I don't think that the internal crystal appreciates that. I've seen cases where similar crystals broke from a single fall. Also, considering the zero ducks that this manufaturer gives on right to repair, probably they've used the cheapest model available.
Granted this is mostly a SMD shop, but how do you think replacement eyelets get set for through hole work after repairing board damage? Jeweler's anvil and ball peen hammer lol.
The battery is NiMH rechargeable and is wirelessly charged when inserted into the ignition. Should last several years with daily use. If you have two key fobs, make sure to alternate using them so they both keep charged or else the unused fob battery can fail from long term discharge. I had this model car years ago and changed the batteries myself. Opened the fobs by applying pressure (squeezing) to the case until it popped open. Used adhesive to seal them again.
@@loonysam506 Because it's a rechargeable battery, if the charge circuit is working in the car and fob it's not necessary to replace it while it can still hold a charge.
Tbf, there's bound to be some adventurer that got seriously wet, and his fob still worked. That's RRs reason to exist. They're not very good at it anymore, but that might be the intention.
What a pain in the butt! It really irks me that companies do this to people. That's why I don't feel so bad about driving a 20 year old car. Thanks Alex.
@@patrickcannell2258the enviro mental ists seem to be fine with planed failure of products. Even though it goes against their whole stated belief system.
I use one of those quick grip clamps to put pressure on the button side so your not squeezing the sides of the board, then heat up an exacto knife and cut the ultrasonic weld apart. Works pretty decent.
The blade of the key is attached to the pivot piece with a small roll pin, you should be able to press the roll pin out and swap the blade onto the pivot that came with the replacement housing 👍
I had the very same issue with my own fob for an Audi TT, Alex. It is definitely a problem to force us to go back the main dealer. Well, they have had enough of my money. They conned me with their devious tactics already, I refuse to pay them another penny. With people like you, we will find a solution.
You are really making a name for yourself and your company! I have read and heard about some of the clients you are doing business with and it really shows you are good at this. Plus its fun for me to watch and learn.
The plastic on those keyfobs are typically made of ABS or an ABS composite. Gentle heat (240-250°C) and some acetone (works like flux) should do the trick. Heating the blade can help, but only if you put the fob in a vice. Edit: Tiny, very tiny amounts of acetone. Use a swab, dropper, or syringe. Edit 2: (Instructions Unclear) (1) Apply heat on one side for about 10 seconds, **keep** the reflow/heat gun **moving** (2) Apply **small** amount of acetone, part will cool slightly. (3) Apply more heat, **keep moving** the reflow, and **do not** heat longer than 10 seconds (4) Apply second dose of acetone, part should be shiny and soft, if not repeat steps 1 & 2 (5) Once part is shiny and soft, use knife/razer to cut *NOTE:* It's best to apply heat and acetone along the seam/mold line
@@twitch54304 Yeah same, though I usually work with 3D printed stuff. Sometimes I'll "weld" stuff together. If I have two pieces that fit together with pegs/dowels/notches, I'll soften with acetone, then use a junk solder iron and some waste filament to sort of fill in the gaps. Though I have to do that kinda stuff in the garage because fumes lolol.
Ford key fobs are similar, but easier to open. I have just replaced the Panasonic VL2020 in a 2016 Transit key fob. The dealership said it couldn't be done and that it would cost €350 for a replacement key. I cracked the case with a combination of a circlip pliers and a screwdriver and I was fortunately able to superglue it back together with no visible damage. I warned the owner that it would no longer be watertight, but this wasn't an issue, as they had never realised that it was meant to be watertight 😀 As for the fragile pupils, after many years I learned to wear eye protection on the day I was desoldering a connection and flipped a blob of molten solder straight into my eyeball. It hurt like hell, but I was lucky and there was no lasting damage.
I’m a locksmith and this is perplexing. The best bet would be to use a universal remote that has shell and battery that can be seperated easily for battery and board changes
How do you not have this figured out Alex. They designed the fob to be extremely hard to break into so you would give up and come back to them for a new one. Classic business strategy 👌
We replace key batteries and shell on lots of car keys... the easiest way to open them without damage to the PCB is use snap ring pliers. Insert plier in the space behind the metal flip round part as the the key flips into the open position... insert plier and case will simply snap open. Takes like 5 seconds.. 😊
ummmm did you watch the video ? the entire fob is ultrasonically welded ,, im sorry but your little idea wont work here since you know after the weld its like one piece of plastic
With the help of superfine precision plyers I was able to open the shell that much😅 30 seconds earlier hammering the god out of it with superfine precision hammer😂 You really made my day Alex. Keep up with the good work! If You cant fix it, no one cant fix it 🙂
Alex you're the best I really like your analysis of how manufactures make it difficult to service their products. You are so "real" how you explain things, Thanks
They want to make it difficult not as the ultimate aim, but that hard difficulty is to serve the money making, because only they have tools/replacement.
