Key Card Question (Regarding Battery Life)

[Nige]

My new car is 5 Years old and i have replaced the batterys in the cards that came with the car....but because the Megane has no Key Barrel if the batterys became weak or dead while driving (im new to the card stuff as last renault were keys) can this become dangerous while driving?

I mean if the battery was weak and your on a long run (Far from home), would the ignition fail and switch off or is the system fail safe? Its a genious idea to stop car theft and i applaud it hense why i got the megane II (dispite its intrusive size and shape)

If the battery was weak/dead in the card also would the stop the car starting? it seems to be more than just a key but seems to be more less the brain of the car too....so hense all my consern about it.

[pw981]

Hi there Nige,

Don't worry about the battery, if the battery has gone flat in your keycard, or in fact if the keycard doesn't have a battery at all - the car will still start and switch off normally. The battery is used for the remote central locking only. I had concerns and thoughts similar to you until I too investigated.

Hope this clears things up a bit!

[ANDI]

hi both,

well ive just bought 2 new batteries for my keycards,and having read the answer my girlfriend and i would like to have this answered, if the battery is only for the central locking as is mind ie 52 meg and i have to click the buttons,my girlfriends Meg is a 55 and she only has to walk up to her car and press buttons on the car door handle, so where is she using power?? i mean i click buttons on the card to lock and unlock but she dosnt,so can the problem exist??
Andiman

[markren2004]

your girlfriends is "handsfree" is it stil transmitting/receiving a signal even if no buttons are pressed.
battery life is normally 2 years (even if very lightly used) ...when the transmission range shortens (i.e. you need to be very near the car for it to work) they need changing.

[nickbell69]

Here are my thoughts after today. can't unlock car as keycard battery has died go into house and get spare keycard.
That won't unlock car as battery is dead too. Use emergency key to get in passenger door(alarm goes off which seems daft, until card is inserted into slot).
Anyway this got me thinking as Markren states a handsfree keycard is continuously transmitting so therefore if you have a spare and as i did don't need it until the battery is flat in the card you are using then the spare one is going to be flat also as although sitting in a drawer at home it is having exactly the same use as the one in use every day.
So the idea is to have the spare keycard but leave the battery out of it or put some sellotape over the battery and leave in card so it is not actually connected until you need it remove sellotape.