Approximately how often should fob batteries be changed, as sometimes when I come home late at night to my apartment building, I worry that the fob may not work? I have another fob for the building which I don’t use, because when I have used it, it would activate the opening of the door correctly but it would cause a loud beeping noise in the building. Why would opening the door, cause a rather loud continuous beeping noise in the building? I found this rather alarming and stopped using that fob. It must be something with the fob, because my other fob, does not activate a beeping noise. Just curious, can management tell who comes in and out of the building by their fobs, (a code or something on the fob)? Thanks for any helpful answers!
As far a fob batteries go, it really depends on what happens when it dies. I can tell when my car fob battery is getting weak when I can’t unlock my car from two blocks away.
I think changing them every 2 years is pretty safe, although I’ve had some last for 3-4 years without any problems.
We’ve changed the batteries in my wife’s fob like 3 times in the last year, and it’s driving us to the poorhouse*. What could cause a fob remote to eat through batteries at such a rate?
- The expense of the batteries**, not the car.
** Hyperbole.
FWIW I had a ‘super fob’ this one could work from distances that could make one’s head spin (like on a hiking overlook far above the parking area), and it ate batteries. The other one worked within the normal range and didn’t need as frequent a battery change.
For me, I expect more like 5+ years, although I’ve never had to change a car fob battery yet (although I’m probably just about due on my current car I bought in 2006–though it was used, a 2004 model–as it’s showing signs of weakness.) My wife’s is a couple years older and still going strong, too.
I just had to change my car’s fob battery, seven years after I purchased it. It cost $4 at the battery store (and the guy changed it for me).
What’s “the battery store”? This thread is making me think I should replace mine before it dies (it’s my only key) and I’m sure the dealer would charge a lot more than $4.
FOB’s have batteries? I guess they drive like that when the batteries are low…
Fob batteries IME do not die acutely. Rather, their functionality declines, requiring shaking, etc to get it to work. That’s when I replace the battery.
It’s a small store that only sells batteries. I’d never been in one before, but apparently there are nationwide chains. I did it for the exact reason you mentioned; no way was I going to let the dealer charge me for it.
I gave the clerk my fob, he pried it open, read the battery number, pulled a new one out, replaced it and charged me $4.
I had no idea this was a thing.
Yep, except they recently renamed themselves to Batteries Plus Bulbs to capitalize on the non incandescent lighting needs in the USA.
There are franchises to be had!
http://www.batteriesplus.com/
I have a two-way fob which has a display, speaker, vibrator and takes AAA cells. The transmit range is quite impressive. I have to replace the battery about every other month. I realize that this is probably on the outside extreme of fob battery anecdotes but there ya go.
Most likely yes. All but the simplest, bare-bones system would not keep a record of that.
Vibrator?! Kinky!
And even before that, there was Radio Shack, which rumor has it is still a going concern. I’ve known lots of people who refer to it as the battery store.