@@ksenchyAgreed. With newer cars that have keyless entry...the fob is essential. My Honda battery lasts about a year...no problem just pry it open with the key tip and replace the $2 battery...2 minute job. If you can afford a Land Rover then you can afford a 1000 fob 😂
You need a vice on your bench, if you squeeze it in a vice it will pop open, side to side squeeze not top to bottom or front to back, most of the molded pieces i do this with pop apart or at least give you the ability to access them for removal of components, thank you Alex for the content, excellent as always!
I was able to successfully find a short in one of my car's modules and change the capacitor to fix the problem. Additionally, I replaced the HDMI port on my secondary monitor and did a better job than the factory. However, my soldering station is garbage, and I'm using a webcam as a microscope (It works!). Nevertheless, I used hot air while soldering, and it went well without breaking any pads. All of this was accomplished on my first attempt. I learned all of these techniques from your videos. Unfortunately, I am currently unable to send you anything or order something as a token of my gratitude. However, I have your videos playing on all the devices I own, 24/7, and I'm truly enjoying the work you do all over the place.
I think the battery is soldered because it is not meant to be depleted. A similar battery is found in bmw x5 2010 key fob. While searching online it turned out that there is a coil inside the key insertion area which will charge the key battery while driving. I had a similar issue for unused key for bmw x5 and the battery was in very bad condition (rusty) i had to desolder it and solder a new battery for it.
Whoever designed that never owned a car they had to drive themself. Most people will use one key and have the second as a spare that will see next to no usage, either in a drawer at home or on their spouse's keyring. That spare will be dead and useless in no time.
On some BMW models the keyfob battery is charging wireless if the key is inserted in keyhole.Also the battery is soldered on the PCB.Maybe that's why the shell is rock solid.Also seling more keyfobs for same car is a good business :)
Not sure about this one, but most flip keys have a pin in the hinge, that holds the key in. If you remove the pin, you can use the original key with the replacement fob hinge.
The best way to cut through the plastic is to use a multi-tool with a fine blade that is a vibrating like hacksaw and you can cut through the edge of the plastic without any trouble and then just split it apart.
Hi Alex, you can try using gasoline for softening the glue within the plastic pieces, adding a bit with a syringe with the needle on the gaps, waiting a bit for the glue to soften, prying with a flat plastic tool, adding more gasoline, and repeat until it's open. It all depends on the type of glue they use, maybe it does not apply to this, paint thinner and acetone also works but it damages and melts the plastic if it's ABS based. Just use the fume extractor for safety. Greetings.
Opend a few of these. No easy task, but my method who I found easiest were acetone and a carpet knife. Applied aceton with a needle bottle at the same time pressing the carpetknife in the groove along the sides. Aceton disolve the plastic like it´s melting. Tried dremel with a cuttingblade, but created a big mess with plastic dust and burnt particles all over. Aceton was best way even if it demands patience.
Even VW keyfob is done like this. When I replaced my keyfob housing I also had to break apart the housing using reverse pliers to just push apart the fob. If you try to push the pin inside the fob you'll damage the IR chip making it impossible to start the car.
Alex to get working a scissor key you need to make more turns on the spring. Than it will work like a charm 😉👍 Than the spring will have more power to open/move the scissor to the end of shell scissor runner. Best wishes 😉✋
I’ve changed a few of these over the years, 90 degree snap ring pliers pop them cases open in a few seconds, With the blade flipped open slide them into the small gap under the blade and squeeze the pliers and pop, it’s open 👌
Hi Alex, here in Brasil have a cosmetic nail paint remover named banana oil, I use this along the plastic junction and wait 5 minutes. These work almost times to open hard cases, note it's make plastic damage so use this with careful.
I am working for a Tier 1 Company which produces this type of FOBs. Mostly we are only producing them and the design is solely coming from customer. To answer your question The OEM does not have any interest in making this FOBs repairable since the battery lasts more then 5 year way past the warranty limit. Their only interest is to make the key as sealed as possible ( standard IP64 - water and dust protection) to avoid corrosion and short circuits.
Die grinder would be a good option for sure, Could just tip a cardboard box (or plastic tub etc) on its side and do the cutting in there, outside is another option, and so on..... Or apply more heat like he did but get it more soft to pry open, If it sounds like it's lightly cracking, it might have gf in the casing....
Alex had to get out the he hammer! Heck yeah! I seriously dont know why anyone would even buy anything Land Rover after this. It might seem trivial, but it lets you know exactly how the company thinks of you as the consumer. Excellent job Alex, I use hot air to get into many sealed up housings as well.
Just discovered that the VL2330 batteries in the fob are rechargeable batteries... Guess they expected them to last forever so they sealed them up tight? Here's a quote from the owner's manual... _" - Remote battery - The remote control batteries are recharged when the remote is docked and the engine is running. For this reason it is recommended that each remote is used periodically. This will ensure that the batteries are kept charged and ready for use."_ It's great that they are rechargeable but not so great that you have to be in the car to do that. A replaceable charge port for those occasions when the lock or key is broken and an easier to replace battery would have been great.
I've done this job on my brothers Discovery, a bit of a pain but I don't remember it being that difficult. Landrover keys are designed to be run over and still work.
