key fob spring

3355 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by scimitargtc, Aug 14, 2009

dutchfrompredator

Discussion Starter · Aug 11, 2009

ok. after searching the subject and viewing the posted pics i am thoroughly terrified of what lies within my key fob. i have both originals and they both work. one of them has a busted spring and therefore the blade flacidly dangles. is there any way to open that puppy and repair the spring without traumatizing the internals or should i just treat it like the stepchild it is and use it as a back-up for eternity? otherwise it's in good shape. the wife and i simply refer to it as the "ugly key".

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desertdude

· #2 · Aug 11, 2009

I did this a long time back so can't post a step by step procedure. But I remember winding up the little spring quite tight. And every time I'd pop the key it whipped out like a switchblade with enough force to cut of a finger off or atleast break a knuckle ! :shock:

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dutchfrompredator

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 11, 2009

when you say you "wound" the spring what do you mean? is it possible to open the fob and tinker with the spring without sending the guts everywhere? is it simply a matter or tightening a screw? sorry about all the questions-i know you haven't done it in a long time. your response encouraged me. i know the stealership would push a new fob on me and everything works but the spring.

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desertdude

· #4 · Aug 11, 2009

Just open it up carefully and not let it go flying out. Only the spring mechanism is loaded ( ? ) There isn't much in there other than the PCB and the spring mech.

As far as I remember its not that tough to figure out, The spring sits in a notch on the key and othe bit is held in the fob it self ( I think ) . I remember scaring and scratching up the cover pretty bad in my vain attempts to seperate the two halves that was the toughest bit. Then I went all ape **** on it and poked a few screw drivers and knives in there to split it open LOL.

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dutchfrompredator

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 11, 2009

thanks DD, you gave exactly what i was wondering about. this is usually how i get myself in trouble. something is working fine but not perfectly and i just have to rip into it and see if i can restore it to it's off-the-shelf state. that's when i really screw things up!

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tasi devil

· #6 · Aug 12, 2009

dutchfrompredator said:
ok. after searching the subject and viewing the posted pics i am thoroughly terrified of what lies within my key fob. i have both originals and they both work. one of them has a busted spring and therefore the blade flacidly dangles. is there any way to open that puppy and repair the spring without traumatizing the internals or should i just treat it like the stepchild it is and use it as a back-up for eternity? otherwise it's in good shape. the wife and i simply refer to it as the "ugly key".

1/4 tablet of Viagra should fix it's 'flacidity' :lol: :lol: ....... :naughty:

.............tasi

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dutchfrompredator

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 12, 2009

what can i say? the ugly key is a shower, not a grower! :mrgreen:

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scimitargtc

· #8 · Aug 13, 2009

personally if the key works i'd leave well alone - ripped my only supplied key fob apart trying to replace the rubber button cover (Duh thought it came off from the inside!), as a post says you'll end up cream crackering the casing, have fun retensioning the spring and risk as I did ending up with a U/S key - red light illuminates when fob pressed but no action with car and I've used EVERY suggestion this forum has.... so it was a week of using the EKA code with total loss of street cred & £110 to the dealer for a new fob (strangely the cost varies dependent which key number is ordered - my old key had been number 4 according to the sticky label on the back, and the dealer said number 1 which he ordered is the cheapest!!!!) :?

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dutchfrompredator

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 13, 2009

believe me i'm not racing in there. the only reason i'm considering this is b/c the ugly key performs crappily in other respects. for example: it never works from a even a minimal distance for more than a day or so after i change the battery, i have to re-synch it constantly, i pirated the rubber cover from it to swap with the one i use daily, and it just sadly dangles as mentioned; which annoys the crap out of you. the only thing the ugly key has going for it is the blade works to open and start the car. the next step is ordering a new one if i don't get in there and make some progress lest i ever lose the good key. right now it's for emergencies only and resides on a coat hook in the den with the other spare keys no one cares about. poor little key...
i forgot to mention, the ugly key is #1, and the good key is #2. #1 wore out first. i didn't realize different key #'s cost different amounts to replace but the immediately preceding post seems to indicate i would spend less replacing the ugly unless i'm understanding wrong.

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green_rangie

· #10 · Aug 14, 2009

When I was repairing my keyfob I used a pair of circlip openers which made a pretty clean job of it. These are like pliers except when you squeeze the handles the nose opens rather than shuts.

Cheers, Steve.

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scimitargtc

· #11 · Aug 14, 2009

I keep #4 as spare before I save for another ~ why not give your local dealer a ring for a quote - mine (first time ever used after a months ownership & v.helpful) needed the V5 (which had just arrived) faxing across to prove ownership --- different dealers quoted different amounts (not a lot but it all counts) and only the dealer used mentioned the £/key number issue so if they don't raise it ask them,,,,,,,

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