Thread: Key Battery Replacement?

I've just replaced the original key fob batteries on a 2008 Puma as a preventative messure pending a remote trip. At around $5 each it's cheap insurance.
As an aside, also had the vehicle battery checked as it's the original. Verdict is that no issues discovered.

Funnily enough, I noticed on the service record after getting my D90 serviced recently that they replaced the remote battery as part of the 40k service. I hadn't asked them to so assume they did it either because it was required for the service or maybe because they knew there'd been issues and had some instruction from LRA/JLR to replace it?

Originally Posted by roley18

I've just replaced the original key fob batteries on a 2008 Puma as a preventative messure pending a remote trip. At around $5 each it's cheap insurance.
As an aside, also had the vehicle battery checked as it's the original. Verdict is that no issues discovered.

Interesting to hear as I've been wondering how long the original battery in our 2009 would last, as six years is a good life for a normal battery.

Your vehicle tells you when to change batteries. It's in the owners manual. From memory three things happen to get your attention:
- it takes two goes to unlock instead of one (easy to overlook)
- the indicator lights don't flash when unlocking
- the red dash light flashes very fast for a few seconds after unlocking

Any or all of these are intended to tell you to change battery in key fob/remote

And when you do it (battery change) there are some non-intuitive yet critical steps to follow. Refer the manual to avoid grief

They do it at the major services which is 40k

I get the key fob thing, but what about the main vehicle battery?
Mine is at 70,000 and six years and still going strong, but for how long? Its a big sucker with Land Rover branded on it, so I assume its good quality, but six years seems a long time. Do I wait until it fails to perform or just suck up the bill and replace it?

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I get the key fob thing, but what about the main vehicle battery?
Mine is at 70,000 and six years and still going strong, but for how long? Its a big sucker with Land Rover branded on it, so I assume its good quality, but six years seems a long time. Do I wait until it fails to perform or just suck up the bill and replace it?

Wow, six years from a battery is excellent. A few years ago I had to change my battery in my Citroen C4 after less than 3 years. The battery place told me that 3 years for a battery is quite good these days. I thought he was crapping me, until I read on other forums that indeed 3 years was good... As to how much longer it will survive, how long is a piece of string? On the bright-side you certainly cannot complain about the life of your battery. If only everything branded Land Rover was so reliable...


Regarding fob batteries, I always lock and un-lock my 90 with the key. But I have noticed that if I take off the fob and leave it separately (pain in the arse to carry the whole bunch in my pockets!) then the immobiliser will activate and not allow the engine to start with the key until I remove the key and press "Unlock" on the fob. Then the car starts normally. If however the fob is with the key when I unlock the car with the key, then the engine starts normally without having to press anything on the fob. So I am wondering whether my fob battery will last longer seeing as it has such little use with the buttons?

Originally Posted by Orkney 90

Wow, six years from a battery is excellent. A few years ago I had to change my battery in my Citroen C4 after less than 3 years. The battery place told me that 3 years for a battery is quite good these days. I thought he was crapping me, until I read on other forums that indeed 3 years was good... As to how much longer it will survive, how long is a piece of string? On the bright-side you certainly cannot complain about the life of your battery. If only everything branded Land Rover was so reliable...


Regarding fob batteries, I always lock and un-lock my 90 with the key. But I have noticed that if I take off the fob and leave it separately (pain in the arse to carry the whole bunch in my pockets!) then the immobiliser will activate and not allow the engine to start with the key until I remove the key and press "Unlock" on the fob. Then the car starts normally. If however the fob is with the key when I unlock the car with the key, then the engine starts normally without having to press anything on the fob. So I am wondering whether my fob battery will last longer seeing as it has such little use with the buttons?

Yes, its a great performance by the main battery.


Re. the fob and key vs remote, I understood if it was locked with the fob it would only unlock and start with the fob, but if it was locked with the key it would unlock and start with the key. If its locked with the fob it will unlock but won't start with the key. Haven't actually tried it on the Defender - is that right? Does your immobilizer work when you only lock it with the key or do you need to use the fob to operate the immobilizer?