Well, I gotta hand it to Land Rover engineers for designing a key fob that can be run over even if it's supposed to be in the ignition for the SUV move. Land Rover owners must be a special breed.
Alex, Just for information….. whenever I see the brown insulation sleeve on a Lithium cell I suspect it is rechargeable. The cell in that key fob is a VL2330 and it is rechargeable. No idea how the fob gets recharged in use though ! This is why it is soldered to the PCB as it is expected to last a very long time. Great repair work and I totally agree, the case should be screwed together to permit servicing.
For future reference, and to make your life a lot easier, when dealing with these Land Rover FOBs. Just keep applying heat, around the frame, until you feel the adhesive loosening up. The original plastic can take it, by not compromising the internals. As for the thickness of the blade, you have 2 models, HU101 Blade, and HU92 Blade. Wide key style is HU92, narrow style is HU101. If the customer requires a new board, there are 2 frequencies, to watch out for, that are used by both the HU92, and the HU101. Either 433MHZ or 315MHZ. North America as I'm sure you're aware is the 315MHZ.
need to knock out the pin holding the blank key blade in and put in the original key blade into the replacement flip mechanism, then it will open correctly
I had exactly the same experience with a Hyundai i20 key fob. Even the blade siezed the same in the replacement case. It was still cheaper than an original item so worth the effort.
تحياتي وسلامي لك اخي اسمي حسن ومن العراق-بغداد-انت متميز بذكئك وعملك واخلاقك واسلوبك-كنت انا مصلح اجهزه الكترونيه في بلدي العراق وساكن حاليا في السويد-انني اتابع جميع اعمالك واتمتع جدا وكانني اعمل معك-بودي ان ارشدك لطريقه سهله جدا لفتح هذه الاجهزه والطريقه هي وضع قطرات من \البنزين\بواسطه فرشاه صغيره علي الحافات المكبوسه من الريموت كونترول وتركه لمده عده دقائق وستري سهوله فتحه باول محاوله-تحياتي لك-
Why not just a regular dremel with a cutoff wheel? That was the first thought I had. A multi-tool could work but a cutoff wheel would be so much faster, just zip around a few times. I've used mine for similar purposes (getting into annoyingly sealed plastic cases).
Tech Tip: When i ran into situation like this in my old electronic repair shop days I'd break out the freeze spray ( inverted air in can would work for same effect). Freezing the glue joints and shocking the joint with a putty knife and hammer. Alternatively you could drop item to floor in a controlled manner after freezing. disclaimer:(always use appropriate PPE! safety glasses, gloves,proper ventilation)
I am so lucky that Mazda blade key fob has a screw and after you remove it, taking the whole thing apart is straightforward as well as putting it back together.
Mine had the same problem, both fobs ended up with the bits wearing off the front. got a replacement kit that came with a new case, spare buttons, and battery. really easy to fix. the battery is charged when the engine is running. the new blank key can be removed by taking the pin away from the hinge, then the key will fall out. do the same with the original key and file it a little until it fits the new hinge, place it back into the hinge and push the pin back in place to lock the key into the hinge.
The best way to open it is to freeze the piece and then hit the crease with a knife, it breaks exactly on the track without loss of material or flaws. I have been using this method for over 5 years to open notebook fonts
Looks like the holder and not the blade that was sticking. Did it not have a retaining pin to facilitate using the replacement holder that came with the fob case and just use the blade from the original.
I knock the pin out and remove the blade, file plenty of material off so it resembles the copied pin end and fit it back in the copied holder. Works every time
That old style Mercedes key switchblade fob was back in the mid '90s. I had a 1994 Mercedes S-Class that used that same exact key design. Back in that day I used to keep a car for at most 3 to 4 years.
Land-rover and Jaguar are owned by TATA industries from India. Since they bought the company they've just made sports models, not farming models used for farmers, their main intention on what they were built. ;)
2008 Land Rover, along with Jaguar Cars, was bought by Tata Motors from Ford in 2008. The two British brands were joined under Tata Motors to become Jaguar Land Rover Limited in 2013.
use a dremal tool with fine grinding wheel, use them for opening a walwort transformer when modifieing those transformers..... that dremal will cut right through that plastic.
Reminds me of the Pontiac GTO key/fob. Not entirely certain why they thought to sonically weld the fob portion of the key together but they did and boy what a pain to replace the battery when you’ve had your friend locked out from starting his own car
The case could be opened with a cutting disc on a Dremel. In addition, the case could be sanded with the same tool to make more room with the key to flip open/close.
Completely agree, I had to do a similar fix on a similar key of a Ford car, it was a nightmare, I had to dig through the plastic and basically destroy the old key, they were asking for 200 euro for replacing it, bought spare parts online for 18 euro.
I find it surprising that manufacturers haven't considered potting key fobs in resin or implementing resistance meshing to prevent the use of alternative batteries, thereby forcing vehicle owners to replace the entire ECM or vehicle in the event of a dead key battery.
