Howdy: Is it a good idea to take the batteries out of the extra fobs? Does the fob battery run down if the fob is in your closet, far away from the car? The manual says to expect a battery life of several years, so I guess it isn't a big deal. Bob
If the FOB is far enough away from the car, it wouldn't run down very quickly at all. It would be "listening" in a low power state, but it wouldn't be using extra energy to respond. I guess I question what one would save by taking the battery out over that length of time. Could the battery potentially discharge on it's own over that length of time anyway? Would you keep the battery for the active fob's replacement?
You know how when you buy a product it sometimes has that little plastic tab that prevents the battery and contact from touching? Perhaps one could devise a solution like that...just a small thin piece of plastic to prevent contact but would act as a notice to pull it out before use without the need to hunt down or keep track of the battery!
Unless the battery is expensive, it seems more bother than it would be worth. All you really lose if the battery goes dead is the remote and the SS/SE. You can still open the door with the key and start the car by inserting the fob. And next time you're at the battery store you pop a new one in.
Well, they're not super expensive or anything, but if you know that the spare is likely to see very little use why not preserve it? Also, I'd sure rather have a fully functional fully charged back-up available so I could postpone worrying about finding a replacement for as long as was convenient. A simple solution to prevent a future potential problem seems like a good idea to me.
I think the question is: How long is an "active" flob's battery life? Lithium bateries typically have a 2 year storage life due to decomposition. So, if a active flob will last 2 or more years then it's probably not worth taking the battery out of your spare. Unless you want to prevent battery leakage.
That's a great question, Bob! I think what I'll do with my extra fob is store it with an extra battery. (Though, as Daniel says, I can still use the fob, just not with SE/SS.)
FOB battery I just keep an extra FOB battery in the car that I purchased from Radio Shack along with an eyeglass screwdrive kit. I know the sun/heat may cause the battery to run down on it own but what the heck the battery was only $4. -------------- Drive in NY City then you need this http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nycrlc/ 04 Silver #7, 2k, 48 mpg
