VT - VZ key battery

[Jader1973]

I didn’t know this so thought it might be worth passing on.

Yesterday my key wouldn’t remotely lock / unlock my VY Ute, so I thought I’d change the battery. After some confusion and googling it turns out these are sealed shut, and if you can get it open the battery is soldered to the PCB!



The handbook actually says “A flat key battery requires replacement of the key head”.


Fortunately it still works manually and will start the car, and I have a spare (which is working remotely).

Replacement NOS parts are a couple of hundred $ uncut and uncoded, so I’m going to get the local locksmith to code a replacement (they use cheap Chinese copies) and then see if I can get the case open and replace the battery using this guide here:

https://www.themusinggreg.com/how-to/how-to-change...

Might be useful if like me you assumed the batteries were replaceable (like every other car I’ve ever owned!)

[L2VXR]

I used this battery, was easy enough to change with a soldering iron. Then put it back together in new case from aliexpress (guessing you'd need the 2 button case for a ute )

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264593638618?mkcid=16&a...

https://a.aliexpress.com/_ExgiOr7

Edited by L2VXR on Saturday 13th January 09:48

[Andy616]

L2VXR said:

I used this battery, was easy enough to change with a soldering iron. Then put it back together in new case from aliexpress (guessing you'd need the 2 button case for a ute )

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264593638618?mkcid=16&a...

https://a.aliexpress.com/_ExgiOr7

Edited by L2VXR on Saturday 13th January 09:48

It's easy enough with a soldering iron, as you say. I did one of my keys over the Christmas break.

Here's a guide I found with some pictures showing the process: How to change the battery in a Holden Commodore car key

[vxr2010]

As above , ebay just sell the key fob part that unscrews , sometimes the electronics does not fit into the fob as well , so a bit of trimming inside the fob needed them just solder in a good quality battery , I expect somewhere like Tympsons maybe be able to code it , but from memory there are on line instructions on how to code them , I’ve not tried that route just some soldering , a third option is get a cat 1 alarm fitted and by pass the original electrics either by putting the key electrics near the ignition or a re work on the Ecu