Land Rover makes it nearly impossible to replace Fob Battery. Pay up for a new one or suffer.
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- ⭕ Visit our ecommerce shop and buy all your tools at northridgefix.com
🟢 Sponsorship Inquiry northridgefix....
⭕ Ask questions and Engage in our Forum at northridgefix....
⭕ Need a repair? northridgefix.c...
⭕ We are an Amtech Flux Distributor. Buy AMTECH NC-559-V2-TF Flux
northridgefix....
Microscope northridgefix....
UNI-T UTi260B thermal Camera
northridgefix....
Grinding pen
northridgefix....
Low Melt Solder
northridgefix....
NorthridgeFix T-shirts
northridgefix....
Weller Soldering station ebay.us/1mvgt5
===================================================
If you are local, drop in and say hello
NorthridgeFix
19365 Business center drive, Unit 7
Northridge, CA 91324
Phone: 818-668-7058
NorthridgeFix.com If you are local, drop in and say hello
NorthridgeFix
19365 Business Center Drive, Unit 7
Northridge, CA 91324
Phone: 818-668-7058
NorthridgeFix.com
I never expected a hammer to be used on this channel.
I don't think that the internal crystal appreciates that. I've seen cases where similar crystals broke from a single fall. Also, considering the zero ducks that this manufaturer gives on right to repair, probably they've used the cheapest model available.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😀😁😂🤣😃
⛏⚒😂
Maybe he'll set an eyelet one of these days?
The battery is NiMH rechargeable and is wirelessly charged when inserted into the ignition. Should last several years with daily use. If you have two key fobs, make sure to alternate using them so they both keep charged or else the unused fob battery can fail from long term discharge. I had this model car years ago and changed the batteries myself. Opened the fobs by applying pressure (squeezing) to the case until it popped open. Used adhesive to seal them again.
I think it is VL2020, that is lithium rechargeable battery. Same as BMW used few generations back.
It's lithium, uses almost zero current and mine are 16 years old and still hold a full charge
@@TheGalifrey really 16 years??
@@BioHazardGamingYt 2007 car, now 2023 - 16 years
Im a automotive tech that deal with key fobs like these often. I use a wireless toothbrush charger to charge fobs that are dead. Works every time.
You know it's getting serious when an electronic tech pulls out a hammer lol
Granted this is mostly a SMD shop, but how do you think replacement eyelets get set for through hole work after repairing board damage? Jeweler's anvil and ball peen hammer lol.
Land Rover want You the owner to swear at Land Rover while the owner is walking home and his Land Rover remain in the mountains !
And why not change the camera angle so we can see.
What a pain in the butt! It really irks me that companies do this to people. That's why I don't feel so bad about driving a 20 year old car. Thanks Alex.
😂 50yr old for me
Planned obsolescence. Stinks.
@@stu71disco what do you drive?
@@patrickcannell2258 Yeah I see it at work. Proprietary batteries, which when you open the *special* casing just contain a few AAA's.....
@@patrickcannell2258the enviro mental ists seem to be fine with planed failure of products. Even though it goes against their whole stated belief system.
I use one of those quick grip clamps to put pressure on the button side so your not squeezing the sides of the board, then heat up an exacto knife and cut the ultrasonic weld apart. Works pretty decent.
The blade of the key is attached to the pivot piece with a small roll pin, you should be able to press the roll pin out and swap the blade onto the pivot that came with the replacement housing 👍
"How are they going to change the battery? How?" That's the point, they don't. Just buy a new car.
Battery replacement on other cars is fairly simple, just remove the plastic cap on top of the fob but here you have to solder it on to the board. 😂
@@loonysam506 Because it's a rechargeable battery, if the charge circuit is working in the car and fob it's not necessary to replace it while it can still hold a charge.
@@M0UAW_IO83 Regardless. The car is 14 years old, eventually there's deterioration. No battery can hold a charge forever.
@@M0UAW_IO83rechargeable batteries have a charging cycle life. They don't last forever.
Tbf, there's bound to be some adventurer that got seriously wet, and his fob still worked.
That's RRs reason to exist. They're not very good at it anymore, but that might be the intention.
