NEW AND IMPROVED

This blog is now sugar FREE, fat FREE, gluten FREE, all ORGANIC and all NATURAL!!

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Not So Fob-u-lous

 

Not So Fob-u-lous



 

My 2018 Honda HR-V has a keyless start system.  As long as your key fob is with you, all you need to do is press the start button.  To enter the car, the door will unlock when you pull the handle, also as long as the key fob is with you. It is a very nice system.

Except.

What happens when the battery on the key fob runs out?

Today I tried to open the door, but it remained locked.  Pushing the unlock button did work, and the car did start, but I suspected the battery was running low.  I tested with the spare key fob, and everything was dead on that fob. 

I googled and found the key fob battery generally only will last 2-3 years. 

My battery was way overdue.

Not wanting to get stuck unable to enter or start my car due to a dead key fob battery, I ran to the internet again. 

It turns out the battery I need is the same as the one in my bathroom scale, so I figured I would just swap out batteries until I could buy a new one.

I consulted the internet on how to change the battery.  It seemed simple enough, pop open the key fob, pop out the battery, replace it and close-up the key fob.

Mrs. C was at work, so I decided to try the battery switch on the spare fob so if I case I screwed something up, she would not need to know. 

Mrs. C thinks I am incapable of simple fixes. 

She may be right.

I popped open the fob and popped out the battery.  When I did this, all the fob innards, buttons and such also popped out.  This was not good. I had no idea how to put all the pieces back together again.



Back to Mr. Google.

I found a tutorial on how to put a Honda key fob back together.

The tutorial started,

“Often people when changing the battery will not hold the fob together with their thumb…here…like so.  If they don’t do that, pieces will all fall out and you will have a mess!”

Why did the first tutorial on battery changing not specify that little piece of information?

With the help of this tutorial, and with much fumbling and cursing, I was able to put the backup fob back together with the bathroom scale battery, and everything worked as it should.

Now I need to purchase another battery for the main key fob.  I’ll know how to change it, but Mrs. C will not trust me to not screw it up.

Should I admit that I already screwed up on the backup key fob and was finally able to put it back together so I now know how to do it correctly, or should I just take it to the dealer and pay someone to do it for me?

It might seem like a waste of money to take it to the dealer, but I think I would prefer to not admit to screwing it up on my first attempt.

I may be incompetent, but I am not stupid!

21 comments:

  1. You deserve a trophy for putting the backup key fob together again! Still, I would take the other fob to a dealer, just to avoid the blame if something goes wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
    ╔╗╔╦══╦═╦═╦╗╔╗ ★ ★ ★
    ║╚╝║══║═║═║╚╝║ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
    ║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ NEW YEAR ☆
    ╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ♥¥☆★☆★☆¥♥ ★☆ ♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wouldn't push my luck Cranky. And Happy New year to you and the Mrs...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy New year. And Mrs. C do not read your blog ? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. We have a local Interstate Battery place that's part of a nation chain. If you have one near you (or something similar), they replace all these batteries and they know how and they don't charge what the dealer does. Take it there, save your sanity and your money.

    I pray you and Mrs. Cranky have a blessed and beautiful 2023!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would take it to the dealer and watch carefully how he does it, then I'd purchase a few spare batteries. Is your bathroom scale now without a battery or is the dead fob battery in it? You and Mrs C could be weightless.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hahahaha. Never complain, never explain. I would not tell her but I would go to the dealership. - Happy New Year, Cranky! P.S. - I especially liked your use of the word innards. I use that word too. My kids don't get it but sometimes innards is the only appropriate word and description. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Turns out Mrs. C has a stash of several correct batteries and knows how to change them from her Toyota key fob. All is well that ends well and what happens in Jersey to key fobs, stays in Jersey!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Exactly the same thing happened to me and I too used the bathroom scales battery. Now every time I press the key fob the car says I'm overweight.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I take it Mrs. C doesn't read your blog? I wish I could go to the internet and change my headlights on my 2018 Hyundai Tuscan. Nope. It takes a real mechanic with the magic touch to take apart the car just to change the lightbulbs. I miss my 1972 Chevy malibu.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I’ve had to change the fob battery twice already on my CRV bought in Sept of 2019, so my batteries are only lasting a little more than a year. And I do have to watch a tutorial each time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cranky, why are you slacking? No post this year? I hope you and yours are well, and just being cranky...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just not feeling it these days, but not quitting, this blogging in general has just lost it's luster. Thank you for asking.

      Delete
  13. Well, you take care then. We miss your rants, a lot...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wishing you and Mrs C health peace and happiness dear Joe.
    Hope all is well with you and your family

    ReplyDelete
  15. The very same thing happened to me and I too utilized the restroom scales battery. Presently every time I press the key dandy the vehicle says I'm overweight When Did Pontiac Go out of Business.

    ReplyDelete
  16. All those bits and pieces falling out, that would be doubtful I could put it back together. Congrats on getting the battery installed.

    ReplyDelete