Being a Land Rover, many owners will probably drop their keys in mud and water, that might be why they are sealed up. Did you remember to transfer the transponder chip from the old fob to the new one?
I recently saw where a mechanic had to remove the grille and front bumper including part of the AC condenser just to get to the windshield washer reservoir so that it could be refilled. When buying a vehicle theses days a consumer has to first go over the whole vehicle's maintenance practices like getting first hand mechanical knowledge on what is required to do these "simple" things. Looks like now, even the key fob will need to be added to the list and IF it comes to the fact that the average owner cannot do these things with little trouble then best keep looking for a vehicle that is much more owner friendly......
I had a Subaru Liberty years ago. I got so fed up with the key fob not working that I eventually soldered the battery connections myself. No more problems. A more recent Subaru has not shown the same issue, so perhaps they figured out how to get the contacts to work.
I was gonna say the fob is made that way for robustness and ingress protection. Then I saw the amount of crud on the pcb. Its just landrover getting extra $ out of the customer.
I was going to say the same. And given the number of keys Alex gets with water damage, it perhaps seemed a fair point. But this fob is the worst of both goals - obviously not waterproof, and not user serviceable either.😮 I suppose on the plus side (if there is one) it is at least robust.
Ford did something similar with battery on vans. But have a special battery that is expensive AF , but.. That battery is lifetime and never needed to be removed . I see keys from ford with over 20 years behind and the original battery are still charge and works perfectly !
I just checked my Fiat Cronos key out of curiosity, same style but you can easily take the back cover with some force and the battery holder is accesible.
Hi Alex There is an efficient way that I personally use in cases like this where the shell is super sealed which is pouring alcohol on the seam of the shell, and give it some time. The alcohol will erode the glue inside as well as the shell itself, then you can effortlessly open the fob.
It should be criminal to charge that much to replace the fob. Even my 2006 dodge was a ridiculous price from the dealer $300 per key...but they'd cut the key for free. lol I picked up 2 aftermarket fobs for $50 (Canadian) shipped, got them cut for $15 and then manually programmed them in the vehicle following a factory process for replacement keys. I did it in the dealer parking lot after their parts guy told me "there's no possible way it can work." He literally stood right there and watched as I did it and was astounded. He asked how I was able to do it and I showed him the 30 second google search followed by the forum post.
![Kodak Black - Versatile 4 [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VcP_1Ua__vY/mqdefault.jpg)
I never expected a hammer to be used on this channel.
I don't think that the internal crystal appreciates that. I've seen cases where similar crystals broke from a single fall. Also, considering the zero ducks that this manufaturer gives on right to repair, probably they've used the cheapest model available.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😀😁😂🤣😃
⛏⚒😂
Maybe he'll set an eyelet one of these days?
You know it's getting serious when an electronic tech pulls out a hammer lol
Granted this is mostly a SMD shop, but how do you think replacement eyelets get set for through hole work after repairing board damage? Jeweler's anvil and ball peen hammer lol.
Land Rover want You the owner to swear at Land Rover while the owner is walking home and his Land Rover remain in the mountains !
And why not change the camera angle so we can see.
The battery is NiMH rechargeable and is wirelessly charged when inserted into the ignition. Should last several years with daily use. If you have two key fobs, make sure to alternate using them so they both keep charged or else the unused fob battery can fail from long term discharge. I had this model car years ago and changed the batteries myself. Opened the fobs by applying pressure (squeezing) to the case until it popped open. Used adhesive to seal them again.
I think it is VL2020, that is lithium rechargeable battery. Same as BMW used few generations back.
It's lithium, uses almost zero current and mine are 16 years old and still hold a full charge
@@TheGalifrey really 16 years??
@@BioHazardGamingYt 2007 car, now 2023 - 16 years
Im a automotive tech that deal with key fobs like these often. I use a wireless toothbrush charger to charge fobs that are dead. Works every time.
"How are they going to change the battery? How?" That's the point, they don't. Just buy a new car.
Battery replacement on other cars is fairly simple, just remove the plastic cap on top of the fob but here you have to solder it on to the board. 😂
@@loonysam506 Because it's a rechargeable battery, if the charge circuit is working in the car and fob it's not necessary to replace it while it can still hold a charge.
@@M0UAW_IO83 Regardless. The car is 14 years old, eventually there's deterioration. No battery can hold a charge forever.
@@M0UAW_IO83rechargeable batteries have a charging cycle life. They don't last forever.
Tbf, there's bound to be some adventurer that got seriously wet, and his fob still worked.
That's RRs reason to exist. They're not very good at it anymore, but that might be the intention.
What a pain in the butt! It really irks me that companies do this to people. That's why I don't feel so bad about driving a 20 year old car. Thanks Alex.
😂 50yr old for me
Planned obsolescence. Stinks.
@@stu71disco what do you drive?
@@patrickcannell2258 Yeah I see it at work. Proprietary batteries, which when you open the *special* casing just contain a few AAA's.....
@@patrickcannell2258the enviro mental ists seem to be fine with planed failure of products. Even though it goes against their whole stated belief system.