I think the battery is soldered because it is not meant to be depleted. A similar battery is found in bmw x5 2010 key fob. While searching online it turned out that there is a coil inside the key insertion area which will charge the key battery while driving. I had a similar issue for unused key for bmw x5 and the battery was in very bad condition (rusty) i had to desolder it and solder a new battery for it.
Exactly that, it's a Panasonic VL2330 rechargeable cell so there's no need to replace it if the car and fob charging circuitry is working.
Whoever designed that never owned a car they had to drive themself.
Most people will use one key and have the second as a spare that will see next to no usage, either in a drawer at home or on their spouse's keyring. That spare will be dead and useless in no time.
@@M0UAW_IO83😂 rechargeable batteries are indistruttibile.
This guy is the Bob Ross of electronics repair. I watch even though I'm never going to attempt to do any of it.
Who?
I have no idea who Bob Ross is but this site owner is a genius .
He was a painter
Yup! 😂
I had the very same issue with my own fob for an Audi TT, Alex. It is definitely a problem to force us to go back the main dealer. Well, they have had enough of my money. They conned me with their devious tactics already, I refuse to pay them another penny. With people like you, we will find a solution.
I’m a locksmith and this is perplexing. The best bet would be to use a universal remote that has shell and battery that can be seperated easily for battery and board changes
You still have to do soldering work to get the battery out 😂 brilliant engineering
The solution is easy and simple: NEVER BUY A LAND ROVER.
I thought the best bet would be an old-fashioned metal "key"?
Remember the RR design and manufacture was under BMW ownership and direction during the 00's so that probably explains a lot.
As a locksmith, wouldn't it be easier for thieves to break into homes if everyone used the same locks and keys w/ only their bitting changing?
The plastic on those keyfobs are typically made of ABS or an ABS composite.
Gentle heat (240-250°C) and some acetone (works like flux) should do the trick. Heating the blade can help, but only if you put the fob in a vice.
Edit:
Tiny, very tiny amounts of acetone. Use a swab, dropper, or syringe.
Edit 2:
(Instructions Unclear)
(1) Apply heat on one side for about 10 seconds, **keep** the reflow/heat gun **moving**
(2) Apply **small** amount of acetone, part will cool slightly.
(3) Apply more heat, **keep moving** the reflow, and **do not** heat longer than 10 seconds
(4) Apply second dose of acetone, part should be shiny and soft, if not repeat steps 1 & 2
(5) Once part is shiny and soft, use knife/razer to cut
*NOTE:* It's best to apply heat and acetone along the seam/mold line
You are cortect👍
I see we pretty much do it the same way lol. I use a “Quick Grip” instead of a vice because it holds tight yet it’s mobile
@@twitch54304
Yeah same, though I usually work with 3D printed stuff. Sometimes I'll "weld" stuff together.
If I have two pieces that fit together with pegs/dowels/notches, I'll soften with acetone, then use a junk solder iron and some waste filament to sort of fill in the gaps.
Though I have to do that kinda stuff in the garage because fumes lolol.
Hot Wire Cutter?
Dumb...
You are really making a name for yourself and your company! I have read and heard about some of the clients you are doing business with and it really shows you are good at this. Plus its fun for me to watch and learn.
On some BMW models the keyfob battery is charging wireless if the key is inserted in keyhole.Also the battery is soldered on the PCB.Maybe that's why the shell is rock solid.Also seling more keyfobs for same car is a good business :)
And the customer will hate you. Which is also good business.
@@JerryMetal good point =))
We replace key batteries and shell on lots of car keys... the easiest way to open them without damage to the PCB is use snap ring pliers. Insert plier in the space behind the metal flip round part as the the key flips into the open position... insert plier and case will simply snap open. Takes like 5 seconds.. 😊
Exactly that's what I used to do.
This is glued
ummmm did you watch the video ? the entire fob is ultrasonically welded ,, im sorry but your little idea wont work here since you know after the weld its like one piece of plastic
Opened both of mine using snap ring pliers and both cases survived! If the buttons hadn't worn out I could have resealed them after.
@@marksalot5035 Yes it does work, I did both my Land Rover keys using the snap ring plier method.
All companies want to make it harder and harder for DIY repairs so they deliberately make it more difficult!
They want to make it difficult not as the ultimate aim, but that hard difficulty is to serve the money making, because only they have tools/replacement.
