Fob battery life, replace, VIDEO, questions
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 51
Likes: 1
From: So Cal
2015 GLK350
Fob battery life, replace, VIDEO, questions
Had this 2015 about 1 yr & has about 4k miles (low miles - retired wife's car). About a week ago "my" fob (which I use about once a month) called for battery replacement (driver msg) so I figured hell, must have had a crap battery when I got it. Other makes last several years easy.
Yesterday my wife's fob sent the same message so I had bought a 2 pkg 2025, so I did hers.
Today she get's the message again with the brand new battery, haven't tried mine yet.
Now I'm thinking somethings messed up with the car, draining both fob batteries.
Any help?
PS it has keyless go.
Thanks!
Yesterday my wife's fob sent the same message so I had bought a 2 pkg 2025, so I did hers.
Today she get's the message again with the brand new battery, haven't tried mine yet.
Now I'm thinking somethings messed up with the car, draining both fob batteries.
Any help?
PS it has keyless go.
Thanks!
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 303
Likes: 46
From: Minneapolis/ St Paul
Had this 2015 about 1 yr & has about 4k miles (low miles - retired wife's car). About a week ago "my" fob (which I use about once a month) called for battery replacement (driver msg) so I figured hell, must have had a crap battery when I got it. Other makes last several years easy.
Yesterday my wife's fob sent the same message so I had bought a 2 pkg 2025, so I did hers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpIr...bEtnUKKm9wxS41
Today she get's the message again with the brand new battery, haven't tried mine yet.
Now I'm thinking somethings messed up with the car, draining both fob batteries.
Any help?
PS it has keyless go.
Thanks!
Yesterday my wife's fob sent the same message so I had bought a 2 pkg 2025, so I did hers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpIr...bEtnUKKm9wxS41
Today she get's the message again with the brand new battery, haven't tried mine yet.
Now I'm thinking somethings messed up with the car, draining both fob batteries.
Any help?
PS it has keyless go.
Thanks!
Also do not keep the fob in the parked car because if it is in range it will alway talk to the car and draining your battery
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 51
Likes: 1
From: So Cal
2015 GLK350
But still could be bad.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 422
Likes: 61
From: South East US.
2015 GLK350
As many have stated in other threads, make sure you get the Panasonic batteries that are made in Japan. All others seem to be crap.
Also - the dealer will likely replace the batteries for free. YMMV
Don't store the key near your phone or metal. Carry it in a pocket with nothing else - no loose change and minimal keys. Big metal key fobs should also be avoided. The key is a radio transmitter and the harder it has to work, the faster the battery will drain.
Also - the dealer will likely replace the batteries for free. YMMV
Don't store the key near your phone or metal. Carry it in a pocket with nothing else - no loose change and minimal keys. Big metal key fobs should also be avoided. The key is a radio transmitter and the harder it has to work, the faster the battery will drain.
Last edited by formerjeepguy; Oct 21, 2016 at 07:28 AM.
Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 113
Likes: 25
From: Washington State
2013 GLK 350 4Matic
I have found that distance from car is vital both for draining fob battery, but also for draining the main car battery. I had trouble with my fob batteries only lasting a couple of months and also a measurable drain of 2-3 amps from the main car battery. Dealer couldn't ever solve my problem.
To troubleshoot I installed a datalogger on both car batteries and observed that overnight the main battery would drain, but when I parked the car someplace during the day it would be fine. After some troubleshooting, I suspected that the car was staying awake at night because my fob was just above the garage in the kitchen. To verify, I moved the fob to the back of the house at night and didn't see any drain.
Now, when I'm at home, I drop my key fob in a rf shielded pouch. This keeps the fob from talking to the car and keeping it awake and also has extended my fob battery life. I've now gone almost a year on the same fob battery and still going strong. I bought the pouch on Amazon for $9 and I can get in the car with the keys in the pouch and the car won't detect the fob. This also prevents someone from reading your fob and remotely unlocking your car.
To troubleshoot I installed a datalogger on both car batteries and observed that overnight the main battery would drain, but when I parked the car someplace during the day it would be fine. After some troubleshooting, I suspected that the car was staying awake at night because my fob was just above the garage in the kitchen. To verify, I moved the fob to the back of the house at night and didn't see any drain.
Now, when I'm at home, I drop my key fob in a rf shielded pouch. This keeps the fob from talking to the car and keeping it awake and also has extended my fob battery life. I've now gone almost a year on the same fob battery and still going strong. I bought the pouch on Amazon for $9 and I can get in the car with the keys in the pouch and the car won't detect the fob. This also prevents someone from reading your fob and remotely unlocking your car.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 671
Likes: 18
From: Tucson, Az
10 GLK350/ 15 Accord/ 94 Supra Turbo
I have found that distance from car is vital both for draining fob battery, but also for draining the main car battery. I had trouble with my fob batteries only lasting a couple of months and also a measurable drain of 2-3 amps from the main car battery. Dealer couldn't ever solve my problem.
To troubleshoot I installed a datalogger on both car batteries and observed that overnight the main battery would drain, but when I parked the car someplace during the day it would be fine. After some troubleshooting, I suspected that the car was staying awake at night because my fob was just above the garage in the kitchen. To verify, I moved the fob to the back of the house at night and didn't see any drain.
