FOB/SOB Story. Modern cars.

[Dennis H]

FOB/Battery Story

Moral of story: FOB batteries may not last 10 years like they used to. Modern cars with push button start etc place more demand. Lesson learned.

 

[Budnicks]

so did/does it work right now ?
after the battery change

 

[Dennis H]

Yes, the battery change in the FOB itself.

 

[Runcharger]

Something we have to think about up here when driving 200 miles into the bush to go hunting or fishing.

 

[dadsbee]

Yep, Wife's Challenger FOB lasted less than 3 years that she leaves in the kitchen, about 15 feet from the car in the garage. Her spare tucked in her panty drawer 60 feet away still works some 6 years later. They constantly talk to each other if too close together..

 

[67 WS23]

The FOB for my daughter's Nissan has a hidden key to get in a locked car, then you press the start button with the dead FOB to start it up. A dead car battery is a whole nother story.

 

[moparwacko]

Did your message display tell you the key fob battery was low?
This happened on our 2017 Ram and threw the Mrs into a frantic meltdown (worse than a cell phone with less than 50% lol). She had to immediately drive to the dealer to have it fixed- $75 to replace a $5 fob battery.
On another front, my 2011 Ram fob battery lasted over 7 years before it quit. It now eats 2032 batteries at about 4 per year. I'm getting good at changing them. I've got it down to about 30 seconds.
The AGM battery in our Charger didn't even make it 2 years. The 2 (non AGM) in the 11 Cummins went over 8.

 

[67 WS23]

Did your message display tell you the key fob battery was low?
This happened on our 2017 Ram and threw the Mrs into a frantic meltdown (worse than a cell phone with less than 50% lol). She had to immediately drive to the dealer to have it fixed- $75 to replace a $5 fob battery.
On another front, my 2011 Ram fob battery lasted over 7 years before it quit. It now eats 2032 batteries at about 4 per year. I'm getting good at changing them. I've got it down to about 30 seconds.
The AGM battery in our Charger didn't even make it 2 years. The 2 (non AGM) in the 11 Cummins went over 8.

Yes, the Nissan displays a message.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

I hate these fob things. I don't carry the one for my F150. I got enough crap in my pockets without that big fat thing taking up room, and other stuff in my pockets pushing the buttons. The itself key works for me. However, when unlocking the door with the key, it sets off an alarm and starts honking the darn horn if you don't crank the engine within a few seconds! Embarrassing crap, and it's factory programmed that way. Can't disable that "feature"...

 

[Dennis H]

Did your message display tell you the key fob battery was low?
This happened on our 2017 Ram and threw the Mrs into a frantic meltdown (worse than a cell phone with less than 50% lol). She had to immediately drive to the dealer to have it fixed- $75 to replace a $5 fob battery.
On another front, my 2011 Ram fob battery lasted over 7 years before it quit. It now eats 2032 batteries at about 4 per year. I'm getting good at changing them. I've got it down to about 30 seconds.
The AGM battery in our Charger didn't even make it 2 years. The 2 (non AGM) in the 11 Cummins went over 8.

Not aware of function. Good to know.

 

[Don Frelier]

All my keys have little metal teeth.
They work every day.

Probably the next car my wife gets will have a "FOB".
Hopefully not for a couple years.

 

[Photon440]

Did your message display tell you the key fob battery was low?
This happened on our 2017 Ram and threw the Mrs into a frantic meltdown (worse than a cell phone with less than 50% lol). She had to immediately drive to the dealer to have it fixed- $75 to replace a $5 fob battery.
On another front, my 2011 Ram fob battery lasted over 7 years before it quit. It now eats 2032 batteries at about 4 per year. I'm getting good at changing them. I've got it down to about 30 seconds.
The AGM battery in our Charger didn't even make it 2 years. The 2 (non AGM) in the 11 Cummins went over 8.

A good Duracell cr2032 should last longer than a few years. 4 per year sounds like something's using power when it shouldn't be.

 

[moparwacko]

A good Duracell cr2032 should last longer than a few years. 4 per year sounds like something's using power when it shouldn't be.

It probably is but everything else works fine and I'm too cheap to spring for a new FOB. They may be less expensive now, but we're around $70? ($225 programmed at Dealer)Anybody know?
The ones I really despise are the proximity FOB's. The wife's 2022 Longhorn has it, and of course she never knows where her keys are. Needless to say the person who ALWAYS knows where their keys are - his gets "borrowed " at least once a week. Technology sucks sometimes.
Speaking of technology frustrations, garage door openers! New vehicles all have programmable things built. UNTIL the person who has to have the original also - just in case the truck one doesn't work has lost it.
Rant over

 

[Dennis H]

There is a lot of complaining about sharing parts bins across model lines by know it all journalists. I really don’t care. Maybe it’s a YOM thing, but the 20 Challenger and 21 Charger have dramatically different technology. A real pia. 21 is proximity and trunk release differences, one touch up windows due to sedan vs coupe. There is too much electronic crap running all the time. Just wait til these cars are 10 years old. Can’t roll them around in neutral unless the engine is running. Give me a break. Due to Chekov.

 

[Triplegreen500]

There's actually a grenade pin and/or a paperclip-pushbutton inside consoles for you to put them in neutral, for loading/towing/etc. Not easy to get to but it is there. Just about any of 'em have the "use the fob to push the button" start capability, along with a hard key to open the driver door. Some makes (VW, for instance) you have to use the key to pry a cover off the lock cylinder...but it's there. AutoPark does suck though - backing up to a trailer used to be easy with your driver door open so you could see better, but not anymore.

Keep the key far away from the vehicle when parked, so they can all go to "sleep" - if the vehicle can "see" the fob, it will wake up, assuming you're getting ready to use it. Leave the key in the car in the garage, and you'll kill both the car and the fob batteries much faster. My '14 Grand Cherokee has passive entry (fob in pocket, hand in door handle, unlocks automatically for me); pushbutton start; remote start. Factory battery still in it (96k miles right now). I've replaced my primary fob battery one time. Bought the Jeep brand new. I should probably replace my secondary fob battery one day, but Michelle hasn't said anything about it not working yet so...

If you ever can't find a fob...go to start the car. If it starts...it got left in the car somewhere.