Thanks for the link to the batteries! I have a R57 with the same fob, so I'll be saving this for when those batteries eventually fail.

I had 2 keys, sent one off to EBay and it didn’t work, so had it refunded. Decided to give this a go with the second key. Worked a treat! Saved me £165! Should’ve done it myself to begin with.

We did this for my key. At first it would not allow it to unlock the car. However, it was able to start the ignition. Once the ignition worked the unlock and lock functions work amazingly. Thank you for the video!

Many thanks buddy!!! Thanks for your time and video!!! All the best to you!!!

Cheers Nick, worked just fine and didn't cut myself with the blade 😀

@tinawindham6958

2 жыл бұрын

Can u pick the batteries up local or did u order them? I left my fob outside and I think it got wet. Thank u

@shaoo5947

2 жыл бұрын

No I ordered specific one off eBay. If got wet though that maybe a different story, but the battery kit is cheap so worth a try. If I were you, when you split the fob, clean with a lot of pure alcohol and or contact cleaner before soldering the new battery in.

@TheBigJuice100

11 ай бұрын

Dude the back of the key fob has a door that easily pops open. There is a tab there.

Hi mate. Thank you so much for this video. I cannot find a new battery anywhere like the old one. I do know it's a 180. Will the newer different style 180 VL2020 still work? Thanks mate from the UK.

I have replaced the battery with a brand new one and the message is still being displayed. Is there anything I need to do to reset the warning?

Good video. I found it easier and safer to hold the fob gently in a vice and cut through the glued seam with a junior hacksaw (carefully). Agree with you remarks but in fairness BMW replaced this design with a screwed-togther one, hence some of the replies here.

Would this work on a 62 Falcon?

You are a genius Nick, thanks for the help!!! I agree this is a really poor design; actually a money making design for BMW😂.

I have an R56 and the battery is rechargeable. If the battery dies, you recharge by putting fob in the ignition and driving. If you can’t open door with dead fob then remove the key to open door by pushing metal button on the back of fob and releasing the key. Then start car with fob and it will recharge once you drive a bit.

@vbalnut

Жыл бұрын

There's a window within which this works. After a certain point the battery won't recharge not matter how much you put it in and drive. We found out the hard way. We had a key we used all the time and one we never used. The never used one died and (in 8+ years) hasn't been able to be revived.

@stever1412

10 ай бұрын

That's for the later years with the n18 engine

@richardjsdavis

7 ай бұрын

@@vbalnut Thanks for this - I think this is what I've got with my spare fob... When I bought the car, the spare worked perfectly. As it's the spare, it sat around for a few months not doing anything, but then I stumbled across a post that made me aware that it was a rechargeable key and needs using from time to time. I took the car out that day using it, and the rev counter computer warned me that the battery in the key was low. This disappeared by the end of the drive, and I sought to remember to use it every few weeks to keep it live and charged.. The next time I went to use it, a few weeks later, the fob unlocked the car just fine, started the car just fine, but then would not lock the car at the end of the drive!! With some experimentation, I discovered that for some reason, the spare key fob wouldn't lock the doors until after a good 3/4 minutes had passed after you'd finished driving and turned the car off. I don't know why. After this 3/4 minute period had passed, it would then unlock and lock the car without any issues, until you drove the car again, then you'd have to wait. Again. It was a bit weird. Now... the fob won't unlock or lock the car at all. However, it will start the car once the fob has been inserted into the fobslot. (For example, I can unlock with the main key, and then start the car with the spare without problem). Once the car has been started, there are no "low battery" warnings on the rev counter computer, so it doesn't appear that the fob battery is low, but it still won't either unlock or lock the car at all. To get into the car with the spare, you have to unlock it with the removable key, the car alarm will then go off, and insert the fob to stop the alarm - the car will then start fine. The main key works fine with no issues. #frustrated!

@JaneFraser101

6 ай бұрын

​@@vbalnut I'm having this problem now, thanks to lock-down and extended WFH. My spare is dead dead. I may need to do this soon

Спасибо, очень интересно!

Nick. Where did you get that rear bumper diffuser at??? Thanks!

@NickSabella

6 ай бұрын

Its custom. The previous owner made it!

They must have received a pile of hate for this, because the battery is fully repleacable in the newer gen minis (I drive an F56)

@zuowang5185

2 ай бұрын

yea mine is super easy to take out

Hi Nick,i had an issue with my Mini key fob.While Lock/Unlock/Trunk is working perfectly , ignition doesnt work.i changed battery cause it was low but nothing changed.What can i do?Thanks in advance

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

I would try another key if you have one. It could also be the starter or a blown fuse or relay related to ignition. Could be the key receiver, ignition switch, or start button as well. If it's a manual, it could even be a bad neutral safety switch. Unfortunately, a lot of things can result in the car not cranking.

@julianriera

11 ай бұрын

I have the same problem, were you able to solve it?

