# Keyless Fob Battery Life



## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

That sounds like a good life for a battery.


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## Jnxd1 (Jul 11, 2021)

I get 6-8 months out of my fob batteries. Name brand batteries only. I do, however, use my remote start almost every time as I live in AZ where it's hot all the time and remote start is a life saver.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

I had to replace my 17 a couple months ago.
I did both fobs. Batteries are sold in 2s anyway.

Car was built 08-16. That's almost 5 years.


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## Valpo Cruze (Feb 23, 2014)

I have had many cars with a key fob and the battery lasted many many many years. In my old 12 LTZ, I bet I got less than 2 years on the Cruze key fob.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I just replaced the battery in my Volt's (2017) fob a couple months ago as well. The Cruze's (2014) are still original. The batteries in my (aftermarket alarm) key fob for my Cobalt are still original to when that was installed in 2008.

I think it has to do with the passive entry. The fob, in a way, always needs to be "on" for the system to work.


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## MichaelCB (Jun 13, 2021)

My


johnmo said:


> My '17 has been in service about 4.5 years and has about 110k miles on it. The battery in the key fob needs replaced. No big deal there, but I'm curious now.
> 
> I'm the only driver and the second fob was kept in the house and never used. The second fob is working fine for now until I get a fresh battery installed in the original fob. It got me to thinking about how much life is left in the second fob.
> 
> First, I would've expected the fob batteries to last longer. Is 4 or 5 years about the life of these? Or is it more related to engine-on time and 100k miles is about the life? Second I'm curious what runs the batteries down. Obviously there's a signal being transmitted, but is the fob communicating continuously with the car when it's being driven? That might seem obvious, but I was thinking once the car gets unlocked and started, the fob doesn't have much to do.





johnmo said:


> My '17 has been in service about 4.5 years and has about 110k miles on it. The battery in the key fob needs replaced. No big deal there, but I'm curious now.
> 
> I'm the only driver and the second fob was kept in the house and never used. The second fob is working fine for now until I get a fresh battery installed in the original fob. It got me to thinking about how much life is left in the second fob.
> 
> First, I would've expected the fob batteries to last longer. Is 4 or 5 years about the life of these? Or is it more related to engine-on time and 100k miles is about the life? Second I'm curious what runs the batteries down. Obviously there's a signal being transmitted, but is the fob communicating continuously with the car when it's being driven? That might seem obvious, but I was thinking once the car gets unlocked and started, the fob doesn't have much to do.


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## MichaelCB (Jun 13, 2021)

MichaelCB said:


> My '17 Cruze Premeire has only 16K miles on it, yet I've gone through about 4 FOB new batteries so far between the 2 FOBs.. It was reported that the receiver on the car is sometimes a problem, and I even ordered a new one (though it was never installed). I've learned some generic CR2032 batteries are not as good as Duracell or Energizer so I carry extras of the brand-names in the glove box just in case. Putting the FOB in the upper cup holder sometimes works if the battery is weak, but it's an odd problem going through so many batteries in so little mileage/time.. Other than that, it's a fine car so far!


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

At least on the Volts, there is a TSB for the in-car receiver being problematic. I've had mine replaced because it was occasionally giving me issues, and thought it was going again, but nope, the more simple solution: low battery, haha.

It got to the point where sometimes, after I drove somewhere, it would fail to see the key fob...despite having seen it, started and driven. Had to put it in the little spot in the center console (where the "sync" point is in the Volt) and that would do the trick, but it only got worse from there.


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