key fob battery constantly dying

paradigm · 10-04-2025, 09:38 AM

I keep replacing my key fob batteries on my 2022 SS 1LE and within a few days to a few weeks the batteries are dead. I am going to change it again from a generic online brand to Duracell and see if it improves.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is the faraday pouch killing it faster because it is trying to keep communicate with the car when its in that pouch and unable to?

bishopts · 10-04-2025, 10:43 AM

Are you sure it's dying?
I was having a problem with mine not long ago and it seemed like it was dying, i would put a battery in it and the buttons would work again. Sometimes. But come to find out it was the remote control door lock receiver.
I learned that when it would fail , i would put the key in the rear cup holder for a little while and then it would work again. The symptoms were pretty much identical to dead fob battery.

Ventmaster · 10-04-2025, 03:30 PM

That is an interesting question about the faraday pouch. I learned the hard way with my cell phone. I would put it in my locker at beginning of work and when I was ready to leave it was dead. I assume it was trying to reach the mother ship and died trying.
However, as I understand it (big caveat there, LOL!) the fob is identifying itself all the time and when it's close to the car, the car will recognize it (hopefully). I don't think it would try any harder to escape the faraday because even if you didn't have a pouch for the fob, it would spend a great deal of time not in communication with the car. I assume you feel the car is vulnerable, but have you tried not using the pouch for a few days to rule out the possible cause?

speedyink1 · 10-05-2025, 10:58 AM

Cell phones will definitely die faster when they have no service, as they're constantly trying to reconnect.

I've been having an issue with my fob since replacing the battery. It keeps deciding it doesn't want to work, until I pop the cover off and put the cover back on. Then it will work fine for a day or two and do it again.

Ray3768 · 10-05-2025, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedyink1

Cell phones will definitely die faster when they have no service, as they're constantly trying to reconnect.

I've been having an issue with my fob since replacing the battery. It keeps deciding it doesn't want to work, until I pop the cover off and put the cover back on. Then it will work fine for a day or two and do it again.

Look for a bad solder joint on the battery mount. That could explain the intermittent nature of the problem. I'm not saying this is a problem with these particular fobs, just troubleshooting 101 for circuit boards with battery mounts. If you find a weak joint, hit it with an iron to reflow the solder.

-Ray

2SS Capt · 10-05-2025, 06:13 PM

Funny this should come up, just today I finally replaced the battery in my FOB for my 2020 2SS, it was the original battery and made it 5 years and 9 months... It lives in a Faraday pouch which will have no effect on the battery life...

You are correct about cell phones, they try to use the minimum transmit power necessary in order to maximize battery life, but if it somewhere that greatly reduces signal (metal locker, airplane (when not in airplane mode)) it will crank up the power to try to reach a cell tower and the battery usage will go way up...

danomar · 10-05-2025, 08:44 PM

This might or might not be relevant: I replaced the battery in my fob after it died while driving (an interesting experience in itself) a month ago and noticed that the part that contacts the positive side of the battery was not completely connecting. At first, the fob was not working. In an effort to figure it out, I discovered it worked when I had the fob in two pieces and held the battery in. I then bent out the tangs inside and then did my best to hold the battery in while putting the two halves together—which is not how GM shows. It has been working fine since then.

It might be worth taking a look at the metal part that contacts the (positive) side of the battery.
HTH

ctrlz · 10-08-2025, 11:31 AM

You have two fobs, and batteries are going dead in both?
I do not think it's the batteries.

speedyink1 · 10-08-2025, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray3768

Look for a bad solder joint on the battery mount. That could explain the intermittent nature of the problem. I'm not saying this is a problem with these particular fobs, just troubleshooting 101 for circuit boards with battery mounts. If you find a weak joint, hit it with an iron to reflow the solder.

-Ray

I'm first trying bending the spring contacts that the battery sits on top of out a bit so maybe they make better contact. (They were looking pretty flush with the board). So far seems to be working pretty good. Will report back if it needs something more.

10-04-2025, 09:38 AM	#1
paradigm Drives: 2022 Camaro 1SS 1LE Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 430	key fob battery constantly dying I keep replacing my key fob batteries on my 2022 SS 1LE and within a few days to a few weeks the batteries are dead. I am going to change it again from a generic online brand to Duracell and see if it improves. Has anyone else experienced this? Is the faraday pouch killing it faster because it is trying to keep communicate with the car when its in that pouch and unable to?

