Before replacing the battery, try reprogramming the key. Hold the key next to the ignition slot without inserting it. Press and hold the top unlock button, the button nearest the key flat. Continue holding it, and press the center unlock button three times. If you key reprograms, you'll know it immediately.
Even after 9 years, this video is still helping people out. Just fixed mine. Thnx for taking the effort to make the video man. Kind regards from Antwerp Belgium :-)
Yeah the video is a little slow to get to the point but the guy is doing a favor to the BMW community. You guys that are talking junk should just go buy the $230 key and stop watching free "how to videos" acting as though you can't just fast forward.
Just had to do this as selling car, thanks for posting the video, ignore the negative comments. Easy way to open key is using a new box cutter blade, tap gently with hammer all round seal. On opening, use a multimeter and check battery volts. Mine was 3v, perfect. Close inspection showed positive connection was broken to circuit board. Add a wire, solder, rebuild key. no need to reprogram. No problem.
Great fucking video sir. Don't Listen to these idiots saying Its Boring or its not straight to the point. Im here because something needs to be fixed. Not to have fun. Fixing something involves step by step proceedures. Thanks to you i don't have to go out and pay 250 for no punk ass key
Excellent video. I followed the instructions for a 2003 BMW X5. The fob would respond intermittently also requiring me to be closer and closer to the vehicle to unlock doors etc. I used a utility knife which took too long to get it open. I switched to a precision 1.4m/m screwdriver (eyeglass screwdriver sized) to scrape around the sides until the fob opened. You must be careful when prying welded metals arms off the top and bottom of the battery so that the arms do not pull away from the circuit board. The top and bottom of the battery "is" needlessly cradled in two arms. The correct battery is a Panasonic VL2020 3V rechargable coin sized lithium. I used a Maxell 2025 3V and did not solder the arms back (necessary). I closed it using neat strips of electrical tape. Looks Great & Works great!!!! Thanks
just done this, worked a treat, you can get the solder connection under the battery the same way as removing the top soldered connection, just take your time, to seal both cases back together I used superglue and a hairdryer, used the glue all around to make a water tight seal as well, and used a hair dryer to seal it pretty quick, worked excellent.
This worked! The BMW key is supposed to get recharged in the ignition and does, but only to a point. Batteries wear out. My husband's key stopped working and would no longer take a charge (because he used it infrequently?). We tried this replacement and it works like it is new. Thanks!
If your circuit board is damaged when opening the case or removing the battery, you can order a blank (Uncut) replacement key ($25- $60 online) and just swap out the circuit boards. Worked like a charm. I ordered mine from NJ on Saturday night and had the new key in SoCal on Monday. Saved over $200
I tried it and so far it's worked great (still waiting for the UPS man to delivery me new battery tho). It does take quite some time to get the key opened, took me in excess of an hour. One warning though, when you try and dislodge the battery from the metal thingy, be extra careful: it sort of popped out as I did the top part and flew away across the room. So now I've gotta weld the bottom metal thingy back to the circuit (I also managed to cut myself in the process, so yeah, extra care is required, or just ask someone who's not clumsy for that bit). I'm hoping that'll work, if not I'll just buy a new £140 key (woopwoop). So yeah, overall it's been a great experience lol. (And yes, I don't know about other countries, but only BMW dealers will do you a new key in the UK. I've tried. Trust me. NOBODY else will do it).
i used a soldering gun and some soldering wire, before that i had never solder in my life, all i did was check some vids here in YT, the welds were far from perfect but they did the job. so what im trying to say is that u dont need skills to do it urself. good luck budy
Worked great for me. The new battery I ordered for £4.50 from eBay came with the battery clip installed so even easier. Just solder the new part onto the circuit board, close up key then reprogram using another UA-cam video. Thanks very much you saved me £££
Bro, you are the man. Mine is dead and now turning key in door isn't working. Just got battery out. Going to change and see what happens. Good looking out. Screw BMW and their $200+ keys.
Excellent DIY video. jay jay and others, with some experience with battery run devices (or just basic online research on batteries) you will find that rechargeable batteries do not last forever. Much like everything else they wear over time and loose their ability to take and hold a charge, as well as seeing changes to several other important properties, such as top charge voltage, esr (equivalent series resistance = ability to maintain voltage when under load). Danny Carlo, you cannot just go pick up a battery from your local shop. Even though it has the same form factor (size), it is likely not even rechargeable. The most common types you'll find are of a different underlying technology and also puts out a different voltage, preventing your device from working. As mentioned by others, check for obvious problems such as solder joints having failed before replacing.
