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"replace key battery" warning even after replacing battery twice!

cubehacker

New member
Location
NYC
Picked up my 2016 GTI back in August. I started getting the "replace key battery" error in December. I didn't have a spare brand new battery laying around, so I removed one from a bluetooth speaker remote that I had laying around which I never use that stuck that in the key. Error message went away and stayed off. After about 2-3 weeks, the error message about replacing the battery returned. I figured that the battery from the old remote was just old and on its last legs (even though its never been used), so I went ahead and purchased an 8 pack of brand new batteries. Problem gone.

Fast forward to today, only 3 weeks after installing the brand new battery, and I am getting the damned "replace battery" warning again! I don't have a volt meter laying around to check the battery, but I can't imagine that its dead already. Anyone have any idea whats going on?
 

Matt15GTI

Ready to race!
Location
Delaware
Let your dealer know. Some remotes(I've heard online...) have been known to draw power all the time. Mine has been through 2 batteries in 10 months.. ugh
 

radox

New member
Location
York, UK
I'm guessing that your car has the keyless entry system. I believe this system is quite power hungry and not all batteries (even when new) are up to the job. Also, batteries don't produce as much power when they are cold so batteries which might have been ok in the summer might not work so well in the winter.

I had the same experience as you. Bought a strip of batteries and didn't get more than a few weeks before the warning returned. Then I bought two branded (duracell) batteries (which cost about the same as the strip) and they seem to be lasting longer.

Hope that helps,
Stuart
http://www.stuartdalby.co.uk/vwgolfmk7
 

Urlik

Go Kart Newbie
Location
San Angelo, TX
Kessy key fobs have to transmit occasionally so they do use more power, leaving them close enough to the car so they can "talk" to each other will burn through a battery even quicker.
 

up4speed

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Long Island
Car(s)
2015 GTI
No matter how much power these remotes use, I can't imagine them lasting only a few weeks. In a worse case scenario, I would think that they should last about 10 months at least. I got over 2 years on mine (but I still have low mileage and the key is far from the car when stored).
I would make sure that your batteries are good when new. I know it sounds silly, but I have heard a lot of complaints when people bought batteries online, including Amazon, and they died very quickly. Some are just not stored properly, and others are just imitations/knockoffs with Duracell, Energizer packaging! I would definitely make sure that they are brand name batteries, with a long shelf life remaining before you go nuts trying to figure out a problem with the car.
 

Skwangtang

Ready to race!
I have a similar problem but I ignore it because I just don't feel like looking for the batteries in the laundry room haha.
As I mentioned in another thread, my main issue is the terrible range of the key. I cant get more than 10m away or it'll stop working. Anyone else have similar issues?
 

cubehacker

New member
Location
NYC
Well, I have an 8 pack for now, so i'll just keep going through them until I run out. When I get my hands on a voltmeter this weekend, i'll see just how much juice the battery really has left.

The car is parked on the street, so pretty sure there is no close range communication going on all day long.
 

stuntnuts

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Maine
Batteries purchased "in bulk" from ebay or amazon from China are usually borderline dead on arrival. I got a 5 pack of Sony's for $2.99 shipped and each one lasted 2-3 weeks tops.

I complained to the seller and he immediately refunded me my 3 bucks, begging me not to leave negative feedback.
 

KevinC

Autocross Champion
Location
The land of Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday
Car(s)
'19 Golf R, '21 M2c
Batteries purchased "in bulk" from ebay or amazon from China are usually borderline dead on arrival. I got a 5 pack of Sony's for $2.99 shipped and each one lasted 2-3 weeks tops.

I complained to the seller and he immediately refunded me my 3 bucks, begging me not to leave negative feedback.

BINGO. Lots of bad batteries out there - and I'd wager that more often than not, Ebay & Amazon batteries aren't even genuine, but some super-crappy Chinese counterfeit of name brands.

Buy your batteries at retail from a local source. There's a reason that jokers can sell them impossibly cheap online and still be worth their while. Don't be a victim!
 

Frank Reynolds

Go Kart Newbie
Location
So Cal
I swapped the battery from my spare fob to my main fob and the “replace key battery” warning still pops up on the dash. Is there a method or sequence to reset that similar an oil change interval warning?
 

Strange Mud

Autocross Champion
Location
Small Town CT
Car(s)
Assorted
I've had issues with that and they are fussy. Look for the bigger size 2032/2057? that may work. It's a touch taller and should last longer make better contact
 

M3bs1

Go Kart Champion
Location
North Augusta SC
Put new batteries in both fobs last week. With the new batteries one worked fine, the other gave me low battery message. Swapped batteries between fobs, and both worked fine. Switched back and they still work. Go figure..
 

bluekid99

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Pennsylvania
I usually go through a battery every so many months...also noticed that if you dont use the remote all that often it drains it too...i just figured its a quirk of volkswagen
 

dunkelweizen

Go Kart Newbie
I had the same problem when I put genuine (from Best Buy, so they better be) Energizer 2032 in. These are suppose to have higher capacity than the 2025 that it came with, but I got the replace battery message after less than 1 month. I've just been ignoring the message for probably close to a year now, and remote still going strong. As a side bonus, I only have to flip 1 screen over to get to the Performance Monitor with that persistent remote battery message, haha.
 
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