I use one of those quick grip clamps to put pressure on the button side so your not squeezing the sides of the board, then heat up an exacto knife and cut the ultrasonic weld apart. Works pretty decent.
This guy is the Bob Ross of electronics repair. I watch even though I'm never going to attempt to do any of it.
Who?
I have no idea who Bob Ross is but this site owner is a genius .
He was a painter
Yup! 😂
The blade of the key is attached to the pivot piece with a small roll pin, you should be able to press the roll pin out and swap the blade onto the pivot that came with the replacement housing 👍
I had the very same issue with my own fob for an Audi TT, Alex. It is definitely a problem to force us to go back the main dealer. Well, they have had enough of my money. They conned me with their devious tactics already, I refuse to pay them another penny. With people like you, we will find a solution.
You are really making a name for yourself and your company! I have read and heard about some of the clients you are doing business with and it really shows you are good at this. Plus its fun for me to watch and learn.
The plastic on those keyfobs are typically made of ABS or an ABS composite.
Gentle heat (240-250°C) and some acetone (works like flux) should do the trick. Heating the blade can help, but only if you put the fob in a vice.
Edit:
Tiny, very tiny amounts of acetone. Use a swab, dropper, or syringe.
Edit 2:
(Instructions Unclear)
(1) Apply heat on one side for about 10 seconds, **keep** the reflow/heat gun **moving**
(2) Apply **small** amount of acetone, part will cool slightly.
(3) Apply more heat, **keep moving** the reflow, and **do not** heat longer than 10 seconds
(4) Apply second dose of acetone, part should be shiny and soft, if not repeat steps 1 & 2
(5) Once part is shiny and soft, use knife/razer to cut
*NOTE:* It's best to apply heat and acetone along the seam/mold line
You are cortect👍
I see we pretty much do it the same way lol. I use a “Quick Grip” instead of a vice because it holds tight yet it’s mobile
@@twitch54304
Yeah same, though I usually work with 3D printed stuff. Sometimes I'll "weld" stuff together.
If I have two pieces that fit together with pegs/dowels/notches, I'll soften with acetone, then use a junk solder iron and some waste filament to sort of fill in the gaps.
Though I have to do that kinda stuff in the garage because fumes lolol.
Hot Wire Cutter?
Dumb...
Ford key fobs are similar, but easier to open. I have just replaced the Panasonic VL2020 in a 2016 Transit key fob. The dealership said it couldn't be done and that it would cost €350 for a replacement key. I cracked the case with a combination of a circlip pliers and a screwdriver and I was fortunately able to superglue it back together with no visible damage. I warned the owner that it would no longer be watertight, but this wasn't an issue, as they had never realised that it was meant to be watertight 😀
As for the fragile pupils, after many years I learned to wear eye protection on the day I was desoldering a connection and flipped a blob of molten solder straight into my eyeball. It hurt like hell, but I was lucky and there was no lasting damage.
I’m a locksmith and this is perplexing. The best bet would be to use a universal remote that has shell and battery that can be seperated easily for battery and board changes
You still have to do soldering work to get the battery out 😂 brilliant engineering
The solution is easy and simple: NEVER BUY A LAND ROVER.
I thought the best bet would be an old-fashioned metal "key"?
Remember the RR design and manufacture was under BMW ownership and direction during the 00's so that probably explains a lot.
As a locksmith, wouldn't it be easier for thieves to break into homes if everyone used the same locks and keys w/ only their bitting changing?
How do you not have this figured out Alex. They designed the fob to be extremely hard to break into so you would give up and come back to them for a new one. Classic business strategy 👌
We replace key batteries and shell on lots of car keys... the easiest way to open them without damage to the PCB is use snap ring pliers. Insert plier in the space behind the metal flip round part as the the key flips into the open position... insert plier and case will simply snap open. Takes like 5 seconds.. 😊
Exactly that's what I used to do.
This is glued
ummmm did you watch the video ? the entire fob is ultrasonically welded ,, im sorry but your little idea wont work here since you know after the weld its like one piece of plastic
Opened both of mine using snap ring pliers and both cases survived! If the buttons hadn't worn out I could have resealed them after.
@@marksalot5035 Yes it does work, I did both my Land Rover keys using the snap ring plier method.
With the help of superfine precision plyers I was able to open the shell that much😅 30 seconds earlier hammering the god out of it with superfine precision hammer😂
You really made my day Alex. Keep up with the good work! If You cant fix it, no one cant fix it 🙂
Alex you're the best I really like your analysis of how manufactures make it difficult to service their products. You are so "real" how you explain things, Thanks
Tech tip: Next time use an old soldering iron with a small tip to melt/cut thru the plastic seams. Makes it fast and simple.
All companies want to make it harder and harder for DIY repairs so they deliberately make it more difficult!
They want to make it difficult not as the ultimate aim, but that hard difficulty is to serve the money making, because only they have tools/replacement.