TIP, try to reprogram before assuming bad battery. A rep at the dealer tried to reprogram (or acted like he did) and it didn't work. I spent 4 years stewing over it. I ripped the battery out of one of the keys per this video, while awaiting a battery for the hell of it I tried reprogramming, and it worked! I don't know how a battery in a year 2000 car can work after 14 years, but it does!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!! For my X3 no soldering required, just careful knife work and super glue to reseal. REALLY appreciate this video, it's saved me $$$$!!!
It totally worked... I became a professional E46 key fixer... Thanks a lot man this save me money. Now i am dancing dancing and more dancing. THANKS A LOT ONCE AGAIN...
Wow. We as humans can be really foolish. Thank you for the video sir. Saved me 246$ Even the guy at BMW didn't seem to know this because he was looking for screws. Great job my friend
Thanks! Two remote keys were provided with my 2001 325i when I bought it new. One key ceased to function at about the 10 year mark. The other is working fine to this day. As I understand it, the battery in the key is charged when the key is in the car's ignition, which neatly explains how it's lasted for so long. The VL2020 is rechargeable, so it's the correct battery for this application.
I used an X-Acto razor saw to split the key case for a neater job. I found that the battery was fine, but that one of the battery micro welds had come loose. Bending the contact down so that it touched the battery restored full function. Neither the valet nor the wallet keys originally supplied with the car have RFID chips. They lack the remote functions but work fine for unlocking and starting the car. The valet key will not unlock the glove box or trunk.
@razes071 hahaha...thanks for the comment and regardless u think im mentally obtuse, I respect ur opinion. The reason I stated every little detail is bc there is many pp who dont have that much "skills" or are not really a DIY person so i was trying to be very clear to anyone watching. U have a great day.
Dude, im a volkswagen mechanic, have been for years, i work at a bmw/vw dealer, i just spent two hours doing this. went out and bought three different batteries, a 2016, 2022, and a 2032, i did this perfectly, no mistakes, very clean, it doesnt work. at all. not even close man.
Chinnosequeira, dear! thank you SO MUCH for this vid! i did it all like you said, cut through the plastic, took the battery out - stuff which even my husband did not dare to try. and bingo! we finally found out, that the problem was a battery (after some disturbance, old battery worked to open a car!) we were not able to get a right rechargeable battery, but i'll keep looking, get one and have my key working! you saved me an enormous amount and made my day! XOXO!
The VL2020 from Panasonic is a rechargeable battery This should not be replaced by a normal lithium battery as CR2016 the CR2016 is not suitable for charging. When charging the battery acid produces gases may leak or even burst. The VL 2020 can be ordered at Amazon
Awesome!! Thank you so much for posting this! My wife's 330i key died and BMW wanted 300 bucks to replace it! A friend of mine told me you couldn't replace the battery cuz it would blow up or something when you tried to open it??? I am going to attempt this before her bday next month :)
You should mention that you NEED a soldering iron to do this to weld the new battery to the old metal connectors. That info would've been very helpful.
Wow the guy gives a really clear and good explanation and still has complains . Just say thank you very much for showing us that these are rechargeable and not removable batteries.and you can save over 200. bless you for posting this up. 9 years later and still going I think people that negatively posted on this video are jealous now 🤣 🤣 🤣.
Julio, great job. I really respect folks whose second language is English - especially since I have no second language. I learned a lot from you and from the comments. Specifically, take you time, get a Panasonic VL2020 online, take your time, have an electronic soldering iron using SuperGlue to seal it up. My keys are still working but I am ready now thanks to you.
bro! We did this and it totally worked. Fantastic work my friend. we're now going to do a dance in front of the BMW car yard. we saved big bucks! Great work.
Before changing the rechargeable battery (usually lasts 15 years) try reprogramming your key by turning it 5 times in ignition lock to position 1, then remove, press&hold unlock button and press lock button 3 times. Worked like a charm form me:)))
Hi, Julio.. greetings from a BMW lover all the way from Namibia. Well I just want to give my thoughts not am smarter, but just for info..actually the battery charges through what is called EMS, a magnetic field which is created by the coil as long as the key is in the barrel..it's the Tesla theory bra, if you induce a magnetic field in one coil, you can have a voltage in the other without any physical contact
Dude! Your a life saver!!! Thank you for saving us about $230! We all appreciate it. I did what you told on here and it worked perfect.Also my lock button feel off (middle button) and that was another reason it wasn't working probably. I have 2 questions: 1. How do I get the lock button welded on? If I took it to a lock smith will they welded on for me? Also, what kind of glue do you use to put the key fob back together? Once again thank you for helping us out!