Channing your battery is not repairing its maintenance
@@ksenchyAgreed. With newer cars that have keyless entry...the fob is essential. My Honda battery lasts about a year...no problem just pry it open with the key tip and replace the $2 battery...2 minute job. If you can afford a Land Rover then you can afford a 1000 fob 😂
Renault key card is easy to replace battery , and the key card works with dead battery inside the car using an induction loop
@@leetucker9938interesting
How do you not have this figured out Alex. They designed the fob to be extremely hard to break into so you would give up and come back to them for a new one. Classic business strategy 👌
Not sure about this one, but most flip keys have a pin in the hinge, that holds the key in. If you remove the pin, you can use the original key with the replacement fob hinge.
I reckon you might need a Dremel (and a grinding disk) in the workshop.
WAY too much FOD would be produced with that process. Maybe in a separate area sure but not on his actual rework bench.
Die grinder would be a good option for sure,
Could just tip a cardboard box (or plastic tub etc) on its side and do the cutting in there, outside is another option, and so on.....
Or apply more heat like he did but get it more soft to pry open,
If it sounds like it's lightly cracking, it might have gf in the casing....
That's ElectroBoom method😅
Ford key fobs are similar, but easier to open. I have just replaced the Panasonic VL2020 in a 2016 Transit key fob. The dealership said it couldn't be done and that it would cost €350 for a replacement key. I cracked the case with a combination of a circlip pliers and a screwdriver and I was fortunately able to superglue it back together with no visible damage. I warned the owner that it would no longer be watertight, but this wasn't an issue, as they had never realised that it was meant to be watertight 😀
As for the fragile pupils, after many years I learned to wear eye protection on the day I was desoldering a connection and flipped a blob of molten solder straight into my eyeball. It hurt like hell, but I was lucky and there was no lasting damage.
With the help of superfine precision plyers I was able to open the shell that much😅 30 seconds earlier hammering the god out of it with superfine precision hammer😂
You really made my day Alex. Keep up with the good work! If You cant fix it, no one cant fix it 🙂
Tech tip: Next time use an old soldering iron with a small tip to melt/cut thru the plastic seams. Makes it fast and simple.
Even VW keyfob is done like this. When I replaced my keyfob housing I also had to break apart the housing using reverse pliers to just push apart the fob. If you try to push the pin inside the fob you'll damage the IR chip making it impossible to start the car.
The best way to cut through the plastic is to use a multi-tool with a fine blade that is a vibrating like hacksaw and you can cut through the edge of the plastic without any trouble and then just split it apart.
Great work as always! Glad my BMW doesn't suffer from this problem - changing fob battery is easy...
Alex you're the best I really like your analysis of how manufactures make it difficult to service their products. You are so "real" how you explain things, Thanks
Hi Alex, you can try using gasoline for softening the glue within the plastic pieces, adding a bit with a syringe with the needle on the gaps, waiting a bit for the glue to soften, prying with a flat plastic tool, adding more gasoline, and repeat until it's open. It all depends on the type of glue they use, maybe it does not apply to this, paint thinner and acetone also works but it damages and melts the plastic if it's ABS based. Just use the fume extractor for safety. Greetings.
usually there in no glue, they are ultrasonically welded ? SOME ARE AT LEAST..
@@josepeixoto3384ok
This is unjustifiable!
How could people not turn away from a company that treats them like this?
No, this is ignorance of how land rover keys work 🤣
@@TheGalifrey The real key is to stay away from the 2 litre Ingenium diesel engines..
An ultrasonic knife opens them nicely. You might want to build one as commercially available ones cost over a grand.
cool
Alex,
Just for information….. whenever I see the brown insulation sleeve on a Lithium cell I suspect it is rechargeable. The cell in that key fob is a VL2330 and it is rechargeable. No idea how the fob gets recharged in use though ! This is why it is soldered to the PCB as it is expected to last a very long time. Great repair work and I totally agree, the case should be screwed together to permit servicing.
could it get recharged through the key?
Opend a few of these. No easy task, but my method who I found easiest were acetone and a carpet knife. Applied aceton with a needle bottle at the same time pressing the carpetknife in the groove along the sides. Aceton disolve the plastic like it´s melting.