Now, when I'm at home, I drop my key fob in a rf shielded pouch. This keeps the fob from talking to the car and keeping it awake and also has extended my fob battery life. I've now gone almost a year on the same fob battery and still going strong. I bought the pouch on Amazon for $9 and I can get in the car with the keys in the pouch and the car won't detect the fob. This also prevents someone from reading your fob and remotely unlocking your car.
To troubleshoot I installed a datalogger on both car batteries and observed that overnight the main battery would drain, but when I parked the car someplace during the day it would be fine. After some troubleshooting, I suspected that the car was staying awake at night because my fob was just above the garage in the kitchen. To verify, I moved the fob to the back of the house at night and didn't see any drain.
Now, when I'm at home, I drop my key fob in a rf shielded pouch. This keeps the fob from talking to the car and keeping it awake and also has extended my fob battery life. I've now gone almost a year on the same fob battery and still going strong. I bought the pouch on Amazon for $9 and I can get in the car with the keys in the pouch and the car won't detect the fob. This also prevents someone from reading your fob and remotely unlocking your car.
Last edited by AzCamel; Oct 21, 2016 at 06:50 PM.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 51
Likes: 1
From: So Cal
2015 GLK350
I have found that distance from car is vital both for draining fob battery, but also for draining the main car battery. I had trouble with my fob batteries only lasting a couple of months and also a measurable drain of 2-3 amps from the main car battery. Dealer couldn't ever solve my problem.
To troubleshoot I installed a datalogger on both car batteries and observed that overnight the main battery would drain, but when I parked the car someplace during the day it would be fine. After some troubleshooting, I suspected that the car was staying awake at night because my fob was just above the garage in the kitchen. To verify, I moved the fob to the back of the house at night and didn't see any drain.
Now, when I'm at home, I drop my key fob in a rf shielded pouch. This keeps the fob from talking to the car and keeping it awake and also has extended my fob battery life. I've now gone almost a year on the same fob battery and still going strong. I bought the pouch on Amazon for $9 and I can get in the car with the keys in the pouch and the car won't detect the fob. This also prevents someone from reading your fob and remotely unlocking your car.
To troubleshoot I installed a datalogger on both car batteries and observed that overnight the main battery would drain, but when I parked the car someplace during the day it would be fine. After some troubleshooting, I suspected that the car was staying awake at night because my fob was just above the garage in the kitchen. To verify, I moved the fob to the back of the house at night and didn't see any drain.
Now, when I'm at home, I drop my key fob in a rf shielded pouch. This keeps the fob from talking to the car and keeping it awake and also has extended my fob battery life. I've now gone almost a year on the same fob battery and still going strong. I bought the pouch on Amazon for $9 and I can get in the car with the keys in the pouch and the car won't detect the fob. This also prevents someone from reading your fob and remotely unlocking your car.
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Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 113
Likes: 25
From: Washington State
2013 GLK 350 4Matic
I think 30 feet should be enough to let the car sleep. A lot depends on wall construction and any metal in between. My keys were about 15 ft above the car and that was close enough to keep it talking and not go to sleep.
I was going to borrow a spectrum analyzer and check out the frequencies and distances, but my shielded pouch keeps signals attenuated everywhere, even in the car.
I was going to borrow a spectrum analyzer and check out the frequencies and distances, but my shielded pouch keeps signals attenuated everywhere, even in the car.
Last edited by ZZGlk; Oct 22, 2016 at 12:02 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 1,117
A gaggle of MB's
All this discussion is "interesting" - but the weak link in fob battery life is quite simply CHEAP SH*T INDONESIA or CHINA batteries... MB/Panasonic is made in Indonesia.. Energizer China or Indonesia.. and enough China knock-off branded batteries in the market to fill the Titanic..
To start ... less than $3 for 5pcs from Amazon genuine Maxell CR2025 ONLY in holgram packkage:
https://www.amazon.com/Maxell-Lithiu...=maxell+cr2025
Since we changedover at our dealership ... "dead" fob batteries dropped by 80%..
Keep the beat !
To start ... less than $3 for 5pcs from Amazon genuine Maxell CR2025 ONLY in holgram packkage:
https://www.amazon.com/Maxell-Lithiu...=maxell+cr2025
Since we changedover at our dealership ... "dead" fob batteries dropped by 80%..
Keep the beat !
Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 113
Likes: 25
From: Washington State
2013 GLK 350 4Matic
All this discussion is "interesting" - but the weak link in fob battery life is quite simply CHEAP SH*T INDONESIA or CHINA batteries... MB/Panasonic is made in Indonesia.. Energizer China or Indonesia.. and enough China knock-off branded batteries in the market to fill the Titanic..
To start ... less than $3 for 5pcs from Amazon genuine Maxell CR2025 ONLY in holgram packkage:
https://www.amazon.com/Maxell-Lithiu...=maxell+cr2025
Since we changedover at our dealership ... "dead" fob batteries dropped by 80%..
Keep the beat !
To start ... less than $3 for 5pcs from Amazon genuine Maxell CR2025 ONLY in holgram packkage:
https://www.amazon.com/Maxell-Lithiu...=maxell+cr2025
Since we changedover at our dealership ... "dead" fob batteries dropped by 80%..
Keep the beat !
