How to change the battery in the key remote?

[Chad Owens]

Hi

I know this probably sounds stupid, but the battery has gone flat in my remote, which causes the alarm to turn on because it isn't being disarmed properly etc.

I have had Falcons and Magnas in the past and it's just been a case of buying a battery for a few dollars at Big W, opening the remote with a screwdriver, and replacing the battery. Simple, and cheap.

I rang a holden dealer, however, who told me that the battery was not user-replacable from the VY series onwards, and that I had to fork out $130 for a new remote plus book in a time to get it reprogrammed to the car.

Are they serious!?!! This has to be the dumbest thing i've heard... I'm not forking out $130 for a new remote just because the battery has died... the remote itself is perfectly fine!

Has anyone had success in changing the batteries? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Chad

[tyrone]

yeah thats right you cant change the battery although if you go to a key shop its about $80 for the key and reprogram holdens charge like a wounded bull they always have or you can even by a key off ebay and get it programed

[a1k3m1]

i second that, stupid hey?. the idea above is probably ya best bet!

[Super_Low 91]

cheapest easiest option is to either go to holden or your local mister minit

[Calaber]

Here's a question though. Is the battery in the remote a type that is commercially available? If it is, and you would have to spend big bucks replacing the whole key head, what's to lose by trying to open the head up anyway to replace the battery? If opening it stuffs the head, you're no worse off anyway.

When mine dies, I'll have a go at opening it first before shelling out $80 or more.

[tyrone]

the batterys are spot welded in for a reason . do not disconect them !!! this will drops the program out of the key . then you are up for alot more to make a new one . when the buttons go on the key get a new one . dont wait as when the battery goes flat it wont start your car and if you dont have a spare then you need a mobile locksmith and a whole lota cash to get your car started !!! get a spare key !!!

[GenReaper]

You need to buy a new head for the heay, you can get them off ebay for about $50 then another $50 to get it coded to you car.
Its the only way about it, most locksmiths have the required computer to do this, or you can go to Holdens.

[wortus]

You need to buy a new head for the heay, you can get them off ebay for about $50 then another $50 to get it coded to you car.
Its the only way about it, most locksmiths have the required computer to do this, or you can go to Holdens.

I was told the car would still start with a flat key battery as the battery is only there for the remote. The battery is available with the welded on tabs from Jay Car I think and you can resolder one on and give it a go, there only a few dollars.

[GenReaper]

I was told the car would still start with a flat key battery as the battery is only there for the remote. The battery is available with the welded on tabs from Jay Car I think and you can resolder one on and give it a go, there only a few dollars.

Yes it will start but you loose all remote functions obviously.

[tyrone]

i just copy and pasted that from a google search also says if you take out the batery the key loses its program if that is in fact the case the imobiliser wont disarm which means it wont work lol

[GenReaper]

Well to rephrase what i said it will still work with a flat battery but if you take it out thats another story.

[tyrone]

in my opinion get a new key coded then go for it pull it apart if you can change the battery and it does in fact work you will have yourself a spare key if not well then your no worse off than you were

[vy_storm]

the batterys are spot welded in for a reason . do not disconect them !!! this will drops the program out of the key . then you are up for alot more to make a new one . when the buttons go on the key get a new one . dont wait as when the battery goes flat it wont start your car and if you dont have a spare then you need a mobile locksmith and a whole lota cash to get your car started !!! get a spare key !!!

The reason batteries are spot welded is because soldering tends to make them overheat and explode! Very hard to solder tabs or wires to a large heatsinking surface.

[Super_Low 91]

The battery is not just for the remote it powers the circuit bored that contains the code needed to start the car, if they battery is flat to the point were the buttons no longer work but it still starts the car that just means there is a lil bit of charge left in the battery but eventually when the battery complety goes flat then that's it car wont start at all (unless you have a spare 45ish minutes).

As i said in another thread, i deal with customers every day complaining that they now have to go to Holden an get all there codes an such info because they decided to pull the key apart an have a go at fitting a new battery. Its just not worth doing it, save yourself from going through all the hassle an just do it properly the first time an get a new remote.

Mister Minit has some fairly competitive deals when it come to Holden remotes just ask em.

[VY04Calais]

just unscrew the key crack it open. change the battery. use some good quick dry glue. screw it back together and your in business. done this twice.

[AlienSexGod]

Man these Key cutter guys are scammers ... the concept of internet forums is to learn how to DiY

Go to Jaycar you can buy the correct battery with the spot welds on it, sold it in bingo good for another 5-7 years. Dropping it's memory would only happen if you left it with no power for many hours. Desolder old battery(has some current left) resolder new... easy ... $60-100 a pop fluck me the batter is $2.30 @ Jaycar.com.au

[yeeros]

i noticed a few times that when the battery went flat, i had to manually unlock the car (alarm goes off unfortunately) start it up, then drive around for a while and the key would be back to normal.....