Looks easy but takes time.. that plastic around key fob is thick. The welds on the battery are on both sides so be prepared to fight that. But with a lil time and patience you can save yourself $200
Thank you Julio for sharing about the BMW key. But here is what I learned. The BMW Key should get recharged whenever you have it in the ignition when the car is running. My key wasnt recharging in my X5. which pointed to another problem with my starter. check this out..If you put the key in the ignition in the number two position and place a charger on your battery. U can recharge the key. It might take a few hours to fully charge..But if there is no damage to the key..IT will charge
You my friend have saved me a lot of money. I did have to re-program the key. Took me about a hour to do it all but well worth the time and I saved $250.00 bucks. Thanks again.
With my experience on car keys, I am confident that any sealed key with a soldered battery onto a circuit board is a rechargeable one. Leave it in the ignition turned on and it should charge.
Before you try this make sure your key hasn't fallen out of program. I had four keys and only one worked. I thought it was the battery but it turns out they just needed to be reprogrammed. The batteries last a long time - my car is 12 years old and all keys still work great.
I am going to try this because we tried recharging it on a road trip and it didn't work. The other key works fine but my car is a 2003 325 xi w/156,000 miles and I love it!!!
Definitely agree with you Mark, my 2002 540's key didn't work for a while, I reprogrammed it and it worked great for a year or so. Although lately some times it work and sometimes it does, I think I need a new battery finally..
this worked GREAT for me, got a battery for under $10. The connectors were different, but I was able to use one of the new battery tabs, and one of the fob tabs. I glued it back together with Loctite Super Glue "gel control". Fingers crossed it stays together! THANKS
Hey, it isn't possible to open my car via remote of the 2nd key. I am not sure if it is just empty or the battery needs to be replaced. The last owner said he didn't use it and I should just charge it. How long would it take to see if it is charged? I just want to be sure that the battery really needs to be replaced before I open the key. Thanks!
Some videos show unsoldering out the old battery and resoldering back the new one.This video does not.in this .the old battery is simplr prised out and a new one slipped in So which is the correct way ?
10byears later baby and still a great video. Bless you for posting this information up and helping thousands if not millions save money on these battery replacement.
Definitely try reprogramming the key first. Insert, turn one click, hold first button while pressing the middle button 3 times. Look up other videos if needed. Good luck
Chinnosequeira.. What do you mean by "making sure its making the right contact" ? which way does the battery face.. and also what do you mean welt dots??? Im trying to change the battery but I am scared I need other tools I don't have. How do I make the battery stay in ... does it matter if its just slided in?
Muy buen video julio....gracias por compartir...solo tengo una preguntita...la mia orit no trabaja sera por q programe una nueva y eso dedprogramo la vieja oh simplememte la vieja se le acabo la pila es 04.?..gracias sludos
Hi, This looks promising and I am planning to do the same to my 2 keys. My keys actually do unlock and lock the car but not the boot! So I was wandering what battery do I need to get? Also does it have to be rechargeable? If you could let me know that will be appreciated.
Before trying anything, try re-program the key first. My 2000 740iL key went bad a year ago, then 3 months ago, my 2003 X5 4.4 key went bad too. Finally I have some time to see if I can repair these two keys by replacing the batteries. I went ahead cut open both keys to find out the exact battery to order. While googling for more info, I noticed some suggest these BMW diamond key is not fixable has to be replaced. So I took out my voltmeter and measured the batteries. Sure enough, both have 3.12 volt. Must be a circuit problem then. Before calling to order replacement keys, I thought I should try the re-program procedure first. I got nothing to loose. Wow, both keys are working after the re-programing procedure. Not sure why they lost the programming data after all those years, but as long as they're working, I'm happy. Now I need to buy superglue to put them back. Hope this helps!
Thanks man I decided to opened my remote and surprise one of the little metals that holds the battery was not touching each other so all i had to do is wall it to the battery and it work just fine. thanks.
@Julio Did you, by any chance, take a good, high resolution photo (one or more) of how and where the two halves of the fob snap together in the first place once you had cut this one apart? It seems to me there should be some residual tabs or snaps cast into both halves of the fob shell which are designed to snap together during original assembly, but which are not designed to be "unsnapped." But that doesn't mean they couldn't be--unsnapped--perhaps by twisting a screw driver blade with sufficient pressure at the correct point in the centerline slot, thereby prying the fob apart, rather than cutting it open. If you could post a shot online somewhere (assuming you did take one) it could only help. And In any case, thanks for putting up your solution to this problem. It gives me a baseline from which to (hopefully) fix my own, similar issue.
You never mentioned what kind of glue you used to put it back together? That is the toughest part of the process. Suggestions please? Only from those who have done this, please. Thanks!
The battery in the e46 fob is actually a rechargable battery. It gets charged up through the coil that's visible on the PCB. What happens when you replace it with just any CR2032 battery (which is not rechargable)
Hey bro this is just what I needed thanks. And let me apologies for thi "stop criticizing yourself everything we speak about ourselves comes back to us is the law of attraction. Anyways you help me out with this video so thanks see ya around.
