The unlock button on my car's only key failed (the button part came off leaving a hole through which you can see the circuit board inside. I continued to use the key manually despite the damage, as the lock button worked. However, every now and then when I engaged the ignition the alarm would chirp (like it does when you try to lock the car but a door's ajar), and a warning light would come on. All this reset when I pulled the key out and tried again.

Today after work I put the key in, the car chirped three times, and now there's no response: no lock function, no lights, chimes, ignition, nothing. I'm thinking the chip in the key is toast, any other ideas? Much appreciated before I walk back out to my car! Everything worked this morning so I'm doubting it's the key fob battery.

 

Ya. Sounds like its toast. It's RFID, so prolly fairly sensitive, and once it was opened, all kinds of stuff may have gotten in there. Sorry! :( new keys are pricey.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, it always means a lot when one is in the soup. Yes I was concerned about moisture especially. I assume key failure isn't as bad as car-end failure though. So when I go back to my car disconnecting/reconnecting the battery will be pretty pointless then.

I had read that key failure (antitheft chip) resulted in no start, but I have no nothin'.

Ever taken a key apart?

 

Breaking news: I took the key apart and slid out the little board. When I depress the lock button I can see the red IR indicator flashes red so I know the battery is good (or at least functions enough to light the LED). I cleaned the board with isopropyl alcohol. It was dusty, but nothing metal was jammed in there. I'm going to reassemble and see if I can save myself a tow fee.

 

It's prolly programmed in as code. So what, your car won't start now? Put the key real close to the ignition, maybe the batt is just really low. It doesn't take a lot of power to light an led

 

I won't start or show any signs of electronic life. Last thing that happened was I put the key in, turned it, and the car beeped. Next thing that happened was that nothing would work-locks, windows, anything.

 

Strange. Maybe do the battery thing in the car. If that doesn't work, call a mini dealer

 

I hiked back to work, disconnected/reconnected the batt and now I can drive the car. That's the good news. The bad news is I had NO electrical anything happening when attempting to start the car earlier, so I suspect the car's computer is having trouble. Call is in to WMW.

 

When the battery in the car goes dead, it goes really dead, and from 60 to 0 with little warning. Depending on the age of the battery, I'd check that first. The chip in the key has nothing do to with the battery in the key. The same chip is in the non-remote key with no battery.

Val

 

The battery is less than a year old, and seems pretty alive just from the disconnect-reconnect crackle. The car has been giving weird signals-chirps at ignition sometimes and throws a service code momentarily before resuming normal operation. I'd like to think the battery is the issue-cheaper than a new brain.