Help please.

 

My 13 plate elegance has refused to recognise the key fob. I tried replacing the CR2032 battery but still no joy. Any ideas what else I can try before calling out the AA?

 

We also tried jumpstarting from a donor car as a last ditch desperate attempt but it doesn't recognise the key. i.e. 

 

I am planning on trying the spare key tomorrow but for now the car is locked in an underground car park for the night.

 

No low key battery warnings or anything in the lead up. It's just given up with no indication it was on it's way out.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. 

Immobiliser, if the spare key works (I hope you have tried it before) then the problem is the RFID chip in the non functioning key, if it doesn't (but did in the past) then probably the RFID reading coil on the steering column, from the display messages it will be the former.

 

Key battery not needed to start vehicle.

 

I hope now is not the time you find you bought a car with a non programmed spare key.

Spare key didn't work either so currently awaiting RAC to attend. Car has already spent 1 night in the car park...knowing my luck it's about to spend a second night there too 

Further update:

 

Diagnosed by RAC as a dead battery so new one being fitted tomorrow. I politely declined the tech's offer to fit one for £250! Even Helfrauds came in at £110 with a 5 year guarantee so that's saying something. 

 

He checked the alternator output and it tested fine he said. Not sure why the battery gave up with no prior hard-starts or any symptoms but that's cars for you I suppose. 

 

Thanks all.

2 hours ago, Lord_Lucan said:

Further update:

 

Diagnosed by RAC as a dead battery so new one being fitted tomorrow. I politely declined the tech's offer to fit one for £250! Even Helfrauds came in at £110 with a 5 year guarantee so that's saying something. 

 

He checked the alternator output and it tested fine he said. Not sure why the battery gave up with no prior hard-starts or any symptoms but that's cars for you I suppose. 

 

Thanks all.

If battery failure is the cause, it's rather puzzling why the key failed to recognise when the vehicle was hooked up for jump start.  

20 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

If battery failure is the cause, it's rather puzzling why the key failed to recognise when the vehicle was hooked up for jump start.  

 

I thought that too but I guess it's another example of these cars behaving oddly when it's unhappy with the main car battery. Over the years I've heard many a tale of all manner of sensors flashing up on the dashboard when it was in fact the battery all along. 

 

Jump-starting was fun in a car park. One person outright refused to help, another person said yes but then refused to let me connect the cables to my own car and the final guy was ok but refused to rev his car even slightly get the revs up when I was about to push the button. I don't think that helped and I was rushing to get the car running before the car park closed at 10pm...

15 minutes ago, Lord_Lucan said:

 

I thought that too but I guess it's another example of these cars behaving oddly when it's unhappy with the main car battery. Over the years I've heard many a tale of all manner of sensors flashing up on the dashboard when it was in fact the battery all along. 

 

Jump-starting was fun in a car park. One person outright refused to help, another person said yes but then refused to let me connect the cables to my own car and the final guy was ok but refused to rev his car even slightly get the revs up when I was about to push the button. I don't think that helped and I was rushing to get the car running before the car park closed at 10pm...

 

 

I would not rev the engine of the donor car whilst jump starting either.

 

If the leads are decent quality and properly connected it should not be  necessary. Your starter motor is connected to the donor cars battery.

 

Positive to positive pole and negative   to chassis earth point

31 minutes ago, Stonekeeper said:

 

 

I would not rev the engine of the donor car whilst jump starting either.

 

If the leads are decent quality and properly connected it should not be  necessary. Your starter motor is connected to the donor cars battery.

 

Positive to positive pole and negative   to chassis earth point

 

I understand that was his personal preference so I didn't ask him to do it if he was uncomfortable but the RAC guy literally blipped his and it worked. Yes he had more cranking power (not the correct term I know) but it worked instantly. 

Further update:

 

Diagnosed by RAC as a dead battery so new one being fitted tomorrow. I politely declined the tech's offer to fit one for £250! Even Helfrauds came in at £110 with a 5 year guarantee so that's saying something. 

 

He checked the alternator output and it tested fine he said. Not sure why the battery gave up with no prior hard-starts or any symptoms but that's cars for you I suppose. 

 

A quick question: since the new battery the keyless entry has stopped i.e. I could walk up to the car and as long I had the key on me, the door would unlock by pulilng the handle. How do I reinstate this feature as it's very useful? Is there a way to re-activiate it? Thanks in advance

 

Further further update:

 

The car did the 'Key not found' thing again today without any prior warning that it's battery may be low. Luckily it started and I got home with the kids in tow but it's really ****ed me off. 

 

The fob has had a new duracell lithium cr2032 battery all of 2 months ago. The car has had a new battery at the same time. 

 

I tried the spare key when I got home and it worked fine so I'm going to have to start using that as my day to day. But my concern is that if something were to happen to it then I'd only have an iffy one to rely on. 

 

I'm planning on doing a few motorway trips over Xmas and NY and I guess I'll have to take both the main key I'm currently using and the spare along with me, as well as a few spare cr2032 batteries! 

 

Is there such a thing as a parasitic drain on a key fob which could be causing the issue? 

Edited 16 December, 20232 yr by Lord_Lucan

Further update: 26/01/2024:

 

So I removed the OSF door loom where it goes into the car body as shown in the pictures and have discovered 2 broken wires so far. 

 

Yellow and Blue stripe wire

Purple and Green stripe wire

 

There may be others too but I can't remove the grommit which goes into the door as shown in the picture with the arrow. 

 

Anyone know how to do this as I attempted it but I'm worried I'll destoy the rubber as it's a 10 year old car so it's not as supple as it once was. 

 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Edited 26 January, 20242 yr by Lord_Lucan

On 16/12/2023 at 20:22, Lord_Lucan said:

Further further update:

 

The car did the 'Key not found' thing again today without any prior warning that it's battery may be low. Luckily it started and I got home with the kids in tow but it's really ****ed me off. 

 

The fob has had a new duracell lithium cr2032 battery all of 2 months ago. The car has had a new battery at the same time. 

 

I tried the spare key when I got home and it worked fine so I'm going to have to start using that as my day to day. But my concern is that if something were to happen to it then I'd only have an iffy one to rely on. 

 

I'm planning on doing a few motorway trips over Xmas and NY and I guess I'll have to take both the main key I'm currently using and the spare along with me, as well as a few spare cr2032 batteries! 

 

Is there such a thing as a parasitic drain on a key fob which could be causing the issue? 

We had the same problem with a key fob battery draining for no apparent reason and had to replace it every couple of days.

 

Thinking it was 'damp',  I removed the battery and soaked the fob in contact cleaner overnight. It has worked perfectly since. Meths might do just as well.