Hiiii, i did this with my mini key but it didn't work afterwards :( I think i messed around maybe too much with it. It does open the car but wont register when I put it in, do you have any advice?? Or is there any way to drive the car with just the physical key that you pull out? WHY DID THEY MAKE THIS KEY SO HARD TO REPLACE!? ridiculous

@NickSabella

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately I think if something was damaged internally, you will need a new key

@PneumaticFrog

2 жыл бұрын

She might have broken it or she forgot the chip in the key. It falls out when you try and put it back together sometimes

@tinawindham6958

2 жыл бұрын

I’m with you. A key fob that costs 350$ new to replace! Plus if you aren’t technical it’s hard trying to understand what some of this means. I miss my 58 Apache truck. Simple. No premium gas, no key fob…no expensive break job.

My key has stopped unlocking/locking the car remotely, but works in the ignition. Will replacing the battery fix it? It is the original battery from 2007.

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

Yes. That was the case with mine as well

@cgcanada88

Жыл бұрын

@@NickSabella Oh good, I just ordered the correct battery, hopefully it will resolve the issue.

@JaneFraser101

6 ай бұрын

I have this issue. I can drive the car with it and unlock using the manual key, but can't use the buttons to lock/unlock and it doesn't charge when driving... I still have my main key which works fine. So maybe I should just leave it..??

@cgcanada88

6 ай бұрын

@@JaneFraser101 I replaced the battery but it required soldering. It works fine.

@JaneFraser101

6 ай бұрын

@@cgcanada88 thanks, I might give it a try - after I unearth my soldering iron after a recent move that is!

That's insane. Damn ! Mini suck!. 3k for my clutch change out now this.

@tinawindham6958

2 жыл бұрын

Bill…anything to do with BMW is pricey. I’ve had 4 minis and a 325i and it was awful just doing a break job. My countryman will b my last but I hope I can drive it til I die. The key fob was 350$ for a new one.

@scapegraceuk

Жыл бұрын

Just paid nearly £2k for my clutch (Mini Countryman R60) and I thought that was bad!😮

Did your car start with the dead battery? I'm getting the orange key warning light and my car won't start.

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

Yes my car was still able to start with the dead battery

7:22 Jesus that's not a mini it's a monster 😂

sitting in my mini with a dead fob… in Michigan… i recognize this one

@tonyold8755

Жыл бұрын

Sitting in Michigan looking at the ticking bomb that is my mini fob

mine was "dead". i left it in its slot in the car driving around for a week and now it's alive

Can you take it to the dealer to replace

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

I don't believe so. I think they'll just sell you a new key

@Melissawhall

4 ай бұрын

Yes, for nearly $600

This seems like a whole mess I just can’t do. Do you know where I can get this done? A mechanic? Hahah

@kellyfairless3272

Жыл бұрын

I'd take it to a phone repair place first. I know too many mechanics. 😄

I agree - this is very ugly. I hope others learn from Mini - this is an example of how not to do it.

My 2011 has to be cut open.

@Timber81

Жыл бұрын

To follow up. I cut the box open.i found no burnt or cold solder anywhere. After alot of time and money I sold the car. It broke down several times. Always the same problem. I'm going to buy an Ebike! Lol

This guy is easy to listen to but watch a few other videos first

Helpful but would have been more helpful if you did not do some of the word outside of camera range. Outrageous that BMW/MINI did this Quite obviously their effort to make most people buy a new fob.

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I didn’t notice until it was too late. Sorry about that.

A lot of people in this comment section not realizing or understanding that there are 2 different types of FOBs for this pos. One that's changed like this, and one that isn't fucking stupid lol My Mini is the funnest car I've ever driven...I'll NEVER buy another one lol That car is nothing but dealing with shit like this, CONSTANTLY

They think it's ok for the design because they charge $350 for a $20 part. It's ridiculous and probably the worst thing about Mini's.

@MegaVinny73

9 ай бұрын

That's why they are called main "stealers" It app The intent is there from the outset, to rip off a customer down steam when a tiny battery needs replacing. I've got to do this with both fobs.