First think I want to thank you for the video guide. It really helped... so far. When i was taking the battery out i damaged one contact near the battery and i'll see in the next days if it is reparable, if not i'll have to buy a new key, even because it's the only key i have that i can use as remote. But my question is: Isn't weird that the battery is rechargeable but there is no contatcs, none that you can see, from the metal part of the key going by the plastic 'till the battery(4:10)?
any glue could damage the electronic board inside IF glue is getting ON it... (by adding parallel RESISTANCE to electronic components... short-circuiting those components.. MUST be very careful when attempting re-glue...
YOU ARE THE MAN!!! You have just saved me 306 Dollars = R2700 South African rands. You are quite fabulous Julio, Thanks! Greetings from South Africa. :-)
I just received my panasonic VL 2020 battery the other day and will be attempting the battery swap soon. I also purchased a keyfob off ebay with the 315 mhz chip and they say if the dealer will cut and program it to work with security theft system it will work. I doubt they will but it's worth a try. Otherwise i will just open my old keyfob up and replace the battery. I will let you guys know how I made out in a few weeks. Fingers crossed
and as far as people with negative comments man....just act like u never even saw them. those people have nothing better to do then to hate on other people. do u man...dont worry about the haters.
My key isn't working at all. I know you have to drive for a long time to charge up the key but I had a 2600 km trip in my car but the key didn't charge even a little bit. Can the chip inside be burnt or something? Or could it get wet somehow... Anyway changing battery wouldn't work for me. I'll take it to BMW center. If they ask too much, I will put aftermarket central locking with sensors and stuff..
WORKED FINE on my 320i 2000model. Had to reprogram the key. (Bery easy) I just glued it back together, but i don`t think it will stay together :(. Maybe i just have to buy i new one if it comes apart.
A safer/easier way to cut the key open is with a hot knife. One can be made with an xacto blade, a couple inches of bare wire and a soldering iron. Use the bare wire to attach the xacto blade to the tip of your soldering iron, simply wrap the wire around the blade and tip and you have a hot knife. At least now if you get cut it will be instantly cauterized!
Before replacing the battery, try reprogramming the key. Hold the key next to the ignition slot without inserting it. Press and hold the top unlock button, the button nearest the key flat. Continue holding it, and press the center unlock button three times. If you key reprograms, you'll know it immediately.
Wow, you’re amazing for sharing that, thanks!
What if it only has two buttons.
Thanks!!
Even after 9 years, this video is still helping people out. Just fixed mine. Thnx for taking the effort to make the video man. Kind regards from Antwerp Belgium :-)
What you do when you switched the battery did you have to weld it back ?
@@bemochop4356 i glued the 2 halves with superglue if that is what you mean
@@maxwarre how does it look after ?
my key was different so no thank you
@@leeludlowart237 that all depends on your cutting, sanding and glueing skills :-)
Yeah the video is a little slow to get to the point but the guy is doing a favor to the BMW community. You guys that are talking junk should just go buy the $230 key and stop watching free "how to videos" acting as though you can't just fast forward.
put it at 1.25 video speed-for the impatient punks..
Just had to do this as selling car, thanks for posting the video, ignore the negative comments. Easy way to open key is using a new box cutter blade, tap gently with hammer all round seal. On opening, use a multimeter and check battery volts. Mine was 3v, perfect. Close inspection showed positive connection was broken to circuit board. Add a wire, solder, rebuild key. no need to reprogram. No problem.
Great fucking video sir. Don't Listen to these idiots saying Its Boring or its not straight to the point. Im here because something needs to be fixed. Not to have fun. Fixing something involves step by step proceedures. Thanks to you i don't have to go out and pay 250 for no punk ass key
Excellent video. I followed the instructions for a 2003 BMW X5. The fob would respond intermittently also requiring me to be closer and closer to the vehicle to unlock doors etc. I used a utility knife which took too long to get it open. I switched to a precision 1.4m/m screwdriver (eyeglass screwdriver sized) to scrape around the sides until the fob opened. You must be careful when prying welded metals arms off the top and bottom of the battery so that the arms do not pull away from the circuit board. The top and bottom of the battery "is" needlessly cradled in two arms. The correct battery is a Panasonic VL2020 3V rechargable coin sized lithium. I used a Maxell 2025 3V and did not solder the arms back (necessary). I closed it using neat strips of electrical tape. Looks Great & Works great!!!! Thanks
just done this, worked a treat, you can get the solder connection under the battery the same way as removing the top soldered connection, just take your time, to seal both cases back together I used superglue and a hairdryer, used the glue all around to make a water tight seal as well, and used a hair dryer to seal it pretty quick, worked excellent.
