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Ha ha ha, Key FOB low battery but no warning on dash
I am on a KeyLess GO but removed the push button. I hate push button start.
I like traditional spin my key to start and most importantly able to do 1st and 2nd click key mechanical position with ease and highest accuracy without even looking at dash, from outside the car ( window opened ).
I can't remember if I replaced both Key FOB batteries or not when I got the car in 2018.
Assuming I did replace them which I doubt, that means my battery lasted 4 years, it was Panasonic.
If I did not replace it, that means 8 years it lasted.
I swap uses between the 2 keys usually once per year or every 2 years.
The key in use has 2.8V left and can't lock/unlock door wirelessly, but I still can unlock/lock door by touching the door handle...but sometime it did not work.
The spare key has basically a dead battery, 0.2 volts only LOL.
Could not get Panasonic, got Energizer instead but still fresh at 3.2 volts for both.
I wonder why I am not getting LOW BATTERY OF KEY FOB warning on the dash ?
Is it because I always insert the key into ignition key slot EIS and hence the RDF chip in the key which needs no battery power to operate the car, done its handshake with car computer and all is good ?
Regardless that I am on a KeyLess GO, even without the battery in key fob, I can start the car... so nice.
One question to those not using PUSH BUTTON START, because you don't like it or car version is older model without it..... do you get LOW BATTERY OF KEY FOB warning on the dash ?
or because your PUSH BUTTON START is draining your battery, and you have not found how to fix it .
Sister's W166 was draining the battery overnight unless she explicitly shut the Keyless module/computer down, i.e. two quick clicks when locking the car. FIX: remove the push button start and the draining went away. 4 years ago and counting
or because your PUSH BUTTON START is draining your battery, and you have not found how to fix it .
Sister's W166 was draining the battery overnight unless she explicitly shut the Keyless module/computer down, i.e. two quick clicks when locking the car. FIX: remove the push button start and the draining went away. 4 years ago and counting
He's asking about the battery in the remote/key, not the vehicle battery.
I'm not sure on the operation of the key in relation to keyless-go, but I'm assuming it doesn't monitor the key battery voltage if you're not using the push-button. I have fresh batteries in my keys, but it sure makes me want to try to see if this is the issue. I think I have a bad battery on my bench, I'll try to see if it gives me the warning with a dead battery and no push-button installed
He's asking about the battery in the remote/key, not the vehicle battery.
I'm not sure on the operation of the key in relation to keyless-go, but I'm assuming it doesn't monitor the key battery voltage if you're not using the push-button. I have fresh batteries in my keys, but it sure makes me want to try to see if this is the issue. I think I have a bad battery on my bench, I'll try to see if it gives me the warning with a dead battery and no push-button installed
He's asking about the battery in the remote/key, not the vehicle battery.
I'm not sure on the operation of the key in relation to keyless-go, but I'm assuming it doesn't monitor the key battery voltage if you're not using the push-button. I have fresh batteries in my keys, but it sure makes me want to try to see if this is the issue. I think I have a bad battery on my bench, I'll try to see if it gives me the warning with a dead battery and no push-button installed
Referring to the last sentence, on why not using the PUSH BUTTON. I was aware he was referring to the coin battery in the fob.
I should have mentioned, the W166 was draining the main battery, not the keyfob's one.
Something interesting I found out while reading N73 for Juan PARK issue.
So the key when inserted uses no battery because it is wireless-ly being supplied power via induction coil.... aha. I initially thought simple RDF chip like key card entry to office/home.
Simple working of RDF https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-...identification
No wonder the N73 has coils which I thought is the antenna .... LOL
So, NOT using push button I think is actually safer from car theft with 433Mhz radio sniffer, which the key FOB is using in wireless mode aka PUSH BUTTON.
My key FOB stated 433.92 Mhz frequency.
This frequency is a *****, so many devices uses this frequency. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LPD433...PT%20countries.
I think if one is in area with very strong radio interferences and using push button aka wireless-ly, there could be times glitch may happen and resulted in a fraction of a second loss of drive authorization.
I wonder if tranny can go to PARK mode on its own ( when at low speed below 8 KM/H ) if LOST-COM occurred to key fob ?
===== ADD======
I think I should do some experiment.
Install my Push START button back, start engine and run it idling for some minutes , keep car in Neutral and then remove battery from/to key FOB, see if tranny goes to PARK
Last edited by S-Prihadi; Jan 24, 2023 at 02:26 PM.
