keyfob battery failing with *no* warning

[TonyKaroq]

22 hours ago, Spd1552 said:

Hi, having now found out that the remote is continually scanning and needs a battery change annually. I found it best to leave the remote in my pocket and not to use it for unlocking and locking, and instead unlock and lock doors using my finger on the door handles. 

Forgive me if i appear to be teaching you to suck eggs: to open the door without the key, grasp the front door handle once to open just one door and release and grasp again to open all doors. To lock lay your finger over the sensor in the door handle, hold your finger there slightly linger if you want to close the windows automatically. Regards ....

thanks that was helpful. Didn’t know I could lock the doors that way. 
 

the AA guy came round and said the battery was fine and had 3v so no issues. He advised its a fob issue so I’ve now got it booked with a Skoda garage in 3 weeks - the earliest they could fit me in. 

[shyVRS245]

8 minutes ago, TonyKaroq said:

thanks that was helpful. Didn’t know I could lock the doors that way. 
 

the AA guy came round and said the battery was fine and had 3v so no issues. He advised its a fob issue so I’ve now got it booked with a Skoda garage in 3 weeks - the earliest they could fit me in. 

We had the same issue with the wife's Jan 2018 Karoq SEL last October and Skoda Dealer admitted both key fobs were faulty and new ones were ordered from the factory which took 2 weeks. This was all under warranty and had to go back for 30 minutes to let them code the new fobs to the car and touch wood we have had no problems with the replacement key fobs since then that was 7,000 miles ago. Car is now 30 months old and just over 26,000 miles covered.

[PetrolDave]

12 hours ago, TonyKaroq said:

the AA guy came round and said the battery was fine and had 3v so no issues.

On plenty of these forums you will see that type of comment "battery was 3V so no issues" - but changing the battery sorted the problem. How come? Measuring the battery voltage on no-load doesn't tell you if the battery has gone high resistance and is unable to supply current.

 

Best plan is to get a brand new reputable make battery and fit that - based on what has been written on here that will solve the problem 99% of the time.

[Teds]

The Karoq was serviced today and the fault log came back that both key fobs were low voltage.  It seems the on board computer had logged it but there was no warning (or if there was I missed it).  Both keys were working fine.  I have changed the batteries anyway.  Car is almost 2 years old.  Dealer wanted £9 to change each battery which I declined.  The manual provides the method to change them (but surprisingly, not the type of battery). It's a bit fiddly but no problem to do.  Looks like it is best to change annually as suggested above.

 

Sudden thought, the on-board computer cannot measure the voltage directly so it must be measuring some output from the fob but that surely varies by where the battery is when its output is measured tpo complicated for me.

[Ashmount]

On 28/07/2020 at 21:26, shyVRS245 said:

We had the same issue with the wife's Jan 2018 Karoq SEL last October and Skoda Dealer admitted both key fobs were faulty and new ones were ordered from the factory which took 2 weeks. This was all under warranty and had to go back for 30 minutes to let them code the new fobs to the car and touch wood we have had no problems with the replacement key fobs since then that was 7,000 miles ago. Car is now 30 months old and just over 26,000 miles covered.

 

Last night, my wife went out to her June 2018 Karoq SE to get something. Opened and locked the car using the door handle. Key in pocket.

About an hour later she was going out and the fob would't open the car door.

First thought, dead battery. The spare opened it just fine, but me being me, thought I'd switch batteries in the fobs to check if it was a fob issue. Wife had no in car warnings about a battery problem in the fob.

 By switching batteries I found that both batteries were fine and worked in the spare fob, but neither battery worked in the main fob.

So, looks like fob failure. Fortunately this happened at home.  I'm assuming it can be fixed under warranty.

 

It left me considering a scenario where the same thing happened miles from home. My wife returns to a locked car and nothing happens with the fob.

Using the fob key she knows how to clip off the little cover to reveal the keyhole, (surmising here).  Surely the alarm would go off? Then what?

Both she and I would have been clueless about holding the key against/ close to the start button to see if the car would start. If not call the helpline I presume.

 

Anyway, as I said fortunately this happened at home and in daylight, but it has certainly dented my wife's confidence in keyless entry. Mine too tbh.