Tried dremel with a cuttingblade, but created a big mess with plastic dust and burnt particles all over. Aceton was best way even if it demands patience.
Hello Alex, I have done these with the Audi fob 2004 model. Ther was also an transponder in the fob that I needed to get the car started.
I was able to successfully find a short in one of my car's modules and change the capacitor to fix the problem. Additionally, I replaced the HDMI port on my secondary monitor and did a better job than the factory. However, my soldering station is garbage, and I'm using a webcam as a microscope (It works!). Nevertheless, I used hot air while soldering, and it went well without breaking any pads. All of this was accomplished on my first attempt.
I learned all of these techniques from your videos. Unfortunately, I am currently unable to send you anything or order something as a token of my gratitude. However, I have your videos playing on all the devices I own, 24/7, and I'm truly enjoying the work you do all over the place.
Hi Alex, here in Brasil have a cosmetic nail paint remover named banana oil, I use this along the plastic junction and wait 5 minutes. These work almost times to open hard cases, note it's make plastic damage so use this with careful.
I've done this job on my brothers Discovery, a bit of a pain but I don't remember it being that difficult. Landrover keys are designed to be run over and still work.
Well, I gotta hand it to Land Rover engineers for designing a key fob that can be run over even if it's supposed to be in the ignition for the SUV move. Land Rover owners must be a special breed.
LandRover doesn´t expect their products to outlive the key battery
Except they keep windows 2000's PC's going in order to programme keys for 80's model cars for the immobiliser.
I am so lucky that Mazda blade key fob has a screw and after you remove it, taking the whole thing apart is straightforward as well as putting it back together.
Alex to get working a scissor key you need to make more turns on the spring. Than it will work like a charm 😉👍
Than the spring will have more power to open/move the scissor to the end of shell scissor runner.
Best wishes 😉✋
You need a vice on your bench, if you squeeze it in a vice it will pop open, side to side squeeze not top to bottom or front to back, most of the molded pieces i do this with pop apart or at least give you the ability to access them for removal of components, thank you Alex for the content, excellent as always!
I usually use a vise to "squeeze" laptop adapters when I need to open them, it helps a lot. Maybe it's also useful in your case.
"Giraffes and elephants, everywhere...." LMAO!!!
Just discovered that the VL2330 batteries in the fob are rechargeable batteries... Guess they expected them to last forever so they sealed them up tight?
Here's a quote from the owner's manual...
_" - Remote battery -
The remote control batteries are recharged when the remote is docked and the engine is running. For this reason it is recommended that each remote is used periodically. This will ensure that the batteries are kept charged and ready for use."_
It's great that they are rechargeable but not so great that you have to be in the car to do that. A replaceable charge port for those occasions when the lock or key is broken and an easier to replace battery would have been great.
Some plastic cases easily open with banana oil, most notebooks works this way
Love the focus on safety as well. 👍🏻
تحياتي وسلامي لك اخي اسمي حسن ومن العراق-بغداد-انت متميز بذكئك وعملك واخلاقك واسلوبك-كنت انا مصلح اجهزه الكترونيه في بلدي العراق وساكن حاليا في السويد-انني اتابع جميع اعمالك واتمتع جدا وكانني اعمل معك-بودي ان ارشدك لطريقه سهله جدا لفتح هذه الاجهزه والطريقه هي وضع قطرات من \البنزين\بواسطه فرشاه صغيره علي الحافات المكبوسه من الريموت كونترول وتركه لمده عده دقائق وستري سهوله فتحه باول محاوله-تحياتي لك-
Very enlightening thank you for showing me how to do more
use a dremal tool with fine grinding wheel, use them for opening a walwort transformer when modifieing those transformers..... that dremal will cut right through that plastic.
مشاء الله تبارك الرحمن يشرفني لما سمعت انك عربي هذا شرف كبير تحياتي لك من الجزائر ❤
The best way to open it is to freeze the piece and then hit the crease with a knife, it breaks exactly on the track without loss of material or flaws. I have been using this method for over 5 years to open notebook fonts
For future reference, and to make your life a lot easier, when dealing with these Land Rover FOBs. Just keep applying heat, around the frame, until you feel the adhesive loosening up. The original plastic can take it, by not compromising the internals. As for the thickness of the blade, you have 2 models, HU101 Blade, and HU92 Blade. Wide key style is HU92, narrow style is HU101.
