New (to me) warning message...

[Sir Les]

Jumped in the car yesterday to be greeted by a new warning message on the DIC: "REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY", accompanied by a graphic showing 0% battery life. This surprised me as the car is only 3 years old and has only done 35k km. My wife told me she had seen the same message when she drove the car, using her own key. I can't recall ever changing the battery in my VZ fob in the 10 years I had it, but then again I suppose the RKE (Remote Keyless Entry) system in the VF Calais V means the fob is constantly emitting a signal, which can be picked up by the car when the fob is within a metre or so.

Replacement of the CR2032 coin battery in each fob was simplicity itself. It took more time to get the batteries out of their child-proof packaging than to install them in the fobs! Interestingly, the old batteries clocked in at 2.93v on my voltmeter, so I reckon they've still got plenty of life left. I'll use them in my wife's digital cooking scale, which seems to go through batteries fairly regularly (and is not mission critical!).

 

[BlackVXGTS]

Having a remote with an easily replaceable battery (even though it only lasts three years) is a vast improvement over the semi-sealed remotes of the past. My son's 11/2014 Mazda 3, remote with the same CR2032 battery, also recently ran out of oomph so it's not limited to Commodores. The Mazda 3 owner's manual does state that the battery should be replaced every three years. After doing a quick search in the VF owners manual, I couldn't find anything on suggested replacement periods, but it might be hidden there somewhere.

 

[SnowDoggyDogg]

Holden tried to charge me $30 a battery the other day to replace them in my flat remotes. Lol

 

[Sir Les]

Holden tried to charge me $30 a battery the other day to replace them in my flat remotes. Lol

That's what I call "battery over-charging"!

 

[BLOWN-WH]

Its not bad actually if it went for 3 years. When i owned a BMW which had the Comfort Access system same as Holden's keyless entry i had to keep changing the battery in the key fobs every 6 months :/

I normally grab a 5 pack of CR2032 for $3.79 with free postage from eBay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Maxell-5...654730&hash=item3f68330532:g:M9QAAOSwqfNXo-dY

 

[Clay1391]

My remote start wasnt working so the dealership replaced the batteries. Worked perfect ever since.

 

[cashie]

Changed mine last week as a matter of course as I don't know when the last owner had changed them. Each key had a different battery type so I'm guessing at least one had been replaced at some stage. Cheap insurance 2 x 2032's.

 

[RockDAhouse]

I have the same thing last night, 1 more month to go and car will be 3 years old. was looking at the key fob and think how am i going to open this thing ?! pull one of the case and off it goes.... too easy

 

[Forg]

Anyone know if this would be a time-based thing, or if the car's detecting a weak signal from the key-fob?
I'm pretty sure our car's a July 2014 build, albeit first registered January 2015.

 

[BlackVXGTS]

Would be worth changing the batteries now, they are only around $2 each so you're not saving much by leaving them in until they fail.