Channing your battery is not repairing its maintenance
@@ksenchyAgreed. With newer cars that have keyless entry...the fob is essential. My Honda battery lasts about a year...no problem just pry it open with the key tip and replace the $2 battery...2 minute job. If you can afford a Land Rover then you can afford a 1000 fob 😂
Renault key card is easy to replace battery , and the key card works with dead battery inside the car using an induction loop
@@leetucker9938interesting
You need a vice on your bench, if you squeeze it in a vice it will pop open, side to side squeeze not top to bottom or front to back, most of the molded pieces i do this with pop apart or at least give you the ability to access them for removal of components, thank you Alex for the content, excellent as always!
I was able to successfully find a short in one of my car's modules and change the capacitor to fix the problem. Additionally, I replaced the HDMI port on my secondary monitor and did a better job than the factory. However, my soldering station is garbage, and I'm using a webcam as a microscope (It works!). Nevertheless, I used hot air while soldering, and it went well without breaking any pads. All of this was accomplished on my first attempt.
I learned all of these techniques from your videos. Unfortunately, I am currently unable to send you anything or order something as a token of my gratitude. However, I have your videos playing on all the devices I own, 24/7, and I'm truly enjoying the work you do all over the place.
I think the battery is soldered because it is not meant to be depleted. A similar battery is found in bmw x5 2010 key fob. While searching online it turned out that there is a coil inside the key insertion area which will charge the key battery while driving. I had a similar issue for unused key for bmw x5 and the battery was in very bad condition (rusty) i had to desolder it and solder a new battery for it.
Exactly that, it's a Panasonic VL2330 rechargeable cell so there's no need to replace it if the car and fob charging circuitry is working.
Whoever designed that never owned a car they had to drive themself.
Most people will use one key and have the second as a spare that will see next to no usage, either in a drawer at home or on their spouse's keyring. That spare will be dead and useless in no time.
@@M0UAW_IO83😂 rechargeable batteries are indistruttibile.
On some BMW models the keyfob battery is charging wireless if the key is inserted in keyhole.Also the battery is soldered on the PCB.Maybe that's why the shell is rock solid.Also seling more keyfobs for same car is a good business :)
And the customer will hate you. Which is also good business.
@@JerryMetal good point =))
Not sure about this one, but most flip keys have a pin in the hinge, that holds the key in. If you remove the pin, you can use the original key with the replacement fob hinge.
The best way to cut through the plastic is to use a multi-tool with a fine blade that is a vibrating like hacksaw and you can cut through the edge of the plastic without any trouble and then just split it apart.
Hi Alex, you can try using gasoline for softening the glue within the plastic pieces, adding a bit with a syringe with the needle on the gaps, waiting a bit for the glue to soften, prying with a flat plastic tool, adding more gasoline, and repeat until it's open. It all depends on the type of glue they use, maybe it does not apply to this, paint thinner and acetone also works but it damages and melts the plastic if it's ABS based. Just use the fume extractor for safety. Greetings.
usually there in no glue, they are ultrasonically welded ? SOME ARE AT LEAST..
@@josepeixoto3384ok
Opend a few of these. No easy task, but my method who I found easiest were acetone and a carpet knife. Applied aceton with a needle bottle at the same time pressing the carpetknife in the groove along the sides. Aceton disolve the plastic like it´s melting.
Tried dremel with a cuttingblade, but created a big mess with plastic dust and burnt particles all over. Aceton was best way even if it demands patience.
3:36 - This again is an anti-consumer process that forces the end user to use the dealer for replacement. It's a profit motive, pure and simple.
Great work as always! Glad my BMW doesn't suffer from this problem - changing fob battery is easy...
Even VW keyfob is done like this. When I replaced my keyfob housing I also had to break apart the housing using reverse pliers to just push apart the fob. If you try to push the pin inside the fob you'll damage the IR chip making it impossible to start the car.
Alex to get working a scissor key you need to make more turns on the spring. Than it will work like a charm 😉👍
Than the spring will have more power to open/move the scissor to the end of shell scissor runner.
Best wishes 😉✋
This is unjustifiable!
How could people not turn away from a company that treats them like this?
No, this is ignorance of how land rover keys work 🤣
@@TheGalifrey The real key is to stay away from the 2 litre Ingenium diesel engines..
I’ve changed a few of these over the years, 90 degree snap ring pliers pop them cases open in a few seconds,
With the blade flipped open slide them into the small gap under the blade and squeeze the pliers and pop, it’s open 👌
Hi Alex, here in Brasil have a cosmetic nail paint remover named banana oil, I use this along the plastic junction and wait 5 minutes. These work almost times to open hard cases, note it's make plastic damage so use this with careful.
I am working for a Tier 1 Company which produces this type of FOBs. Mostly we are only producing them and the design is solely coming from customer. To answer your question The OEM does not have any interest in making this FOBs repairable since the battery lasts more then 5 year way past the warranty limit. Their only interest is to make the key as sealed as possible ( standard IP64 - water and dust protection) to avoid corrosion and short circuits.
I reckon you might need a Dremel (and a grinding disk) in the workshop.
