Failing battery in Focus remote?

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Sun 25 Feb 2007 15:42
Failing battery in Focus remote? - Waino
We've noticed, over the past few days, that the range of the remote (radio) locking key to SWMBO'S Focus seems to be getting much reduced. As the car is coming up to 5 years old, we suspect that the battery in the key is dying.

Instructions in the manual seem very straightforward for changing the battery, but can anyone tell me if there any additional things to watch out for - for example, in some cars you have to change the battery within "x" seconds otherwise the code is lost.

Would 5 years be fairly typical for the life of one of these batteries?

Thanks Waino
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Sun 25 Feb 2007 17:40
Failing battery in Focus remote? - LeePower
5 years is a very good life for one of these keyfob batteries.

Sometimes the keyfob will need recoding to the car after its had a battery replacement but it takes less then a minute to do & its easy diy job.

Make sure you fit a decent make of replacment battery, those cheap ones you see around for sale dont last 5 minutes.
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Sun 25 Feb 2007 18:36
Failing battery in Focus remote? - Waino
Make sure you fit a decent make of replacment battery, those cheap ones you see around for sale dont last 5 minutes.<<


Thanks, Lee. I would naturally head for the battery bloke on the local market - but not sure how good his batteries would be. As you suggest, for the sake of a quid or 2, there's no point in messing about.
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Sun 25 Feb 2007 19:31
Failing battery in Focus remote? - Pete Mansell
When I checked the remote battery on my 1999 Focus, I had the battery out for over an hour and there were no problems. The fault turned out to be the switch soldered to the pcb which had become detached, and needed re-soldering.
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Sat 3 Mar 2007 16:09
Failing battery in Focus remote? - Waino
As a sequel to my original post, I took the key down to the chap on the local market this morning. After first interviewing me to ensure that I had a spare key in case the code was lost, he exchanged the old battery for a Maxell. For the princely fee of £2.50 (part plus labour!) the full remote range was restored.

I suspect - and maybe someone can confirm this - that loss of the code during battery changing may be related to whether the remote control is infra-red or wireless. I believe our Focus is wireless.
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Sat 3 Mar 2007 17:33
Failing battery in Focus remote? - LeePower
Ive had to recode a Focus RF fob before after the fob battery was changed, takes less then 60 seconds to do & the instructions in the handbook are idiot proof anyway.
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Sat 3 Mar 2007 20:05
Failing battery in Focus remote? - mss1tw
I suspect - and maybe someone can confirm this - that
loss of the code during battery changing may be related to
whether the remote control is infra-red or wireless. I believe
our Focus is wireless.


I would love to see anything other than a wireless RCL system... ;o)
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Sat 3 Mar 2007 21:12
Failing battery in Focus remote? - Waino
I would love to see anything other than a wireless RCL system... ;o)>>


What a silly billy - I think I meant 'radio'.

The mind boggles at the alternative :-0
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Sat 3 Mar 2007 19:23
Failing battery in Focus remote? - Stuartli
5 years is a very good life for one of these keyfob batteries.>>


I bought my November 1999 registered VW Bora four years ago and the keyfob battery is still working fine. What's more I suspect that it may be the original battery.
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