If the customer requires a new board, there are 2 frequencies, to watch out for, that are used by both the HU92, and the HU101. Either 433MHZ or 315MHZ.
North America as I'm sure you're aware is the 315MHZ.
Use a small bench vise to squeeze the sides of the case. It works wonders
Does Northridge Fix sell the hammer as well??😁😁
Coming soon. Hammer for opening Fobs.
I am working for a Tier 1 Company which produces this type of FOBs. Mostly we are only producing them and the design is solely coming from customer. To answer your question The OEM does not have any interest in making this FOBs repairable since the battery lasts more then 5 year way past the warranty limit. Their only interest is to make the key as sealed as possible ( standard IP64 - water and dust protection) to avoid corrosion and short circuits.
BMW E90's are the same way. I replaced both of my key fob's soldered batteries about a month ago. I used a hobby saw to cut the two halves in half.
I’ve changed a few of these over the years, 90 degree snap ring pliers pop them cases open in a few seconds,
With the blade flipped open slide them into the small gap under the blade and squeeze the pliers and pop, it’s open 👌
Great video you have a lot patience 👍
Mine had the same problem, both fobs ended up with the bits wearing off the front. got a replacement kit that came with a new case, spare buttons, and battery. really easy to fix. the battery is charged when the engine is running. the new blank key can be removed by taking the pin away from the hinge, then the key will fall out. do the same with the original key and file it a little until it fits the new hinge, place it back into the hinge and push the pin back in place to lock the key into the hinge.
Yes you doing it right. Hot air is great way to soft plastic. It's like you desolder components, it's like that. Plastic soft when solder soft almost. Soft and scrap, soft and scrap little by little. That is the way.
Hey Alex, Try using an Oscillating Multi Tool. Dremel makes a small size, and it will cut through the case of that keyfob like butter.
Why not just a regular dremel with a cutoff wheel? That was the first thought I had. A multi-tool could work but a cutoff wheel would be so much faster, just zip around a few times. I've used mine for similar purposes (getting into annoyingly sealed plastic cases).
multitool is the best way to thrash the fob and mangle the case it doesn't work.
Precision work today, only the blow torch is missing.
Alex had to get out the he hammer! Heck yeah! I seriously dont know why anyone would even buy anything Land Rover after this. It might seem trivial, but it lets you know exactly how the company thinks of you as the consumer. Excellent job Alex, I use hot air to get into many sealed up housings as well.
I still scratch my head why anyone would buy a ford product yes LR and Jag are fords.
They Say the keys *Recharge* whilst in the ignition so the battery should not need to be accessed... That's in theory but like anything there's always an exception
2008 vehicle so there's a chance the battery is knackered, plus all that crap on the PCB could easily cause it to discharge if the charge circuitry hasn't been damaged anyway.
Exactly. Bmw has had rechargeable batteries in the keys from 2002. The batteries last like 15 years. I think the cars designed lifespan isn’t even that long.
the customer now can find a better shell and make it work. Great job.
I knock the pin out and remove the blade, file plenty of material off so it resembles the copied pin end and fit it back in the copied holder. Works every time
I was gonna say the fob is made that way for robustness and ingress protection. Then I saw the amount of crud on the pcb.
Its just landrover getting extra $ out of the customer.
I was going to say the same. And given the number of keys Alex gets with water damage, it perhaps seemed a fair point.
But this fob is the worst of both goals - obviously not waterproof, and not user serviceable either.😮
I suppose on the plus side (if there is one) it is at least robust.
Hey. What I found works to open them fobs is external pliers. Let me know what you think.
@Northridgefix use a small dremel for opening up key fobs such as that one.
You don't need the new shell, give it to big boss to reassemble 🤭
apologies just t let you know for future referenc, the key blade profile for that year of Landrover is hu92r and is the old BMW system EWS or Sawdoc,the one the customer supplied is for the newer system on Ford software and the profile for the blade is HU101
"We can cut a couple of fingers in the process, easy"
Lol, tough job indeed. Kudoos to the well prepared customer.
