Key battery life?

[777surfer]

Hi All,

I have a 2019 V60, I’ve noticed that the battery life on the key fob is terrible. I’m changing the battery about once a month. Interestingly the display never says battery low, only ‘Owners Key Not Found’. It eventually senses it but can take a while! I’ve tried using the second key fob but get the same issues after a similar period of time and so starting to wonder if it’s another problem.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Many thanks!

[rhd443]

What brand of battery are you using , and are you shorting it out with your fingers when you fit it? You can knock the voltage down by touching top to bottom with your fingers!

Don't fit a Poundland Kodak, get a decent brand, something like Duracell

[Clan]

Originally Posted by 777surfer

Hi All,

I have a 2019 V60, I’ve noticed that the battery life on the key fob is terrible. I’m changing the battery about once a month. Interestingly the display never says battery low, only ‘Owners Key Not Found’. It eventually senses it but can take a while! I’ve tried using the second key fob but get the same issues after a similar period of time and so starting to wonder if it’s another problem.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Many thanks!

This isn't a general problem, There are many stores selling poor quality or past sell by date lithium batteries.. get some top quality batteries from a decent store or volvo. measure the voltage before fitting, should be around 3.2v check the voltage every week and see how it goes..

[777surfer]

Thank you, I should have thought of trying a different brand of battery! I shall try that and monitor the level.

Thanks again

[neilgorin]

As a battery seller a tip - only buy Renata (or if you can't get those, Maxell).

These are consistently good quality.

I've had no end of issues with other "good" brands, particularly Duracell due to there being several grades and it being the most counterfeited brand out there too.

A Renata CR2032 lasts about a year in my V60 keys or about 6 months in my wife's Ghibli keys which are the "continual broadcast so a thief can nick the car" type.

[apnicolle]

Try and avoid the Duracell ones that say they are ‘baby safe’ or something. They have a coating on them to make children vomit if they swallow them (a good thing), but they don’t seem to work in my key fob for very long if at all (a bad thing!). It’s a well known issue with using them in apple air tags as well.

You can tell by looking at the battery and it has lots of raised dimples on it.

[Whyman]

My XC60 is now 10 years old and 123k miles with the original batteries in both fobs. One is used 80% of the time.

Clearly you either have a problem with the fobs or the batteries.

Try the best quality of battery you can.

[Mad Malc]

Your 10 year old car does not have the same demands on its key fob as these later cars. 12 months to 24 months is very reasonable for one of these later cars so I suspect that there is nothing wrong with the car or it's fob, it just needs good quality batteries, replaced on a regular basis.

[neilgorin]

Originally Posted by Whyman

My XC60 is now 10 years old and 123k miles with the original batteries in both fobs. One is used 80% of the time.

Clearly you either have a problem with the fobs or the batteries.

Try the best quality of battery you can.

The current models all broadcast a signal so that the car knows the key is there and allows the engine to start.

The older models you put the key in a slot in the dash - it didn't even need a battery in it for that feature to work. The battery only was used when you pressed the unlock buttons.

I never changed the batteries in my v70 in 4 years and 92k of driving, that was a key in the dash type. I never replaced the one at all in my V50, again key in the dash. I've replaced the batteries in my v60 in 4 years and 100k of driving 3 times, each lasting about a year.