[TMM]

Even if you are successful in replacing the battery, the case is glued/moulded together so you will damage it (rough edges, tool marks) by opening it. If you are anal like me, just get a whole new key head. The rubber buttons tend to fail (split/crack) around the same time as the battery too, and although you can get silicon replacement buttons, it just isn't the same.

Cost me less then $100 to get a new head and key cut (only 1 key came with my car) by a mobile locksmith.

I was told the car would still start with a flat key battery as the battery is only there for the remote. The battery is available with the welded on tabs from Jay Car I think and you can resolder one on and give it a go, there only a few dollars.

I think if it is truely flat then it stops working altogether. My mate had a key for his VT that died and couldn't disarm the immobilizer.

[wortus]

[QUOTE=TMM;1822206]Even if you are successful in replacing the battery, the case is glued/moulded together so you will damage it (rough edges, tool marks) by opening it. If you are anal like me, just get a whole new key head. The rubber buttons tend to fail (split/crack) around the same time as the battery too, and although you can get silicon replacement buttons, it just isn't the same.

There are replacement after markt shells on ebay now days for about $10.00

[Richard Moss]

There are replacement after markt shells on ebay now days for about $10.00

I bought a pair and they seem to be OK. It was just to replace lost buttons, not flat batteries, though.

[VYMAD]

I've had my VY keys open a couple of times to adjust the slip key fob, and place foil under the electrical contacts as per the How-to on a VS key. Glues back together ok, but yeh, like Wortus said, it is noticable around the edges. Also to replce the buttons with the $10 EBAY ones doesn't require taking the key apart.
If battery eventually fails, I'll try and replace it before forking out big dosh.... Stingy Scottish Bugger!!!!!

[Calaber]

I've had my VY keys open a couple of times to adjust the slip key fob, and place foil under the electrical contacts as per the How-to on a VS key. Glues back together ok, but yeh, like Wortus said, it is noticable around the edges. Also to replce the buttons with the $10 EBAY ones doesn't require taking the key apart.
If battery eventually fails, I'll try and replace it before forking out big dosh.... Stingy Scottish Bugger!!!!!

I don't think that's being stingy - to me, it's common sense to seek a cheaper but practical alternative and I would do the same as you. Holden are generally pretty good with replacement parts but their attitude to the key heads is ordinary. If Mr. Minute sells them at little more than half the price, then they are grossly overpriced from Holden, because you would have to expect that Mr. Minute gets their key heads from the same supplier - or are they cheap Chinese copies?

[colgf]

If you are carefull & can get the key head apart by prising it open along the seam with a sharp stanley knife , the battery soldered tab can be cut off at the battery end with small tinsnips or sidecutters but leave the tab in place on the circuit board , buy new battery from Dick Smith , chemist(hearing aid type battery), orLeading edge,the battery part number is on the old battery, place in the key , bend the tab over the battery again & you can solder it onto the battery with a small soldering iron, seal the 2 halves back together with a thin bead of silastic, hey presto , cost about $3.95 for the new battery. The key code is NOT lost when you remove the key battery, it is a permanent code( ROM). The BCM is what gets reprogrammed to any NEW key because every key has a different code.

[vy_storm]

bend the tab over the battery again & you can solder it onto the battery with a small soldering iron

Just a note here to the in-experienced. Batteries are not meant to be soldered. Due to their chemistry and construction they tend to heat up and explode when soldered, so any advice taken on a public forum should be countered with an "at your own risk" label. Batteries in production facilities are usually always spot welded, which results in a short burst of heat and minimal damage.

Re-soldering tabs into a PCB is less risky, but the time taken to solder each joint should not be excessive as the heat will still transfer to the battery.

[wortus]

Just a note here to the in-experienced. Batteries are not meant to be soldered. Due to their chemistry and construction they tend to heat up and explode when soldered, so any advice taken on a public forum should be countered with an "at your own risk" label. Batteries in production facilities are usually always spot welded, which results in a short burst of heat and minimal damage.

Re-soldering tabs into a PCB is less risky, but the time taken to solder each joint should not be excessive as the heat will still transfer to the battery.

It would probably need extra flux as well to get the solder to stick properly however you can and should get the proper battery from Jay Car which already has the connections spot welded to it. Simply desolder the battery connections on the PCB, remove the battery and resolder in the new one using a proper soldering iron for the job.