 

Ash

Edited 16 August, 2020 by Ashmount
Can't write right

[shyVRS245]

AA Patrol guy that came to our house tested both batteries from both key fobs and pronounced both fine so issue was clearly with the fobs. He removed the plastic trim on the driver's side door handle and used the key to open the door and hey presto the car alarm went off. After holding one of the key fobs next to the stop/start button for what seemed like 5 minutes and simultaneously pressing the button the car eventually started and as it was early Saturday afternoon he advised us to take the car while the engine was running to the supplying dealer for them to investigate. He found 4 fault codes on his lap top and I took a photo with my phone to show the dealer. The dealer kept the car for 2 days.

[Ashmount]

9 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

AA Patrol guy that came to our house tested both batteries from both key fobs and pronounced both fine so issue was clearly with the fobs. He removed the plastic trim on the driver's side door handle and used the key to open the door and hey presto the car alarm went off. After holding one of the key fobs next to the stop/start button for what seemed like 5 minutes and simultaneously pressing the button the car eventually started and as it was early Saturday afternoon he advised us to take the car while the engine was running to the supplying dealer for them to investigate. He found 4 fault codes on his lap top and I took a photo with my phone to show the dealer. The dealer kept the car for 2 days.

 

Wife contacted local dealer this morning. 

She has an appointment in early September (!) to bring in the fobs to be tested. This apparently takes an hour.

Have to check the fob has not been damaged by owner, apparently.  Then reorder and collect and program to the car.

 

She was also asked if she had checked to see if the battery was the right way up.

She wondered aloud since there was no need to check the battery until the fob had died, how the fob might have worked with the battery the wrong way up since June 2018...no answer to that one.

 

Interesting to hear your fob experience starting the car. Good to know that the car eventually did start. Hopefully, neither of us will have to put this into practice again.

 

Ash

[Spd1552]

The keyless entry and start system is certainly throwing out some varied problems. I myself still have a minor issue which is difficult to pin down to the fobs. When locking the car, as i do by hand rather than the fob, there i a delay that prevents me from opening the door if i have left something in the car for example. Also having got into the driving seat having opened the door by hand and pressed the start button the car won't start unless i press the unlock button on the fob. So hard to explain as a faulty fob. 

I think it important we all continue to share our experiences here wether good or bad.  

Regards: Steve....

[Ashmount]

14 hours ago, Spd1552 said:

The keyless entry and start system is certainly throwing out some varied problems. I myself still have a minor issue which is difficult to pin down to the fobs. When locking the car, as i do by hand rather than the fob, there i a delay that prevents me from opening the door if i have left something in the car for example. Also having got into the driving seat having opened the door by hand and pressed the start button the car won't start unless i press the unlock button on the fob. So hard to explain as a faulty fob. 

I think it important we all continue to share our experiences here wether good or bad.  

Regards: Steve....

Steve,

Yes, agreed. I'll update on this once I've been to the dealer.

Sounds like you need a trip to the dealer too.  That's just weird. You may need your fob re-programmed by the dealer. 

It has certainly knocked my wife's confidence in the fobs.

I've had two keyless entry Superbs and not a problem at all. 

 

Ash

[Spd1552]

Does anyone know just what the warrentee is on these fobs anyway?

Realistically they should be life of the car if looked after and batteries changed at regular intervals. 

But honestly im not sure about Skoda as the is my 1st Skoda and a 1st with keyless entry and start...

[shyVRS245]

Just now, Spd1552 said:

Does anyone know just what the warrentee is on these fobs anyway?

Realistically they should be life of the car if looked after and batteries changed at regular intervals. 

But honestly im not sure about Skoda as the is my 1st Skoda and a 1st with keyless entry and start...

As long as you use a Skoda dealer during the warranty period realistically they should be replaced if faulty upto 60,000 miles and 3 years after first registration. This is just my opinion BTW. Our car had done 18,500 miles and was 21 months old when both key fobs were replaced under warranty FOC saving about £550 including coding the new keys.

[Ashmount]

18 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

As long as you use a Skoda dealer during the warranty period realistically they should be replaced if faulty upto 60,000 miles and 3 years after first registration. This is just my opinion BTW. Our car had done 18,500 miles and was 21 months old when both key fobs were replaced under warranty FOC saving about £550 including coding the new keys.

