it’s important to track all the pieces, and get them back in the right places again so that the device works.

black key fob with built-in key

Notice how the battery fits

Every battery has a positive and negative side (literally, not, like personality-wise) and if you put the wrong connector down, the charge cannot go into your device and make it work. That is why it’s important to see whether the positive or the negative is supposed to be up, and put your new battery the same way.

Here at Third Coast Auto Group (a used car buy here pay here dealership serving Austin TX and beyond), we recommend that you search for directions on your specific key fob battery (or one similar to it). These directions are a good overview, but if you have push-button ignition, or a key built into your key fob (as opposed to just hanging off it separately) then it might be valuable to check out specific details (and there are plenty of how-to videos available for you!). And if you are looking for a new-to-you used vehicle, check out our inventory in the Austin area!