This worked! The BMW key is supposed to get recharged in the ignition and does, but only to a point. Batteries wear out. My husband's key stopped working and would no longer take a charge (because he used it infrequently?). We tried this replacement and it works like it is new. Thanks!
If your circuit board is damaged when opening the case or removing the battery, you can order a blank (Uncut) replacement key ($25- $60 online) and just swap out the circuit boards. Worked like a charm. I ordered mine from NJ on Saturday night and had the new key in SoCal on Monday. Saved over $200
I tried it and so far it's worked great (still waiting for the UPS man to delivery me new battery tho). It does take quite some time to get the key opened, took me in excess of an hour. One warning though, when you try and dislodge the battery from the metal thingy, be extra careful: it sort of popped out as I did the top part and flew away across the room. So now I've gotta weld the bottom metal thingy back to the circuit (I also managed to cut myself in the process, so yeah, extra care is required, or just ask someone who's not clumsy for that bit). I'm hoping that'll work, if not I'll just buy a new £140 key (woopwoop). So yeah, overall it's been a great experience lol. (And yes, I don't know about other countries, but only BMW dealers will do you a new key in the UK. I've tried. Trust me. NOBODY else will do it).
i used a soldering gun and some soldering wire, before that i had never solder in my life, all i did was check some vids here in YT, the welds were far from perfect but they did the job. so what im trying to say is that u dont need skills to do it urself. good luck budy
Worked great for me. The new battery I ordered for £4.50 from eBay came with the battery clip installed so even easier. Just solder the new part onto the circuit board, close up key then reprogram using another UA-cam video. Thanks very much you saved me £££
Bro, you are the man. Mine is dead and now turning key in door isn't working. Just got battery out. Going to change and see what happens. Good looking out. Screw BMW and their $200+ keys.
Excellent DIY video.
jay jay and others, with some experience with battery run devices (or just basic online research on batteries) you will find that rechargeable batteries do not last forever. Much like everything else they wear over time and loose their ability to take and hold a charge, as well as seeing changes to several other important properties, such as top charge voltage, esr (equivalent series resistance = ability to maintain voltage when under load).
Danny Carlo, you cannot just go pick up a battery from your local shop. Even though it has the same form factor (size), it is likely not even rechargeable. The most common types you'll find are of a different underlying technology and also puts out a different voltage, preventing your device from working.
As mentioned by others, check for obvious problems such as solder joints having failed before replacing.
TIP, try to reprogram before assuming bad battery. A rep at the dealer tried to reprogram (or acted like he did) and it didn't work. I spent 4 years stewing over it. I ripped the battery out of one of the keys per this video, while awaiting a battery for the hell of it I tried reprogramming, and it worked! I don't know how a battery in a year 2000 car can work after 14 years, but it does!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!! For my X3 no soldering required, just careful knife work and super glue to reseal. REALLY appreciate this video, it's saved me $$$$!!!
It totally worked... I became a professional E46 key fixer... Thanks a lot man this save me money. Now i am dancing dancing and more dancing. THANKS A LOT ONCE AGAIN...
Wow. We as humans can be really foolish.
Thank you for the video sir. Saved me 246$
Even the guy at BMW didn't seem to know this because he was looking for screws.
Great job my friend
😂 BMW guy looking for screws 🤣
Thanks! Two remote keys were provided with my 2001 325i when I bought it new. One key ceased to function at about the 10 year mark. The other is working fine to this day. As I understand it, the battery in the key is charged when the key is in the car's ignition, which neatly explains how it's lasted for so long. The VL2020 is rechargeable, so it's the correct battery for this application.
I used an X-Acto razor saw to split the key case for a neater job. I found that the battery was fine, but that one of the battery micro welds had come loose. Bending the contact down so that it touched the battery restored full function. Neither the valet nor the wallet keys originally supplied with the car have RFID chips. They lack the remote functions but work fine for unlocking and starting the car. The valet key will not unlock the glove box or trunk.
I've had 2 bmw e46 and with both the battery has died in the key. The cost of a new key was over £100. Absolute rip off. Thanks for the vid
@razes071 hahaha...thanks for the comment and regardless u think im mentally obtuse, I respect ur opinion. The reason I stated every little detail is bc there is many pp who dont have that much "skills" or are not really a DIY person so i was trying to be very clear to anyone watching. U have a great day.
Dude, im a volkswagen mechanic, have been for years, i work at a bmw/vw dealer, i just spent two hours doing this. went out and bought three different batteries, a 2016, 2022, and a 2032, i did this perfectly, no mistakes, very clean, it doesnt work. at all. not even close man.
Has to be a cr2025, or a vl2020 is the oem battery which will charge
Chinnosequeira, dear! thank you SO MUCH for this vid! i did it all like you said, cut through the plastic, took the battery out - stuff which even my husband did not dare to try. and bingo! we finally found out, that the problem was a battery (after some disturbance, old battery worked to open a car!) we were not able to get a right rechargeable battery, but i'll keep looking, get one and have my key working! you saved me an enormous amount and made my day! XOXO!
