Just tacked this question onto another thread and not getting any response, so gonna start my own. On '05-'06 R53 MCS, keeping the battery charged in the remote keys is imperative. For a car that's in storage, can you charge the key in the #1 position or does the car have to be started (or in the #2 position? How long does it take the battery to come up to full charge?

 

Are you sure about that?

This peaked my interest, so I pulled out the spare key that had been in the drawer for 10 years and it worked perfectly on my 03 S. I switched keys just to be safe.

 

Alan, '02-'04 MINI keys have a replaceable but not rechargeable battery. '05-'06 keys, when their batteries go "South", it's $150 a pop to replace ther key!

 

ive got an 06 MCS and neither of our keys have had trouble. both the dealer and the manual say if the key gets low on charge and keyless entry stops working to go for a drive. if the car is in storage you probably dont need to set the alarm so the battery in the key shouldnt matter as it only handles the keyless entry and alarm

 

I had my spare key, unused for about 2 years in a drawer, for two years or so...
then decided to start rotating/swapping keys every 6 months or so....no issues.
Imo, just take the spare key on a 2 hr drive or so, thenput it away....should be fine. Mine was.

 

Ahh,

OK - Thanks