WAY too much FOD would be produced with that process. Maybe in a separate area sure but not on his actual rework bench.
Die grinder would be a good option for sure,
Could just tip a cardboard box (or plastic tub etc) on its side and do the cutting in there, outside is another option, and so on.....
Or apply more heat like he did but get it more soft to pry open,
If it sounds like it's lightly cracking, it might have gf in the casing....
That's ElectroBoom method😅
مشاء الله تبارك الرحمن يشرفني لما سمعت انك عربي هذا شرف كبير تحياتي لك من الجزائر ❤
Alex had to get out the he hammer! Heck yeah! I seriously dont know why anyone would even buy anything Land Rover after this. It might seem trivial, but it lets you know exactly how the company thinks of you as the consumer. Excellent job Alex, I use hot air to get into many sealed up housings as well.
I still scratch my head why anyone would buy a ford product yes LR and Jag are fords.
Hello Alex, I have done these with the Audi fob 2004 model. Ther was also an transponder in the fob that I needed to get the car started.
Just discovered that the VL2330 batteries in the fob are rechargeable batteries... Guess they expected them to last forever so they sealed them up tight?
Here's a quote from the owner's manual...
_" - Remote battery -
The remote control batteries are recharged when the remote is docked and the engine is running. For this reason it is recommended that each remote is used periodically. This will ensure that the batteries are kept charged and ready for use."_
It's great that they are rechargeable but not so great that you have to be in the car to do that. A replaceable charge port for those occasions when the lock or key is broken and an easier to replace battery would have been great.
I've done this job on my brothers Discovery, a bit of a pain but I don't remember it being that difficult. Landrover keys are designed to be run over and still work.
Well, I gotta hand it to Land Rover engineers for designing a key fob that can be run over even if it's supposed to be in the ignition for the SUV move. Land Rover owners must be a special breed.
Love the focus on safety as well. 👍🏻
Alex,
Just for information….. whenever I see the brown insulation sleeve on a Lithium cell I suspect it is rechargeable. The cell in that key fob is a VL2330 and it is rechargeable. No idea how the fob gets recharged in use though ! This is why it is soldered to the PCB as it is expected to last a very long time. Great repair work and I totally agree, the case should be screwed together to permit servicing.
could it get recharged through the key?
For future reference, and to make your life a lot easier, when dealing with these Land Rover FOBs. Just keep applying heat, around the frame, until you feel the adhesive loosening up. The original plastic can take it, by not compromising the internals. As for the thickness of the blade, you have 2 models, HU101 Blade, and HU92 Blade. Wide key style is HU92, narrow style is HU101.
If the customer requires a new board, there are 2 frequencies, to watch out for, that are used by both the HU92, and the HU101. Either 433MHZ or 315MHZ.
North America as I'm sure you're aware is the 315MHZ.
need to knock out the pin holding the blank key blade in and put in the original key blade into the replacement flip mechanism, then it will open correctly
I usually use a vise to "squeeze" laptop adapters when I need to open them, it helps a lot. Maybe it's also useful in your case.
I had exactly the same experience with a Hyundai i20 key fob. Even the blade siezed the same in the replacement case. It was still cheaper than an original item so worth the effort.
تحياتي وسلامي لك اخي اسمي حسن ومن العراق-بغداد-انت متميز بذكئك وعملك واخلاقك واسلوبك-كنت انا مصلح اجهزه الكترونيه في بلدي العراق وساكن حاليا في السويد-انني اتابع جميع اعمالك واتمتع جدا وكانني اعمل معك-بودي ان ارشدك لطريقه سهله جدا لفتح هذه الاجهزه والطريقه هي وضع قطرات من \البنزين\بواسطه فرشاه صغيره علي الحافات المكبوسه من الريموت كونترول وتركه لمده عده دقائق وستري سهوله فتحه باول محاوله-تحياتي لك-
Appreciated the irony of a land rover ad half way through
Hey Alex, Try using an Oscillating Multi Tool. Dremel makes a small size, and it will cut through the case of that keyfob like butter.
Why not just a regular dremel with a cutoff wheel? That was the first thought I had. A multi-tool could work but a cutoff wheel would be so much faster, just zip around a few times. I've used mine for similar purposes (getting into annoyingly sealed plastic cases).
multitool is the best way to thrash the fob and mangle the case it doesn't work.
It's the first time I've seen a technician use a hammer, good job.
"We can cut a couple of fingers in the process, easy"
Lol, tough job indeed. Kudoos to the well prepared customer.
Tech Tip: When i ran into situation like this in my old electronic repair shop days I'd break out the freeze spray ( inverted air in can would work for same effect). Freezing the glue joints and shocking the joint with a putty knife and hammer. Alternatively you could drop item to floor in a controlled manner after freezing. disclaimer:(always use appropriate PPE! safety glasses, gloves,proper ventilation)
An ultrasonic knife opens them nicely. You might want to build one as commercially available ones cost over a grand.
cool
I am so lucky that Mazda blade key fob has a screw and after you remove it, taking the whole thing apart is straightforward as well as putting it back together.
