These can be expensive to replace. $100 to buy and have recoded to work on your car.
So I'll just relate my experience .
The key stops working , doesn't open the doors or switch the immobiliser off so the car won't start. It became intermittent , as I put the key in the steering lock it sometimes worked .
By unscrewing the key from the head plastic piece using that key and a pocket knife I was able to separate the key down the seam. Once apart the small gasket rubber doesn't look like I can use it again but it might slot back in . The rubber covers over the buttons were history after 3 years so leaks are a problem anyway.
I pulled the circuit board out easily and cleaned it with Inox spray and a tooth brush all round then blew it all out with compressed air, including the buttons . Once it was dried off I tried it and still it did not work. The battery is a 3V lithium CR 3032 soldered in and was showing 2.7V. I checked all the switches again and I think one of them was stuck on, wasting the battery away. I recharged the lithium gently to bring it back to 3.4V and tried it quickly .
It worked again so perhaps the circuitry needs more than 2.7V but I suspect the switch. So I can put it together again and wrap a rubber band around to hold it together for the time being . It works as it should and its been suggested that the lithium is fed some charge through the connections it makes with the steering column. That's possible I suppose but I wonder what any of you that are experienced think ?
The battery is replaceable anyway for about $5 so I'll change that then glue the head with super-glue. While on that, I got some super-glue from Tower Hobbies in the States and its brilliant Slow, medium, fast-- 2 minutes, 30secs, instant-- bond times respectively. I keep one I bought 12 months ago in the beer fridge but the top is always gluing itself together and a careless mistake will loose the lot. I'm going to try to clean and oil the cap after each use , that might stop it sticking . I think its $14 for a kit of 1 of each plus freight.
So I'll just relate my experience .
The key stops working , doesn't open the doors or switch the immobiliser off so the car won't start. It became intermittent , as I put the key in the steering lock it sometimes worked .
By unscrewing the key from the head plastic piece using that key and a pocket knife I was able to separate the key down the seam. Once apart the small gasket rubber doesn't look like I can use it again but it might slot back in . The rubber covers over the buttons were history after 3 years so leaks are a problem anyway.
I pulled the circuit board out easily and cleaned it with Inox spray and a tooth brush all round then blew it all out with compressed air, including the buttons . Once it was dried off I tried it and still it did not work. The battery is a 3V lithium CR 3032 soldered in and was showing 2.7V. I checked all the switches again and I think one of them was stuck on, wasting the battery away. I recharged the lithium gently to bring it back to 3.4V and tried it quickly .
It worked again so perhaps the circuitry needs more than 2.7V but I suspect the switch. So I can put it together again and wrap a rubber band around to hold it together for the time being . It works as it should and its been suggested that the lithium is fed some charge through the connections it makes with the steering column. That's possible I suppose but I wonder what any of you that are experienced think ?
The battery is replaceable anyway for about $5 so I'll change that then glue the head with super-glue. While on that, I got some super-glue from Tower Hobbies in the States and its brilliant Slow, medium, fast-- 2 minutes, 30secs, instant-- bond times respectively. I keep one I bought 12 months ago in the beer fridge but the top is always gluing itself together and a careless mistake will loose the lot. I'm going to try to clean and oil the cap after each use , that might stop it sticking . I think its $14 for a kit of 1 of each plus freight.
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