The VL2020 from Panasonic is a rechargeable battery
This should not be replaced by a normal lithium battery as CR2016
the CR2016 is not suitable for charging. When charging the battery acid produces gases may leak or even burst.
The VL 2020 can be ordered at Amazon
Wow. That's important info! Thanks!
Complement, Make sure you order the Rechargable Panasonic MADE IN JAPAN. they do the best batteries
I just screwed up mine with the bottom side soldering point. Those 4 points are much stronger than the ground wire going to the other side. Good luck.
Awesome!! Thank you so much for posting this! My wife's 330i key died and BMW wanted 300 bucks to replace it! A friend of mine told me you couldn't replace the battery cuz it would blow up or something when you tried to open it??? I am going to attempt this before her bday next month :)
You should mention that you NEED a soldering iron to do this to weld the new battery to the old metal connectors. That info would've been very helpful.
He does, if you watched the video to 6:45
Super glue will work. Just need contact
Wow the guy gives a really clear and good explanation and still has complains . Just say thank you very much for showing us that these are rechargeable and not removable batteries.and you can save over 200. bless you for posting this up. 9 years later and still going I think people that negatively posted on this video are jealous now 🤣 🤣 🤣.
@@jorgemat8080 Didn't work for me
@@exposeevil5492 sorry it didn't work for you I replace then with normal batteries and an aftermarket shell and never had a problem.
2022 and this video from ten years ago just saved me money....thanks!!
Julio, great job. I really respect folks whose second language is English - especially since I have no second language. I learned a lot from you and from the comments. Specifically, take you time, get a Panasonic VL2020 online, take your time, have an electronic soldering iron using SuperGlue to seal it up. My keys are still working but I am ready now thanks to you.
bro! We did this and it totally worked. Fantastic work my friend. we're now going to do a dance in front of the BMW car yard. we saved big bucks! Great work.
Before changing the rechargeable battery (usually lasts 15 years) try reprogramming your key by turning it 5 times in ignition lock to position 1, then remove, press&hold unlock button and press lock button 3 times. Worked like a charm form me:)))
Wait so my key .sometimes it works now sometimes it doesn't.. should I try re programming it?
Thank you. I was having trouble getting the key to split open. Now I know it has to be cut open, thanks to BMW.
Hi, Julio.. greetings from a BMW lover all the way from Namibia. Well I just want to give my thoughts not am smarter, but just for info..actually the battery charges through what is called EMS, a magnetic field which is created by the coil as long as the key is in the barrel..it's the Tesla theory bra, if you induce a magnetic field in one coil, you can have a voltage in the other without any physical contact
How can one do that bro
Dude! Your a life saver!!! Thank you for saving us about $230! We all appreciate it. I did what you told on here and it worked perfect.Also my lock button feel off (middle button) and that was another reason it wasn't working probably. I have 2 questions: 1. How do I get the lock button welded on? If I took it to a lock smith will they welded on for me? Also, what kind of glue do you use to put the key fob back together? Once again thank you for helping us out!
Looks easy but takes time.. that plastic around key fob is thick. The welds on the battery are on both sides so be prepared to fight that. But with a lil time and patience you can save yourself $200
Thank you Julio for sharing about the BMW key. But here is what I learned. The BMW Key should get recharged whenever you have it in the ignition when the car is running. My key wasnt recharging in my X5. which pointed to another problem with my starter. check this out..If you put the key in the ignition in the number two position and place a charger on your battery. U can recharge the key. It might take a few hours to fully charge..But if there is no damage to the key..IT will charge
You my friend have saved me a lot of money. I did have to re-program the key. Took me about a hour to do it all but well worth the time and I saved $250.00 bucks. Thanks again.
Cheers. Grazie
Worked for me, key is messy when stuck back together but replacement battery purchased on Amazon worked perfectly. Many thanks
so did you just weld the contacts back to the battery with a soldering gun ? awesome tutorial
With my experience on car keys, I am confident that any sealed key with a soldered battery onto a circuit board is a rechargeable one. Leave it in the ignition turned on and it should charge.
how long you think? ill it
@@jco.fitness4277 I have heard it may take 2 hours
Before you try this make sure your key hasn't fallen out of program. I had four keys and only one worked. I thought it was the battery but it turns out they just needed to be reprogrammed. The batteries last a long time - my car is 12 years old and all keys still work great.
I am going to try this because we tried recharging it on a road trip and it didn't work. The other key works fine but my car is a 2003 325 xi w/156,000 miles and I love it!!!