As my granpa would say.. "if everything fails, grab the persuator and give it a few whacks"
Ford did something similar with battery on vans. But have a special battery that is expensive AF , but.. That battery is lifetime and never needed to be removed . I see keys from ford with over 20 years behind and the original battery are still charge and works perfectly !
I had a Subaru Liberty years ago. I got so fed up with the key fob not working that I eventually soldered the battery connections myself. No more problems. A more recent Subaru has not shown the same issue, so perhaps they figured out how to get the contacts to work.
I enjoy watching your videos and how good you are…but to see my own fob being worked on is cool 👍🏾
I had exactly the same experience with a Hyundai i20 key fob. Even the blade siezed the same in the replacement case. It was still cheaper than an original item so worth the effort.
For the key there is a small metal pin that can be pushed out, this is how you transfer the key to the new fob so that it all fits.
Reminds me of the Pontiac GTO key/fob. Not entirely certain why they thought to sonically weld the fob portion of the key together but they did and boy what a pain to replace the battery when you’ve had your friend locked out from starting his own car
I could see a good meme coming from seeing Alex using a hammer 😂🔨
Alex, you can use an ultrasonic cutter to open the fobs. Much safer.
Love this channel. Keep teaching my guy.
Try a "hot" razor blade. I have an old soldering iron that I fitted with an excato style head to do this. Also, use CUT RESISTANT GLOVES!!!!!!
I just checked my Fiat Cronos key out of curiosity, same style but you can easily take the back cover with some force and the battery holder is accesible.
Appreciated the irony of a land rover ad half way through
Take the roll pin out, remove the blade and put in the new case. You may have to modify the blade slightly.
It should be criminal to charge that much to replace the fob. Even my 2006 dodge was a ridiculous price from the dealer $300 per key...but they'd cut the key for free. lol I picked up 2 aftermarket fobs for $50 (Canadian) shipped, got them cut for $15 and then manually programmed them in the vehicle following a factory process for replacement keys. I did it in the dealer parking lot after their parts guy told me "there's no possible way it can work." He literally stood right there and watched as I did it and was astounded. He asked how I was able to do it and I showed him the 30 second google search followed by the forum post.
That old style Mercedes key switchblade fob was back in the mid '90s. I had a 1994 Mercedes S-Class that used that same exact key design. Back in that day I used to keep a car for at most 3 to 4 years.
It's supprising the lengths a company will go to forabit of extra cash. I had a berlingho many years ago, I noticed that only one of the two reversing lights was working. I got a replacement one only to find that there was never 2 bulbs in it, just to save money
Tech Tip: When i ran into situation like this in my old electronic repair shop days I'd break out the freeze spray ( inverted air in can would work for same effect). Freezing the glue joints and shocking the joint with a putty knife and hammer. Alternatively you could drop item to floor in a controlled manner after freezing. disclaimer:(always use appropriate PPE! safety glasses, gloves,proper ventilation)
Dealer wants to pay for the crazy high replacement. What a pain to replace.
Put the key fob in a vice, edge to edge and gently close until it cracks.
Try to use banana oil and a syringe.
Drop the oil with care around the edges . Wait a few minutes and magically opens. I use this method to open dells notebook power supplies. Good look. Paulo
Use thinner or nail polish remover to open fob case just few drops into the side and wait for a minute and then open it easily
I find it surprising that manufacturers haven't considered potting key fobs in resin or implementing resistance meshing to prevent the use of alternative batteries, thereby forcing vehicle owners to replace the entire ECM or vehicle in the event of a dead key battery.
These are new commercial policies, you can buy all you wish, but the real owner of that stuff is still and ever the manufacturer
I can't imagine that they make it so hard. I just changed the batteries on my Honda fob for about $5
Because they make little profit on the vehicle, accessories they can charge what they like. If I remember correctly, BMW fobs could only be duplicated six times. After that you needed a new key fob and the vehicles security suite recoded.
All your questions can be answered so easily ..... Money Money money .. Landrover Must make money after all.
You need a Dremel tool with a very small cutting wheel. Would go through that plastic literally just like that. Same with grinding the case so the key moves freely. Of course, one can blame Land Rover but whose to say someone else decided to glue the case closed.
I know this is a long time ago but use an soldering tip that you sharpen as a hot knife
Dremel on that plastic for the key to move smoothly. Charge for the Dremel work as well ofc