 

Yes, that's my understanding too. The only thing they look for is user damage; immersed in water, cracked etc., which might invalidate the warranty.

 

 

[Spd1552]

Thats good to know thanks. I have a confidence issue as i had an avid love for SEAT whom i had been with for more than 20 years. The only reason i moved was that a relative was the salesperson at my local skoda dealership where i purchased my Karoq. He moved to another dealership the same week i collected the Karoq. Hense my confidence issue..

[Ashmount]

5 minutes ago, Spd1552 said:

Thats good to know thanks. I have a confidence issue as i had an avid love for SEAT whom i had been with for more than 20 years. The only reason i moved was that a relative was the salesperson at my local skoda dealership where i purchased my Karoq. He moved to another dealership the same week i collected the Karoq. Hense my confidence issue..

 

I've had a variety of cars down the years and wasted too much money on BMWs and Mercs. Good cars but with too many issues for a so called prestige brand and with running costs far too high.

In 2011 I bought my first Skoda Superb after a nightmare winter in 2010 driving a Merc estate with a boot loaded with bags of sand and a couple of breeze blocks to keep the rear wheel drive working in the snow.

Rather than revert to another Merc or Beemer I decided to test drive a range of cars. One of those was the Superb, based on the Driver Power Survey in Auto Express where Skoda's were coming in the top five cars, rated by customers.

My 2011 Superb was a 2.0 150 TDI Executive DSG 4x4. It was the dealer principal's car and he took me for the test drive. I immediately fell for the car. It was just in every way, well...superb.

I aimed to keep that car for 36 months and change. I put a minimum deposit on it. I've never bought out a car at the end of a PCP. Well I bought that car and kept it for nearly seven years. It cost me £7000 to buy it out and I drove it for three years and got £8000 for it. It is the best car I've ever owned. Hands down.

 

When it came to change, I didn't even look elsewhere. I bought a demonstrator 2.0ltr 190 Sportline which, sadly, was written off from under me in 2019. 

Again, I went straight back to Skoda and I'm driving a Superb SE L 1.5TSi and its a continuing love affair.

 

I have a general interest in cars and I'm abreast or the competition. Nothing touched Skoda for value for money and a car that exactly fits my lifestyle.

 

Come the time when my wife wanted to change her 10 year old beloved Mazda 3, I did the rounds of many makes and dealerships with her. The Karoq had just launched a few months earlier.

Driving past the local Skoda dealership on a whim I asked if she would like to take a test drive as the reviews were good and she agreed, more on the basis of 'well I've tried everything else' rather than any enthusiasm.

We had already test driven Mazda, Vauxhall, Seat, Citeron, Peugeot, Toyota, Ford and Nissan.

She test drove a Karoq SE 1.5TSi and made her decision there and then. We were both hugely impressed. Eighteen months on she still loves her car and this is the first 'blip' (no pun intended).

 

I live in Northern Ireland and in the last five years (from memory) the Skoda UK Dealership of the Year has been an NI dealer. I have found them really helpful. 

 

So I hope your confidence won't be dented. You have chosen a great car and I'm sure you will have a good dealer experience too.

 

Ash

 

 

[Spd1552]

Thanks Ash, thats a lot of helpful info you have provided. I wont give up on Skoda just yet, i intended to run with them for 4 years anyway. So will see what models come in the next 3 years and go from there. 

Might be worth a flight to Belfast city Airport when time for replacement.

[JollyGardener]

I went to start my partner's Karoq this morning and the key was dead, the car wouldn't unlock. Luckily I was at home and used the spare key. She bought the car new in May 2018, and owing to health problems and the lockdown it has not yet done 2000 miles. As other posters have pointed out, there was no prior warning.

 

My Octavia flags a warning on the Maxidot display to change the key battery when the voltage gets low. Coincidentally the warning on my car had just come on so I'd already ordered a couple of batteries (Currys, £1.99 for 2 Duracell CR2025s with free postage). I presumed the Karoq should give a warning like the Octavia does, but it doesn't seem to.