I'm not sure why you wouldn't use keyless go. It's much faster, get in the car, hit the button and it starts right up. No need to take the keys out of your pocket or put them back afterwards when you exit the car. As for the low battery message. Mine kicks in at 3.06 volts. If I forget to change the battery and the battery voltage in the fob keeps dropping, there's no more low battery warning anymore. I change mine out every 4-6 months. Usually pick up a batch of 10 on eBay in the $4-5 range.
I love keyless go , a must-have feature when buying a car to me . My first W212 had lasted maximum 10 months roughly as I recall . I have not changed yet in my present W212's since I bought it and I have no idea when it was replaced . I am tallying up when those things replaced
I love keyless go , a must-have feature when buying a car to me . My first W212 had lasted maximum 10 months roughly as I recall . I have not changed yet in my present W212's since I bought it and I have no idea when it was replaced . I am tallying up when those things replaced
Just curious if you take it to the dealer. It's been mentioned in other threads and it's happened to me, they will change the battery for you in the keyfob without mentioning it or charging you. Only way I knew was that I knew the previous battery was an Energizer and when I got it back, I was curious if they changed it so I checked the battery and it was a different brand.
Just curious if you take it to the dealer. It's been mentioned in other threads and it's happened to me, they will change the battery for you in the keyfob without mentioning it or charging you. Only way I knew was that I knew the previous battery was an Energizer and when I got it back, I was curious if they changed it so I checked the battery and it was a different brand.
I will take it it to dealer to troubleshot occasional vibrating brake pedal as well (which we think from brake booster ) . However, my first W212 had always warned me when the keyfob battery was low . I prefer Duracell mostly and 2032
For you guys going through batteries so fast, that's not normal. Are you keeping the key within 10 feet of the car overnight? There have been other threads on this topic and the theme I recall was to move the key at least 15 feet from the car at night. Saves years since the car and key will be communicating less. One guy created a lead box which seems like overkill to me... I hope that helps you.
For you guys going through batteries so fast, that's not normal. Are you keeping the key within 10 feet of the car overnight? There have been other threads on this topic and the theme I recall was to move the key at least 15 feet from the car at night. Saves years since the car and key will be communicating less. One guy created a lead box which seems like overkill to me... I hope that helps you.
Changing batteries more frequently could be a battery quality issue. As someone above posted, they pay $4-5 for a pack of 10. Those are probably lower quality than say energizer button batteries as they go through more QC. It just means keeping track of when you placed the battery in the fob if you use cheaper batteries. I usually mark the date with a sharpie on the button before putting it in the fob.
I'm not sure why you wouldn't use keyless go. It's much faster, get in the car, hit the button and it starts right up. No need to take the keys out of your pocket or put them back afterwards when you exit the car. As for the low battery message. Mine kicks in at 3.06 volts. If I forget to change the battery and the battery voltage in the fob keeps dropping, there's no more low battery warning anymore. I change mine out every 4-6 months. Usually pick up a batch of 10 on eBay in the $4-5 range.
2 reasons for me hating PUSH BUTTON :
01. My driver may accidentally pocket the key when he goes home.
02. I do not like putting extra layer of radio work ( extra failure point ) to do something so important as key position 1-accessories , 2-ready to crank and most importantly CRANK-to-Start.
I also don't feel safe with push button when I am working at engine bay and key in no 2-ready to crank position when required by the task.
Key FOB Battery change is no issue even once a year or less.
I simply like more mechanical click-click control when and if I can enforce it.
Changing batteries more frequently could be a battery quality issue. As someone above posted, they pay $4-5 for a pack of 10. Those are probably lower quality than say energizer button batteries as they go through more QC. It just means keeping track of when you placed the battery in the fob if you use cheaper batteries. I usually mark the date with a sharpie on the button before putting it in the fob.
Have you opened your laptop to see which brand of batteries Dell/Lenovo/IBM/HP use for their equipment? Never seen the bunny in them, it is always Panasonic, or Sony.
The dealers change the battery for every oil service regardless of usage. At least that is what I saw when I took it for service early on, and to mimic I do the same. Once back from the Indy I replace both keyfob's batteries regardless of usage, they always sit side by side anyways.
Changing batteries more frequently could be a battery quality issue. As someone above posted, they pay $4-5 for a pack of 10. Those are probably lower quality than say energizer button batteries as they go through more QC. It just means keeping track of when you placed the battery in the fob if you use cheaper batteries. I usually mark the date with a sharpie on the button before putting it in the fob.