10-05-2025, 06:13 PM	#6
2SS Capt 2020 Shadow Gray 2SS Drives: 2020 2SS - A10, NPP, MRC, CAI Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: SoCal Posts: 3,690	Funny this should come up, just today I finally replaced the battery in my FOB for my 2020 2SS, it was the original battery and made it 5 years and 9 months... It lives in a Faraday pouch which will have no effect on the battery life... You are correct about cell phones, they try to use the minimum transmit power necessary in order to maximize battery life, but if it somewhere that greatly reduces signal (metal locker, airplane (when not in airplane mode)) it will crank up the power to try to reach a cell tower and the battery usage will go way up... __________________ 2020 SGM 2SS - A10, NPP, MRC, Red Calipers, Black Fender Badge, Footwell Lighting *After delivery:* - GMP CAI, GMP Black Strut Tower Brace, MRR017 1LE Wheels, SS Armrest, Black Fuel Door, Stainless Pedals, SS Wheel Caps, GM Splash Guards, DD Smoked LED Markers, Smoked Rear Reflectors, Mishimoto Catch Can, Xpel PPF-Full Front & Rockers, 35% Tint, CeramicPro coated, RST Stainless Brake Lines, Castrol SRF, MSD Plug Wires, Mamo V3 Ported TB *Left: My "fun" ride (455 HP). Right: My "work" ride (52,000 HP): a Gulfstream G600. One's top speed is 180 Mph, the other, 620 Mph. BOTH AWESOME to operate...* Last edited by 2SS Capt; 10-05-2025 at 11:28 PM.

10-04-2025, 10:43 AM	#2
bishopts Drives: 2017 2ss 6mt Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: dallas Posts: 952	Are you sure it's dying? I was having a problem with mine not long ago and it seemed like it was dying, i would put a battery in it and the buttons would work again. Sometimes. But come to find out it was the remote control door lock receiver. I learned that when it would fail , i would put the key in the rear cup holder for a little while and then it would work again. The symptoms were pretty much identical to dead fob battery.

10-04-2025, 03:30 PM	#3
Ventmaster Drives: 2017 1SS 6spd Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Utah Posts: 3,022	That is an interesting question about the faraday pouch. I learned the hard way with my cell phone. I would put it in my locker at beginning of work and when I was ready to leave it was dead. I assume it was trying to reach the mother ship and died trying. However, as I understand it (big caveat there, LOL!) the fob is identifying itself all the time and when it's close to the car, the car will recognize it (hopefully). I don't think it would try any harder to escape the faraday because even if you didn't have a pouch for the fob, it would spend a great deal of time not in communication with the car. I assume you feel the car is vulnerable, but have you tried not using the pouch for a few days to rule out the possible cause?

10-05-2025, 10:58 AM	#4
speedyink1 Drives: 2023 Camaro 1SS 1LE 6MT Join Date: Nov 2023 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 552	Cell phones will definitely die faster when they have no service, as they're constantly trying to reconnect. I've been having an issue with my fob since replacing the battery. It keeps deciding it doesn't want to work, until I pop the cover off and put the cover back on. Then it will work fine for a day or two and do it again.

10-05-2025, 08:44 PM	#7
danomar Drives: 2017 2LT V6 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 97	This might or might not be relevant: I replaced the battery in my fob after it died while driving (an interesting experience in itself) a month ago and noticed that the part that contacts the positive side of the battery was not completely connecting. At first, the fob was not working. In an effort to figure it out, I discovered it worked when I had the fob in two pieces and held the battery in. I then bent out the tangs inside and then did my best to hold the battery in while putting the two halves together—which is not how GM shows. It has been working fine since then. It might be worth taking a look at the metal part that contacts the (positive) side of the battery. HTH

10-08-2025, 11:31 AM	#8
ctrlz Drives: 2017 2SS, 50th pkg, M6, MRC, NPP Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Ocean City, NJ Posts: 3,558	You have two fobs, and batteries are going dead in both? I do not think it's the batteries.

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