[Ashmount]

1 hour ago, JollyGardener said:

I went to start my partner's Karoq this morning and the key was dead, the car wouldn't unlock. Luckily I was at home and used the spare key. She bought the car new in May 2018, and owing to health problems and the lockdown it has not yet done 2000 miles. As other posters have pointed out, there was no prior warning.

 

My Octavia flags a warning on the Maxidot display to change the key battery when the voltage gets low. Coincidentally the warning on my car had just come on so I'd already ordered a couple of batteries (Currys, £1.99 for 2 Duracell CR2025s with free postage). I presumed the Karoq should give a warning like the Octavia does, but it doesn't seem to.

 

Hi, I meant to update this thread and forgot. My bad.

See my posts above for the full story.

My wife took her fobs to an arranged appointment at the dealer on 4 September - that's about three weeks after the incident and after I had done the key fob battery swop test.

In she went and the guy said he was going to change the batteries first, as if it was a battery problem and he did the tests first and found there was nothing wrong with the fob there would be a £100 charge. 

My wife said ok, but my husband has already swopped the batteries and they both work fine in the spare fob, but neither works in the 'dud' fob.

In go the new batteries and hey presto - both were working again. She felt a bit of a fool. The guy just said that both fob batteries need to be changed every year.

She said she had no warning the battery was losing power, but he didn't seem too clued about that.

So both fobs still working. My wife is carrying them both for a few weeks just in case the main one dies again.

Not at all satisfactory .

 

[agedbriar]

I've decided to be one of the brave, whom the world belongs to.

Instead of changing the batteries at the time of yearly service 4 months ago - as I was determined to do - I'm now just waiting for them to die.

 

(Truth be told: I carry one spare battery and tool in my wallet, next to the driving license, another set in the car.) 

 

Edited 12 September, 2020 by agedbriar

[Ashmount]

12 hours ago, agedbriar said:

I've decided to be one of the brave, whom the world belongs to.

Instead of changing the batteries at the time of yearly service 4 months ago - as I was determined to do - I'm now just waiting for them to die.

 

(Truth be told: I carry one spare battery and tool in my wallet, next to the driving license, another set in the car.) 

 

And I see the brave are also wise...

[StEdmund]

I've unlocked my Karoq twice using the key blade in the lock - and on each occasion, the alarm has sounded; when I placed the key next to the starter button, the alarm stopped and all was well. I note that in Patrolman's video, posted on 19th June, the alarm didn't appear to go off so - can anyone tell me, please, how to get into the car without attracting the attention of the alarm and waking up the neighbourhood? 

[skomaz]

On 12/09/2020 at 16:56, Ashmount said:

 

So both fobs still working. My wife is carrying them both for a few weeks just in case the main one dies again.

 

 

 

Can I suggest she carries one in a faraday bag.  I've seen starting issues in the past in other makes when both key have been in the car.

[Ashmount]

3 minutes ago, skomaz said:

 

Can I suggest she carries one in a faraday bag.  I've seen starting issues in the past in other makes when both key have been in the car.

Yes...good reminder. She carries both keys in separate faraday bags. 

Just on that. We both have faraday bags for our kessy's. Usual ones from Amazon.

Being me, I test them from time to time and I have had failures. Don't know why. Might be some science behind this or just cheap bags.

Like the batteries now these little bags are also tested and replaced. 

 

Ash

[Sanqhar]

6 hours ago, Ashmount said:

Yes...good reminder. She carries both keys in separate faraday bags. 

Just on that. We both have faraday bags for our kessy's. Usual ones from Amazon.

Being me, I test them from time to time and I have had failures. Don't know why. Might be some science behind this or just cheap bags.

Like the batteries now these little bags are also tested and replaced. 

 

Ash

Just disable kessy when you lock the car, no need for a faraday bag. 

 

tom

[StEdmund]

12 minutes ago, Sanqhar said:

Just disable kessy when you lock the car, no need for a faraday bag. 

 

tom

 

That's what I always do.

 

BTW, my wife bought a metal box for putting the keys in ........ and it didn't stop the signal. Wrapping the key in ordinary kitchen foil did work - but it's a lot less bother just to disable kessy!

[33q]

My Key battery failed yesterday....no warning at all. Car almost two years old. The spare key worked and luckily i had a new battery of the correct type. All sorted.