Naw, they're basically all the same. I've tried various brands, Energizer, Duracell, Sony, Panasonic, etc. They're all about the same. Energizers seem to come with slightly higher voltages at 3.35 but other brands are still in the 3.28-3.3 range. They're not dead when I change them at 3.0, it's just that at that point it's triggered the battery low message and sometimes you have to have the key fob closer to the door in order for keyless go to work. I use keyless go all the time, rarely hit the buttons on the fob. No need to keep track of the dates, the battery low message on the dash tells me it's time to change them out. And I'm way more than 15 feet away from the car. I have 4 keys though so my older W211 uses 2 batteries so I go through 6 of them at a time. Even the spare which doesn't get used that much ends up dying at about the same time.
Naw, they're basically all the same. I've tried various brands, Energizer, Duracell, Sony, Panasonic, etc. They're all about the same. Energizers seem to come with slightly higher voltages at 3.35 but other brands are still in the 3.28-3.3 range. They're not dead when I change them at 3.0, it's just that at that point it's triggered the battery low message and sometimes you have to have the key fob closer to the door in order for keyless go to work. I use keyless go all the time, rarely hit the buttons on the fob. No need to keep track of the dates, the battery low message on the dash tells me it's time to change them out. And I'm way more than 15 feet away from the car. I have 4 keys though so my older W211 uses 2 batteries so I go through 6 of them at a time. Even the spare which doesn't get used that much ends up dying at about the same time.
+1 :
this matches 100% my coin cell experience I consider standard in the bell-curve normal distribution sense.
Keeping the key away from the car should do the trick but it should really be beyond remote (pun intended ) communication area between the car and the key . Well, good thing we don't need 10055515500 miles for it
For you guys going through batteries so fast, that's not normal. Are you keeping the key within 10 feet of the car overnight? There have been other threads on this topic and the theme I recall was to move the key at least 15 feet from the car at night. Saves years since the car and key will be communicating less. One guy created a lead box which seems like overkill to me... I hope that helps you.
Yes, I'm the "lead box" guy... Actually a "faraday cage" as it has no lead in it... The whole faraday cage discussion pertained to shielding the key from the car, in those cases where an owner parks his MB outside on a driveway or at the curb, more available to thieves than in a garage. In my community, we have a single (rare) apartment complex (avg. monthly rent $2,000+), where the inhabitants park their MBs on the curb. Why anyone drives an MB and lives in an apartment is beyond me to understand. Maybe in California, where the average home with a garage goes for $3 million or more.
Keeping the key away from the car should do the trick but it should really be beyond remote (pun intended ) communication area between the car and the key . Well, good thing we don't need 10055515500 miles for it
More important than the cage storage is the distance between the car and the key. In my case, because I use Keyless GO and therefore the key is in my pocket, I store the key fob in my bedroom walk-in closet, on a shelf where I empty all my pockets at day's end. This area is a good 60+ feet from the car in the garage, more than enough distance to make the key out-of-range. I don't know what the minimum distance is. But storing the key in the garage is decidedly too close, keeping both the key and the car "awake" a high percentage of the time. Result is battery drain for both fob and car.
Bottom line... I bought the car in March, 2018. In the 5 years since, I've needed to replace the key fob batteries ONCE (within the last year, actually). Since I started getting the dashboard reminders mid 2022, I replaced the fob battery, and also started locking the car on exit. Silly to do this within a fully enclosed garage. But there are numerous threads about locking the car to shut down more of the standby electronics in the car. The car is never truly asleep.
On a separate note, but directly related to replacing these coin batteries and I am certain many of you use laptops.
It is a very common failure for laptops to get into a non-booting state, and misdiagnosed as damaged, boot loop error, corrupted BIOS, piece of junk brand, etc. The symptom is: Fan spins for a moment after pressing the power button, and it shuts down regardless of battery charge.
That state is because the BIOS got corrupted due to a low voltage (auxiliary/buffer/standby) coin battery, I have seen laptops disposed of, or sold for 10's $ and they only needed a new coin battery. You should proactively change your coin battery before the device relying on them gets confused
Just for clarification, Yes, changing the Key/Remote battery IS part of a normal Service/Oil Change with an MB dealer...at least it was when I worked for MB as a Tech... I would get 1(or 2) every time I had a vehicle with a service given to me.
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