The key fob is your lifeline to your car, letting you unlock the doors and set off the alarm, at a minimum, but how can you tell if it needs a new battery?
Long gone are the days of having to use an actual key to unlock your car doors. Modern vehicles typically come with a remote key fob — a term with an interesting backstory — allowing you to lock and unlock your doors, sound a warning alarm, and more from a distance. As convenient as they can be, though, they could become a nuisance over time. As a small remote, it relies on a battery, and a dead battery can leave you without a means of unlocking your doors. As such, it’s crucial to know the warning signs that your key fob’s battery is on its last legs.
The clearest sign that a key fob battery needs to be replaced is how the fob responds, or how it doesn’t, when buttons are pressed. If your fob takes unusually long to respond to button presses, or doesn’t respond at first press, the battery is probably in need of replacement. Similarly, if you’re only able to get the fob to function when you’re in close proximity to your car, it’s likely lacking the power to work as normal. The fob may also have enough reach to lock or unlock your car, but not enough strength to cause the headlights to flash simultaneously.