Definitely agree with you Mark, my 2002 540's key didn't work for a while, I reprogrammed it and it worked great for a year or so. Although lately some times it work and sometimes it does, I think I need a new battery finally..
this worked GREAT for me, got a battery for under $10. The connectors were different, but I was able to use one of the new battery tabs, and one of the fob tabs. I glued it back together with Loctite Super Glue "gel control". Fingers crossed it stays together! THANKS
Hey, it isn't possible to open my car via remote of the 2nd key. I am not sure if it is just empty or the battery needs to be replaced. The last owner said he didn't use it and I should just charge it. How long would it take to see if it is charged? I just want to be sure that the battery really needs to be replaced before I open the key. Thanks!
Some videos show unsoldering out the old battery and resoldering back the new one.This video does not.in this .the old battery is simplr prised out and a new one slipped in
So which is the correct way ?
Definitely check the voltage on these. Mine checked out, I only needed to simply reprogram it and boom everything works. lucky for sure
Did key snap back together or have to glue it
10byears later baby and still a great video. Bless you for posting this information up and helping thousands if not millions save money on these battery replacement.
Nancy Leathers I have a question , You still can start and open the car with the key manually right
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Definitely try reprogramming the key first. Insert, turn one click, hold first button while pressing the middle button 3 times. Look up other videos if needed. Good luck
Whats the 1st button Etc? I need idiot proof instructions please.
@@workroommadness3921 Unlock button
So what battery did you order? Can we be lucky enough to see a link or something? I hate ordering shiz on line that's not the correct replacement.
Chinnosequeira.. What do you mean by "making sure its making the right contact" ? which way does the battery face.. and also what do you mean welt dots??? Im trying to change the battery but I am scared I need other tools I don't have. How do I make the battery stay in ... does it matter if its just slided in?
Thanks for this. We have the same fob. You aren’t obtuse. You are being helpful!
hi,many thanks for posting this vid. my battery has just packed up and with the help of this i will save a few pounds. thanks dave
it looks interesting, does it work after 6 months ?
it is capacitor battery in factory FOB , how did you prevent from charging?
what year is your car??? mine don't turn the signal light on when i unlock it.
I have a bmw and the key doesn't lock or unlock any suggestions. Thanks
Which way does the positive side go to? Towards the circuit board or the key cover side? Thanks in advance 👍🏾
Positive goes up
Muy buen video julio....gracias por compartir...solo tengo una preguntita...la mia orit no trabaja sera por q programe una nueva y eso dedprogramo la vieja oh simplememte la vieja se le acabo la pila es 04.?..gracias sludos
mad respect for dissecting the electronic key
Hi,
This looks promising and I am planning to do the same to my 2 keys. My keys actually do unlock and lock the car but not the boot! So I was wandering what battery do I need to get? Also does it have to be rechargeable? If you could let me know that will be appreciated.
Before trying anything, try re-program the key first.
My 2000 740iL key went bad a year ago, then 3 months ago, my 2003 X5 4.4 key went bad too. Finally I have some time to see if I can repair these two keys by replacing the batteries. I went ahead cut open both keys to find out the exact battery to order. While googling for more info, I noticed some suggest these BMW diamond key is not fixable has to be replaced. So I took out my voltmeter and measured the batteries. Sure enough, both have 3.12 volt. Must be a circuit problem then. Before calling to order replacement keys, I thought I should try the re-program procedure first. I got nothing to loose.
Wow, both keys are working after the re-programing procedure. Not sure why they lost the programming data after all those years, but as long as they're working, I'm happy. Now I need to buy superglue to put them back. Hope this helps!
+Vincent Wang How can I reprogram the key? Thanks!
www.autopartsapi.com/eEuroparts.com/technotes/BMWkey66126955748.pdf
the manual says to drive with the key for a long period of time, like travel somewhere because the key is charged by the ignition barrel
THANK YOU. I cannot afford to spend $300.00 on a new key. Other parts are bad enough! I love my BMW THOUGH!
What glue would you use to put it back together? Araldite?
Thanks man I decided to opened my remote and surprise one of the little metals that holds the battery was not touching each other so all i had to do is wall it to the battery and it work just fine. thanks.
@Julio Did you, by any chance, take a good, high resolution photo (one or more) of how and where the two halves of the fob snap together in the first place once you had cut this one apart? It seems to me there should be some residual tabs or snaps cast into both halves of the fob shell which are designed to snap together during original assembly, but which are not designed to be "unsnapped." But that doesn't mean they couldn't be--unsnapped--perhaps by twisting a screw driver blade with sufficient pressure at the correct point in the centerline slot, thereby prying the fob apart, rather than cutting it open. If you could post a shot online somewhere (assuming you did take one) it could only help. And In any case, thanks for putting up your solution to this problem. It gives me a baseline from which to (hopefully) fix my own, similar issue.
