I just want to see is this just me or are you guys having the same issue.

I love the fact you can keep your keys in your pocket, get in and drive away. It is one of those features you didn't think you needed until it stops working! I basically went without putting in the key for 2 solid years before it gave me the low battery on the key warning. Now I can't even go 3 days without recharging. I asked the dealer if the battery can be replaced and they said I should be using the key in the ignition anyway so it keeps records of the engine etc.

Was that the "standard" answer or can I really replace the battery to get this feature back and it is just a little expensive?

Anyone with this package learn from my mistake and for sure use the key once a month for a long drive so you wont be in this predicament.

 

I think there is a CR2025? battery in the remote. I remember soon after I got the car in Dec 11, the battery light came on in the display. When I went to talk to my SA, he replaced the battery. Apparently, the non-Conveneience package remotes charge by being in the car, but the SA said our remotes have a replaceable battery.

Yup, just got my lazy butt out of the chair and confirmed there's a battery in there. Check to make sure it's not a CR2032 tho.

Good luck.

 

Yep - the convenience remotes don't charge from the car. Odd, when you think about it. It's decidedly less convenient to have to change a battery ...

Oh well.

There's a CR2032 (I believe) battery in them; I just replaced mine recently with one I'd bought for a replacement BIOS battery. Just flip open the back of the key, change the battery, job's a good'n.

Common knowledge holds that the car does still store things like radio stations and whatnot on the key, and that this is all updated when you put the key in the socket. The standard key also recharges while plugged in.

(Although personally, I'm honestly not sure if anything is stored on the key itself... it would make much more sense if it was stored in the car, and then the key was broadcasting some kind of ID signal which the car recognised, like an active RFID key. But that's outside the scope of what you were asking )

 

lots of people have this issue and the dealers give them incorrect information about it.

Great feature if it works.

this is where your problem lies. the fob "can not" be recharged it has a button battery in it. A CR2032 to be exact.

This is where the dealers lies. What they told you is true for the "Non Comfort Access" vehicles but definitely wrong for the Comfort Access vehicles.

yes for less than $5 you can get a new battery (CR2032) and put it in yourself and it should solve your problem.

I have had my car for over almost 4 years (in April i will have had it 4 years) and this has never been a problem because I "READ" the owners manual which tells you that the Comfort Access Fob has a "replaceable" battery.

There are also numerous threads on this subject and it would be appreciated if people would follow the Site Guidelines and search before posting a new thread on a subject that has been beaten to death in other threads.

 

Thanks. I just happen to have that battery. I'll try it now. And I did "READ" the manual thank you very much. It is not clear if the convenience portion of the remote uses a different power source or not. Also while warnings are flashing for low battery and the feature where you can walk up next to the car and use the door handle button to unlock the car do not work, manually pressing the open and close buttons on the remote work just fine with no decrease in rage. Not to mention the dealer instruction . . . I'm sorry Schatzky but this one was not intuitive. I did a search also before starting this thread also. My search came up empty. Well I did ask and I guess its just me. . . I just removed the old battery and it tested at 2.92 volts, not quite as dead as I would expect (3.32 for the replacement). I'll update tomorrow after I try it in the car.

update That was it convenience restored. thanks again guys.

 

I don't see how it can get any more clear than this (and this is found in the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 manuals I have)

Page 18 - Section "Remote Control" - Paragraph 1 last sentance - "In vehicles equipped with convenient access*, the remote control has a replaceable battery, page 27"

Page 27 - Section "Replacing the battery" - Section goes thru the process how to replace the battery.

Here are links to the pages.

Page 18 - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co..._Clubman-2.pdf

Page 27 - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...NI_Clubman.pdf

 

Figure on changing the battery about every 4 years.

 

Why do some on the 'net love to lecture others. I really feel for anyone who comes here and camplains about their MINI or the brand - they get lambasted everytime.

The search feature on NAM is pretty lame at best. I actually find things on NAM easier thru Google.

Athough I do agree reading the manual is recommended, finding something in the quirky manual and understanding it might be a whole other thing. Setting things with the stalk is challenging for some for example.

It's the wife's MINI, but I use the extra remote when I am the driver - to charge it per the manual (no conv access version) - and the lessen the odds of being locked out with both remotes along for the ride.

 

I agree on the lecturing part. No one held a gun to his head to make him read the post and surely did not twist his arm for him to make a smart aleck reply. A "yankee" think I guess

 

We don't need no stinkin manual........manuals are for woosies!

 

I have been to the dealer twice on other issues and asked about the remote battery. Both times they told me it recharges in The dash and cannot be replaced. So the disinformation is rampant. You can change the battery and it does not recharge.