I've seen quite a few of these second generation MINI key repair videos and this is one of the worst. While I do MINI key repair on the side, I'm not here trolling for business. I am trying to stop the average MINI owner from destroying their key. Nick is correct in that these keys are not meant to be repaired but there is a safe way to open them and this video does not show it. It is just so easy to poke a knife or whatever in too far inside of the key and destroy the microswitches and knock off critical components. After that happens your key can be much harder and more expensive to repair or it might not be repairable at all. Problems with this video, in order: 1- Hot glue is not a permanent solution in any way for one of these shells. It's for stage props and costumes and chances are by now Nick's key has come apart again. 2- Don't try to re-use the solder- any place you solder should be cleaned up of old solder using solder wick. 3- These keys are sonically welded meaning the two halves of the shell are fused together- no glue. Don't start jabbing an Xacto knife or any other type of knife in there as it's too easy to cut components off of the circuit board. 4- Nick should be wearing gloves. I'm surprised his hands don't look like hamburger. 5- Nick sped up the actual cutting open of the key. This is the problem with most of these videos; they don't actually show you how difficult it really is to cut these keys open. Look closely, he's just jabbing and cutting and prying it open with wild abandon. This method very often leads to cut up hands and a destroyed circuit board. I know because MINI owners contact me for help after they have half-destroyed their key after watching one of these many key-repair videos. I have many pictures of what these keys look like after being opened by the owner. There is a safe and quick way to open these shells and this isn't it. 6- DO NOT stick that metal spudger in the circuit board across the battery. Lithium batteries will heat up and explode if shorted. Not immediately, but the heat will build up and it can happen. Also, the spudger could conduct stray electricity to a component on the circuit board. 7- The proper way to hold small electronics when working on them is to use a small bench vice. Holding and soldering leads to sloppy work. 8- Again, sped up video when putting the key back together not actually showing you how to do one of the hard parts. Nick is lucky his repair worked and his key survived. I have seen countless others that have gone wrong.

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

I'm sorry, the worst one? I work on electronics all the time. I wouldn't consider myself lucky, I'm just careful. You do make some very valid points in your comment however. 1. You are correct, the glue came apart and has since been replaced with super glue. 2. Sure. You risk the chance of ending up with cracked solder joints down the road if you reuse the solder. I did add more to help, but if you want to be really sure, remove the old solder before installing the new battery 3. You never said what you would consider the proper way to open this without an xacto knife. I think an xacto knife is fine if you're careful and don't cut too far into the key. 4. Yeah gloves are a good idea. Once again, I'm careful and a little prick of an xacto knife isn't going to kill me. 5. I explained in the video that this is hard and time consuming. Its sped up to give them an idea. I'm not going to post a 2 hour video of me slowly cutting open a key. 6. You're right, use plastic to pry on the battery. However, the battery was completely dead and not going to explode. 7. Its a key not a computer and you're only soldering two solder joints. Don't go out and buy extra stuff just to replace a key battery. This video is fine for a key battery replacement. It shows that an average person can replace the battery with minimal tools. Worst thing that happens is you mess up one of the components with the knife. At that point, just buy a new key.

@fumeokid

Жыл бұрын

I agree...cutting it open you have a 50/50 chance or higher of damaging the components when the blade is cutting the plastic. The circuit board is way too close to the perimeter of the plastic shell.If you google replacing the battery on a Mini Cooper FOB there are countless people who have damaged their FOBS using this method.

@stever1412

10 ай бұрын

100% trolling for business

@tomscott4644

7 ай бұрын

Okay, so what is the right way to do it?

@brucehart5378

Ай бұрын

@@stever1412 100% not trolling for business. Not sure how long my waiting list was at the time of my first comment but I just checked and it's well over 150 owners. I do this on the side and have a full time job among other things. I don't need more work but I do need owners to stop watching videos like this and attempting to repair their keys with a box cutter.

Turn the loud music off !

WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE THE RING OFF THE FOB!!! SMDH!!!😖😖😖

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

:( sorry

@meowunboxing6919

4 ай бұрын

Mine removed very easily with a little pressure. It's not a complete ring.

100% NOT how the battery is replaced, there’s the little back panel that you just pop off with a little screwdriver or even your fingernail. Takes about 5 seconds. Don’t listen to this guy and risk messing your FOB up.

@NickSabella

5 ай бұрын

That is only true for 2nd gen minis with comfort access. 90% of r56 owners have a key like mine without the removable back. You would have seen that the back of my key is not removable if you watched the video

That is absolutely NOT the correct way to replace that battery. It literally takes less than 1 minute to remove the small circular back cover, change the battery, and snap it back in. There is a point on the back of the fob (under the unlock button, on the back of the fob). Between that point and the smaller circular cover is a space. Use a key or butter knife or something small and sturdy to pry off the cover. The battery sits inside this cover. Change it out and snap the cover back in. That’s it! 60 Seconds!

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

You are wrong. That’s definitely how to change an f56 battery. And I think that’s how you change an r56 with the comfort entry package. But you cannot change the battery in my fob that way. You didn’t watch the video.

@stevenvictx

Жыл бұрын

Mine is a 2015 and has the pop off battery from the back, at some point they must of gave up on the rechargeable battery idea.

@NickSabella

Жыл бұрын

@@stevenvictx yes my wife’s 2019 was one of the easiest key fob batteries I’ve ever changed

@wenlin6936

Жыл бұрын

Mine don’t have the slot to pop it out

@sshaunss

Жыл бұрын

Your wrong this is definitely how to change if you don’t have the back cover I’ve done it twice it’s a pain