You never mentioned what kind of glue you used to put it back together? That is the toughest part of the process.
Suggestions please? Only from those who have done this, please. Thanks!
personally used Crazy glue... just dont go too crazy on it... put some drops here and there and should be enough
Really good man, you just saved me £££. I got a new battery on Ebay for a £6.00, good deal concidering the dealer wanted £185 for a new key.
The battery in the e46 fob is actually a rechargable battery. It gets charged up through the coil that's visible on the PCB. What happens when you replace it with just any CR2032 battery (which is not rechargable)
Hey bro this is just what I needed thanks. And let me apologies for thi "stop criticizing yourself everything we speak about ourselves comes back to us is the law of attraction. Anyways you help me out with this video so thanks see ya around.
First think I want to thank you for the video guide. It really helped... so far.
When i was taking the battery out i damaged one contact near the battery and i'll see in the next days if it is reparable, if not i'll have to buy a new key, even because it's the only key i have that i can use as remote.
But my question is: Isn't weird that the battery is rechargeable but there is no contatcs, none that you can see, from the metal part of the key going by the plastic 'till the battery(4:10)?
Thank you for this I'm having a go myself today! Do the batteries have to be specific or just 3volt as I cant find panasonic VI2020 anymore
Hi the distance opening works up to what maximum distance?
With what did you glue it?? Will gorilla glue work?? Or will it damage the electrical components inside the key??
any glue could damage the electronic board inside IF glue is getting ON it... (by adding parallel RESISTANCE to electronic components... short-circuiting those components.. MUST be very careful when attempting re-glue...
YOU ARE THE MAN!!! You have just saved me 306 Dollars = R2700 South African rands. You are quite fabulous Julio, Thanks!
Greetings from South Africa. :-)
"im sorry if the quality of the video is not that good I'm recording on my iphone" LOL
I just received my panasonic VL 2020 battery the other day and will be attempting the battery swap soon. I also purchased a keyfob off ebay with the 315 mhz chip and they say if the dealer will cut and program it to work with security theft system it will work. I doubt they will but it's worth a try. Otherwise i will just open my old keyfob up and replace the battery. I will let you guys know how I made out in a few weeks. Fingers crossed
did it work?
yes did it work?
Did this a few days ago, works like brand new. Thank you man!
do we have to soldering the new battery to the socket?without soldering dose it work? please somebody help me. thank u for posting.
and as far as people with negative comments man....just act like u never even saw them. those people have nothing better to do then to hate on other people. do u man...dont worry about the haters.
How do you program for singal push for one door and double push to open all doors? Thanks.
Can i take the key out of the remote and place it in new remote shell
If yes how please
Is it battery or like accumulator
when he said " insaye" instead of inside. I knew this would be legit.
My key isn't working at all. I know you have to drive for a long time to charge up the key but I had a 2600 km trip in my car but the key didn't charge even a little bit. Can the chip inside be burnt or something? Or could it get wet somehow...
Anyway changing battery wouldn't work for me. I'll take it to BMW center. If they ask too much, I will put aftermarket central locking with sensors and stuff..
wow thank u so much for such a great comment! God bless u..!
Why did u complement urself
WORKED FINE on my 320i 2000model. Had to reprogram the key. (Bery easy) I just glued it back together, but i don`t think it will stay together :(. Maybe i just have to buy i new one if it comes apart.
My board is bad also. I need a new key at $180. Not happy. Thanks for the video. At least I know the dealer is not just lieing.
Where did you get the battery from ?!
how do u get ur headlights to go on wen u unlock the car???
Thank you so much😊
This is such valuable information.
I was able to get the battery from Amazon for $7.91😃
What kind (battery part #)was it I about to replace mine.
A safer/easier way to cut the key open is with a hot knife. One can be made with an xacto blade, a couple inches of bare wire and a soldering iron. Use the bare wire to attach the xacto blade to the tip of your soldering iron, simply wrap the wire around the blade and tip and you have a hot knife. At least now if you get cut it will be instantly cauterized!
Very nice video :) helped me a lot, the cutting of the key would be easier if you would reheat the blade with a pocket lighter.
Thanks man!
Can i buy a new key from Ali-express? Can you help me to find the true one please?
what was the kind of battery you used again?? i understood Panasonic.
I think it is a Panasonic VL 2020 3 volts
correct... Panasonic VL2020...where to buy it? Ebay, amazon... its very very hard to find it in local stores
With another (normal) battery it will not work?
no sir
hola, ante todo buen tutorial, yo he comprado las baterias pero sigue sin funcionar, algún consejo? gracias y un saludo.
Where did you purchase your 2020 3V battery from? Thank you
What type of battery? Model no that is? And where can I get one?
www.ebay.com/bhp/bmw-e46-key-battery