Key fob battery problems

[CUMan]

I am wondering if any other Genesis owners are having as many problems with their key fobs as I am.

Last week, my key fob would not unlock the doors nor would it allow me to crank the car. I had to put the key fob in the dash slot to get home. When I got home, I cracked open the case, removed the battery, and checked the voltage and amperage of the battery. The volt reading was 3.02 and the amps were 7.5. The CR2032 battery is rated at 3 volts, so it was above the rated value.

This morning, my wife's key fob would not unlock the car. I removed the battery from her fob and checked the volts and amps. The numbers were 3.09 volts and 7.9 ma.

I had new batteries on hand and checked the numbers on them. The volts were 3.31 and amps were 8.3. All these batteries were Rayovac lithiums.

The key fobs' batteries were replaced in July of this year. I would think that they should last more than 2-3 months.

Anyone else have these type problems? Maybe I need to get another brand of battery.

 

[scottdk]

I am wondering if any other Genesis owners are having as many problems with their key fobs as I am.

Last week, my key fob would not unlock the doors nor would it allow me to crank the car. I had to put the key fob in the dash slot to get home. When I got home, I cracked open the case, removed the battery, and checked the voltage and amperage of the battery. The volt reading was 3.02 and the amps were 7.5. The CR2032 battery is rated at 3 volts, so it was above the rated value.

This morning, my wife's key fob would not unlock the car. I removed the battery from her fob and checked the volts and amps. The numbers were 3.09 volts and 7.9 ma.

I had new batteries on hand and checked the numbers on them. The volts were 3.31 and amps were 8.3. All these batteries were Rayovac lithiums.

The key fobs' batteries were replaced in July of this year. I would think that they should last more than 2-3 months.

Anyone else have these type problems? Maybe I need to get another brand of battery.

What brand are the batteries that come in the key fobs? over 3.5 years later, I'm still on the batteries that came with the keyfobs.

 

[homeofstone]

Are the fobs ever left in a damp and or hot area? ie. outside in sun, in an indoor swimming area, in a gym locker shower room area, bathroom?

 

[CUMan]

Are the fobs ever left in a damp and or hot area? ie. outside in sun, in an indoor swimming area, in a gym locker shower room area, bathroom?

No, I keep my fob in my shirt pocket; and it is kept inside the house at night. My wife keeps her fob in her purse, which is also inside the house.

I bought the car (2009 3.8 model) in May, 2009. I replaced the original battery in 12/11; the second time in 07/12; and the third time this week.

I don't recall the brand of the battery that came in the fob when the car was purchased.

 

[mikec]

It may not be the battery itself... it might be the thin metal contacts in the fob. One of mine will often work from 100+ feet away from the car - so I think the battery is plenty strong - yet once in a while it won't work while standing next to the car. Give it the old college repair (thump it against a hard surface) and it works. I opened it up and found two skinny metal arms are part of the contacts... I used a small pencil eraser to clean the actual contact patches (erasers work GREAT at cleaning almost any electrical connection - getting rid of oxidation) and gently bent the arms so they'd have more grip to the battery. Seems to have helped.

mike c.

 

[earthquake]

I own a 2009 Genesis 4.6 with 59000 miles. Lately I have been having Key Fob issues. Replaced batteries in 8/12, but I still have occasionally problems with the vehicle not wanting to start without inserting key fob in slot. Sometimes when the vehicle won't start, I open and close the Driver door and vehicle starts with the key fob still in my pocket. In my pee-brain this tells me that there is more of a Ignition issue and not a battery problem. I have been to Dealer and they cannot find a problem. Told the Dealer that I am on record with this issue prior to the B&B warrenty running out after 60K miles.
Has anyone had this problem with a 2011 or 2012 vehicle ????
Has anyone researched whether there is a TSB on this problem ???

 

[Rebecca]

My 2009 Genesis just started having problems with keyless fob but not with the active one I use every day .... but rather with the spare that I keep in the house. I use it occasionally to get into the car, but rarely. The dealership thought perhaps it died from lack of use. I took it in but it was magically working so I took it home. It failed to work again twice at home so I took it back to the parts dept (again). They checked the battery strength and it was showing "fully charged." Oddly enough they checked my every day fob which has a key chain on it to differentiate and it was almost dead even though I've had no problems with it. Picked up my Genesis on September 2009 so it's been 3 years; going by Battery Plus to pick up TWO CR 2032 3V batteries and will replace BOTH. There is ONE video on You Tube that shows you how to open the fob. PLEASE DO NOT JUST START PICKING AT IT. YOU WILL HATE YOURSELF The man in the video also struggled using a full-size flat tip screwdriver. Wait! Remove the KEY and use it. Works great. Just twist it a little until you can get ahold of it and snap it open. Also works with a SMALLER screwdriver than he used, put it in the hole on the RIGHT [if fob is facing you] and twist lightly. It will pop open. Mine did. NOTE: If using a screwdriver DO NOT put the screwdriver in the other hole as that is the side where the battery is.

 

[matt21484]

I just bought a new to me 2010 3.8 and am having similar problems. I just dropped it off at the dealer where I bought it from hopefully they will either replace the battery or the Fobs themselves.
Yesterday, my wife said she had to put the fob in the dash to start the car every time she got in it (3 times total) and that the keyless lock/unlock/trunk wouldn't work. I tried them today and they worked. The other fob does the exact same thing. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Hopefully the dealer will have good news

 

[Advocate225]

Just past my 3rd anniversary I started having problems with the fobs. New batteries didn't help. Dealer replaced the fobs without charge.