Yesterday I used my spare key for the first time in over a year to check it was still working alright. It wouldn't operate the central locking remotely until I had used it in the ignition to start the car once after which it performed all functions fine and still does today. Is this normal for a key that hasn't been used for a while ?

 

No

 

Oh

 

The transponder which the car checks before starting is in NO WAY related to the fob that unlocks doors. The fob has a battery. I'm going to suspect that the battery is aged. If so, it will stop working soon.

 

The battery is only a year old and has only been used a couple of times as it 's in my spare key.

 

I think my key did the same thing. The FOB has been dead for awhile (I can't remember what the battery(s) to replace is. So, I used the ignition key to open the door. It had a hard time, and would not put the windows or top down. But after I drove it the key now performs those functions. In fact, now I think BOTH keys activate the locks and windows. There's gotta be something in those keys that shuts down if the car has not been started in a long time.I keep a trickle charger near to charge the main battery regularly.

Do you know the number on the key FOB batteries?

Ken

 

I have come across a similar problem.
I have 2 x types on the road, if I leave either one of them for approx. 2 weeks, the keyfob will not unlock the car, but when unlocking the car with the key and then starting the car, afterwards the keyfob works fine again.
This is the same on both of my x types, so it looks like this must be a design feature ?

Paul.