Key battery warning

[Kompins]

Loading the car up yesterday with the key in my pocket. When I got in the car to drive off a warning flashed up on the screen; low key battery warning. I've never seen this before and it disappeared after a few seconds. I wouldn't think the battery is low as ths car was serviced about 3 months ago so guessing it was a digital hiccup. Quite a useful feature, must have a read through manual.

 

[Alb]

It probably is low.
Don't ignore the warning

 

[SimonomiS]

Loading the car up yesterday with the key in my pocket. When I got in the car to drive off a warning flashed up on the screen; low key battery warning. I've never seen this before and it disappeared after a few seconds. I wouldn't think the battery is low as ths car was serviced about 3 months ago so guessing it was a digital hiccup. Quite a useful feature, must have a read through manual.

Which model car was this? I've never seen it and am on original key fob batteries (2020 MG5 pre FL) but an alert is more than useful as without this you're in a bit of trouble. As @Alb says, don't ignore it as a service may or may not check fob battery strength!

 

[5teep]

Replaced mine in one fob recently. It's a CR2032 lithium button cell, so not expensive.

 

[Kompins]

Which model car was this? I've never seen it and am on original key fob batteries (2020 MG5 pre FL) but an alert is more than useful as without this you're in a bit of trouble. As @Alb says, don't ignore it as a service may or may not check fob battery strength!

It's a 2021 standard range MG5, I've never heard anyone else mention this alert before. Will be keeping an eye open for it reappearing over the next few weeks.

Replaced mine in one fob recently. It's a CR2032 lithium button cell, so not expensive.

Cheers, will make sure I have some in stock.

 

[Jomarkh]

Loading the car up yesterday with the key in my pocket. When I got in the car to drive off a warning flashed up on the screen; low key battery warning. I've never seen this before and it disappeared after a few seconds. I wouldn't think the battery is low as ths car was serviced about 3 months ago so guessing it was a digital hiccup. Quite a useful feature, must have a read through manual.

Mine came up with that a month or so after the 2nd service. They said on the report they changed the batteries obviously not.

 

[5teep]

It's a 2021 standard range MG5, I've never heard anyone else mention this alert before. Will be keeping an eye open for it reappearing over the next few weeks.


Cheers, will make sure I have some in stock.

Same car here and I got the same warnings, hence the change. The key was beginning to get a bit iffy when opening the door and lots of smart key not found messages too.

 

[maskull]

Replaced mine in one fob recently. It's a CR2032 lithium button cell, so not expensive.

I've always got a spare 2032 in the car just to be safe

 

[5teep]

I've always got a spare 2032 in the car just to be safe

They pretty much last forever in the packaging so good idea.

 

[maskull]

They pretty much last forever in the packaging so good idea.

Hope so . I've never had to use one yet

 

[CuriousIslander]

Loading the car up yesterday with the key in my pocket. When I got in the car to drive off a warning flashed up on the screen; low key battery warning. I've never seen this before and it disappeared after a few seconds. I wouldn't think the battery is low as ths car was serviced about 3 months ago so guessing it was a digital hiccup. Quite a useful feature, must have a read through manual.

Don't ignore it. I had the same warning on my pre-facelift SR also shortly after a service (obviously it is not checked at a service), and the dealership said that if the key battery does goes flat the car loses some of its software configurations which will require resetting. I couldn't be bothered to explore it myself and the dealership replaced the battery for £7.something. Easy solution.

The original key lasted over 2 years so I thought this wasn't unreasonable.
Happy motoring.

 

[dragon2611]

Mine came up with that a month or so after the 2nd service. They said on the report they changed the batteries obviously not.

The paperwork suggested that they washed and vac'd the car on the first service, the leaves in the passenger footwell would suggest otherwise.

 

[Amun]

.... and the dealership said that if the key battery does goes flat the car loses some of its software configurations which will require resetting.

So how do you change the battery without losing the settings?

 

[maskull]

So how do you change the battery without losing the settings?

Can't see that happening . If you renew the battery in your TV remote , does your TV forget it's settings ? Surely the settings are in the ROM of the car ? Maybe if you have your spare key with you whilst changing the battery in the other one it shouldn't have an effect anyway

 

[m4rmite]

Can't see that happening . If you renew the battery in your TV remote , does your TV forget it's settings ? Surely the settings are in the ROM of the car ? Maybe if you have your spare key with you whilst changing the battery in the other one it shouldn't have an effect anyway

I'm sure some old Rovers needed the battery replaced within 20-30 seconds or the memory was lost.

 

[5teep]

Nobody uses volatile memory in things like keys anymore (volatile = it needs power to retain memory.)

 

[maskull]

I'm sure some old Rovers needed the battery replaced within 20-30 seconds or the memory was lost.

May be true of cars from 30 years ago. But as @5teep says I can't see many , if any , cars using volatile memory these days . The only time the vehicle settings would change would be when the 12 Volt battery is disconnected. Even then they would return to default settings dictated by the Non Volatile Memory in the car . It shouldn't require dealership intervention .

 

[Kompins]

Key warning appeared a few times whilst I was out this morning so changed the battery following the simple instructions in the handbook without any problems and car still functioning as it should.

 

[Amun]

Can't see that happening . If you renew the battery in your TV remote , does your TV forget it's settings ? Surely the settings are in the ROM of the car ? Maybe if you have your spare key with you whilst changing the battery in the other one it shouldn't have an effect anyway

OK - so why does the dealer say that " if the key battery does goes flat the car loses some of its software configurations which will require resetting."? I suspect that they're making it up.

 

[maskull]

OK - so why does the dealer say that " if the key battery does goes flat the car loses some of its software configurations which will require resetting."? I suspect that they're making it up.

I guess the last sentence concurs with my opinion