If your BMW E46 Remote Key is no longer working it could be your battery. The unit is sealed so here is a short video to help you repair it for a fraction of the price of a new key.
What you’ll need:
• Sharp blade/craft knife (be careful!)
• Soldering Iron
• Sugru (see link below)
• New Battery (see link below) – Make sure it’s the version with the metal cage already fitted as pictured in the video, also it should cost no more than £10, some Ebay listings are more expensive.
Buy Sugru from Amazon – http://tinyurl.com/zbn3g6u
Battery from Ebay (UK) – http://tinyurl.com/jfbbp5p
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hello, i am going to give this a go shortly… will you need to re programme the key afterwards? TIA (Merry Christmas)
What's up Rich! Just wanted to extend a HUGE THANK YOU! I just did this literally 2 seconds ago and it worked! Had to reprogram with the lock/unlock buttons, but its all good now! I used Sugru just like you did and its the best, makes a nice clean seam. Great fucking job dude!
Thanks for all the comments, all helpful my videos going forward. Apologies for the sound, i was using a bad mic and had to mute any noise. Glad this has helped some people. More vids coming soon!
sound keeps disappearing!!
Great video and spot on. Just fixed my key today and no problems at all. Easy to do, the battery was $15, the glue was $15 and the soldering was dead simple. Saved near $300. Nice!
Where can I get that battery?
this mute shit is anoying, but nice vid dude
How is Sugru holding out so far? It's only been 5 months …
Hey Rich! I followed all your instructions including getting the Sugru glue from the U.K. Amazon site. Battery came from some one in Europe. I was not as cautious as I should have been and accidentally cut some surface mount resisters off the board and had to find them in the debris. My partner in crime is pretty good with a shouldering iron and was able to,shoulder everything back as it should be. It works like new.
Well done Rich Gee!! Everything done beautifully!! I'll be doing this in the next few years too so thank you for the tips and info. Comes out almost like factory. You Rock!
Hi Rich would like to say thank you for your video. I followed it and successfully got my key working again . When I replaced the battery I stuck the key together with superglue which did not last and so bought a pack of sugru and stuck it "great stuff " 'and so many uses cheers Phil
Be careful not to cut your hands I am in the process of doing this held the key in my left hand with thick garden glove on my mate used football socks then proceed to cut carefully with a stanley/utility knife
Hi Rich. Thanks for the video tutorial. I ordered 2 batteries from the link you provided. (*It appears to be shipped from Bulgaria.) Anyway it seems to be taking longer than expected. Did you have to wait a long time to receive your order? I'm in Canada, which might explain the delay. Cheers
I have done everything yet do not own a 'soldering' tool…what do they cost typically? where do I get the best, simplest and cheapest soldering tool???great tutorial, thank you so much, Mia
I have a 2003 x5 e53 and my fob don't work it looks identical to this one ur repairing the battery is the vl2020 can you confirm the correct one that works of the listing u have on here? Another thing is that my board doesn't have the piece of foil shown underneath the battery when you remove it. do you know if this is what contacts with the key in the ignition to pass the charge to the battery? Thank you!!
changed my battery and nothing happened
where do you get the replacement battery with the solder points and cage on already on it?
Yep got I just didnt look, hugely expensive for the battery and housing
hi What type of battery is needed please
that was a great video. I really appreciate it. thanks to you I will fix my key for my e46 330ci. very clean work!!!