[gilbuzz]

Battery or buttons?

Open the case, but before you replacing the battery check the voltage.( 3v and 2.75v with any button depressed.) If the voltage is within this range the button switches maybe the problem. Use a contact cleaner on each switch while pressing on and off until they begin to functional properly. As an added measure, spray entire PC board to clean components. This worked for me on two completely non functioning remotes.

 

[borderchris]

Uhhhhhh... very nice and all, but you're responding to a 5 year old post...

 

[energizedmortal]

Uhhhhhh... very nice and all, but you're responding to a 5 year old post...

it can be ten years later they'll always be a newbie that can use this information to make life easier like me... contact cleaner worked thanks

 

[540 M-Sport]

Open the case, but before you replacing the battery check the voltage.( 3v and 2.75v with any button depressed.) If the voltage is within this range the button switches maybe the problem. Use a contact cleaner on each switch while pressing on and off until they begin to functional properly. As an added measure, spray entire PC board to clean components. This worked for me on two completely non functioning remotes.

Great idea! I have one older remote (much used) and it started being unreliable at unlocking or opening the trunk. Works fine for locking...and it only acted up a couple times. I swapped to my unused (but several years old) remote for now. But will try cleaning the contacts on the heavily used one. If "no go" then I will try replacing the rechargeable battery as outlined above.

 

[Lucwarm]

I tried this but it seem as the unlock butoon doesnt work. the lock and truck works fine. the unluck button doesnt fseem damage. It work fine prior to the batter going dead. any questions.

 

[Severe550i]

It's funny how and when things happen...
I thought my key might have finally died and was ready to order a new one for $150 from the dealer. Figured I'd try to re-initialize first, and it worked after 3 tries. Not sure what I did wrong the first two times, but it works now. Awesome! I love this message board!

 

[bluebee]

I'm a little confused. This E46 thread calls it a "battery"
- Diamond Key battery replacement

Here's what it says, verbatim:

You CAN replace a battery, but you must have a little patience and some special tools.
Here is what you need:
1) Small jewelers screwdriver (flathead)
2) Razor blade
3) Soldering gun
4) JB weld ($5.00)
5) New battery (Panasonic VL-2020 Lithium Coin Cell battery: $5.00)
6) Super glue ($2.00)

I could not find any place in Seattle to buy that battery, so I found a place online called Mouser Electronics ( www.mouser.com), and got one for $5.00 and $5.00 shipping, so ten bucks for the battery.

Replacement Procedures:

1) Gently pry open the key by forcing the screwdriver in the rear center of the key. You will score the plastic, but the battery sits back there and you are away from the electronics for the remote. My key split open fairly easily, but the edges were rough, so I smoothed them down with the razor blade.
2) Pop out the board inside of the key, you can't miss the battery. You can see the battery has a positive and negative lead soldered to the board. Using your soldering gun, melt off the solder that is holding the leads to the board. The battery will fall off.
3) The leads on the battery I got were similar, but did not line up exactly, so I had to bend one of the leads to fit the hole pattern on the board. You can also pry off the leads on the old battery if you want, they are tacked on, but you can pop them off with the screwdriver. My soldering skills are lacking, so I used a little dab of JB weld to hold the new leads in place.
4) Put the board with the new key back into the key housing. Put a little super glue on the edges of the housing and press the two parts of the housing together until they are secured (Make sure the board and battery are installed correctly!)
5) You have to initialize the key. (This is covered a lot in the forums.) You must do both keys at the same time. I re-initialized the new key, then the old one I had just put the battery in. Both checked out, viola! Extra key now works!

So, 15 minutes later and about $20.00, I have an extra key that is fully functional. If you want to save $200 bucks and have a little time, you can make an old key remote work again, or just use your key manually. Hope this helps someone!

Note: Pictures below are from this thread.

 

[energizedmortal]

i tried reinitializing a spare key i had sitting in a shelf for about a year... it would not activate for more than 600 miles but now seems to have charged back and is working again

 

[bluebee]

As an xref, here are what I gather to be some of the best of the diamond key related threads:

- BMW diamond key opening, charging, recoding, battery replacement & recoding (1) (1) (2) (3) (4)

If you know of better related diamond key threads, let me know so anyone looking in the bestlinks thread can find them in a flash.

BB

 

[bluebee]

Its not a battery but rather a charge capacitor that is recharged by being in the ignition.

I'm confused.

Is the "thing" in the diamond key that is charged a battery or a capacitor?

 

[bluebee]

In doing the research for someone who didn't, I realized belatedly the bestlinks had plenty on the diamond key but not a good set of references for the square key battery replacement.

So, to increase the incrementalistic value, I added the following just now based on reading the links below ...
- How to replace the square key battery (1) (2) (3)

 

[champaign777]

OP check it out

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1324351

 

[QSilver7]

The OP started this thread back in Aug/2005. But perhaps someone new may be able to garner something from the link.

 

[champaign777]

ooo cool
pass

 

[Lucwarm]

I tried his and the key locks and truck opens but it will not unlock the doors.
Do you have any idea what it can be? I also purchase the lithium battery, etc.
Im trying to avoid payi g 200 for 1 key.

 

[slamck]

My key is saved.

Thank you BlueBee for posting the pictures. I tried cut the key open for over 30 minutes with no luck. Then I saw the pictures of inserting the screw driver from the end of the key. In less than five minutes I got the key cracked open slowly.

This is my wife's key she has been using every day until recently it stopped working most of the time. It would lock the car after couple tries but failed to unlock almost completely. We have another key we used only occasionally and that one is working perfectly. After reading many postings, I decided it must be a worn out battery. I ordered the panasonic battery online and I was ready to replace the one in the remote. After cracking the key open, I decided to check the voltage of the battery before replacing it, the voltage came out normal at 3 volt. Puzzled, I took the cracked open key to the car and it's working fine now. Every click it works just like it used to be. Not sure what or how it's fixed, but I am happy its working now. I glued the key back together and it's working just fine. I'll save the battery for next time.

 

[bluebee]

After cracking the key open, I decided to check the voltage of the battery before replacing it, the voltage came out normal at 3 volt. Puzzled, I took the cracked open key to the car and it's working fine now. Every click it works just like it used to be.

That's a great success story.

It's great those pics (all taken by other people, not me) helped you.

In the future, please DO try to snap some pictures of what you're doing as every picture helps the rest of us who come after you.

That's what this is all about!

 

[slamck]

Pictures attached

Good point Bluebee.

 

[rush_ad]

Hello all,

Is there a way to confirm that the key battery is in fact dead and needs to be replaced? I am trying to avoid going through all the hassle to later find out that my current key battery was working but there was some other issue.

I have so far tried to reprogram my key using all the techniques found in these forums with no luck. My central locking system seem to be working , just not when using the key remote. The lock/unlock button between front seat works fine.

Please let me know.

 

[slamck]

In my case, we have two keys, one worked and the other died slowly. So I knew for sure it was problem with the key. There is no way to tell if the battery is dead or not without opening the key as the key is fully enclosed.

My key started working after I opened it. I glued it back together without replacing the battery even though I already got one. I just didn't feel like messing with soldering the new battery on. But I may need to do it anyway down the road if the key starts to act up again.