Mine had the same problem, both fobs ended up with the bits wearing off the front. got a replacement kit that came with a new case, spare buttons, and battery. really easy to fix. the battery is charged when the engine is running. the new blank key can be removed by taking the pin away from the hinge, then the key will fall out. do the same with the original key and file it a little until it fits the new hinge, place it back into the hinge and push the pin back in place to lock the key into the hinge.
LandRover doesn´t expect their products to outlive the key battery
Except they keep windows 2000's PC's going in order to programme keys for 80's model cars for the immobiliser.
The best way to open it is to freeze the piece and then hit the crease with a knife, it breaks exactly on the track without loss of material or flaws. I have been using this method for over 5 years to open notebook fonts
Looks like the holder and not the blade that was sticking. Did it not have a retaining pin to facilitate using the replacement holder that came with the fob case and just use the blade from the original.
I knock the pin out and remove the blade, file plenty of material off so it resembles the copied pin end and fit it back in the copied holder. Works every time
That old style Mercedes key switchblade fob was back in the mid '90s. I had a 1994 Mercedes S-Class that used that same exact key design. Back in that day I used to keep a car for at most 3 to 4 years.
Land-rover and Jaguar are owned by TATA industries from India. Since they bought the company they've just made sports models, not farming models used for farmers, their main intention on what they were built. ;)
2008
Land Rover, along with Jaguar Cars, was bought by Tata Motors from Ford in 2008. The two British brands were joined under Tata Motors to become Jaguar Land Rover Limited in 2013.
Use a small bench vise to squeeze the sides of the case. It works wonders
Hey. What I found works to open them fobs is external pliers. Let me know what you think.
Land Rover wants repair shops to make some money too. That's why they make things extremely difficult for customers to fix.
BMW E90's are the same way. I replaced both of my key fob's soldered batteries about a month ago. I used a hobby saw to cut the two halves in half.
For the key there is a small metal pin that can be pushed out, this is how you transfer the key to the new fob so that it all fits.
Love this channel. Keep teaching my guy.
These are new commercial policies, you can buy all you wish, but the real owner of that stuff is still and ever the manufacturer
use a dremal tool with fine grinding wheel, use them for opening a walwort transformer when modifieing those transformers..... that dremal will cut right through that plastic.
Precision work today, only the blow torch is missing.
Reminds me of the Pontiac GTO key/fob. Not entirely certain why they thought to sonically weld the fob portion of the key together but they did and boy what a pain to replace the battery when you’ve had your friend locked out from starting his own car
The case could be opened with a cutting disc on a Dremel. In addition, the case could be sanded with the same tool to make more room with the key to flip open/close.
Completely agree, I had to do a similar fix on a similar key of a Ford car, it was a nightmare, I had to dig through the plastic and basically destroy the old key, they were asking for 200 euro for replacing it, bought spare parts online for 18 euro.
You don't have to fix our great product, we offer a new model in a subscription. Accept the terms and conditions and marketing consents.
2040ad
I find it surprising that manufacturers haven't considered potting key fobs in resin or implementing resistance meshing to prevent the use of alternative batteries, thereby forcing vehicle owners to replace the entire ECM or vehicle in the event of a dead key battery.
Very enlightening thank you for showing me how to do more
the customer now can find a better shell and make it work. Great job.
Mercy Alex, what a pain! Looks like there is no way to test the fob. Your job was to replace the battery and return it to the customer. Great job!
Some plastic cases easily open with banana oil, most notebooks works this way
Being a Land Rover, many owners will probably drop their keys in mud and water, that might be why they are sealed up. Did you remember to transfer the transponder chip from the old fob to the new one?
Not sure current Land Rover buyers get anywhere near mud or water. Ew, gross, dirty!
easy explanation boss..it is not built for maintenance. owners should buy new replacement FOB and not try to repair/service.
I recently saw where a mechanic had to remove the grille and front bumper including part of the AC condenser just to get to the windshield washer reservoir so that it could be refilled.
When buying a vehicle theses days a consumer has to first go over the whole vehicle's maintenance practices like getting first hand mechanical knowledge on what is required to do these "simple" things. Looks like now, even the key fob will need to be added to the list and IF it comes to the fact that the average owner cannot do these things with little trouble then best keep looking for a vehicle that is much more owner friendly......
Just need to tap out the pin in the metal hinges that holds the key, and swap over, so the old key slots into the new hinge part.
I enjoy watching your videos and how good you are…but to see my own fob being worked on is cool 👍🏾
I had a Subaru Liberty years ago. I got so fed up with the key fob not working that I eventually soldered the battery connections myself. No more problems. A more recent Subaru has not shown the same issue, so perhaps they figured out how to get the contacts to work.
Great video you have a lot patience 👍
All your questions can be answered so easily ..... Money Money money .. Landrover Must make money after all.
Alex, you can use an ultrasonic cutter to open the fobs. Much safer.
Shameful corporate behaviour. Batteries need to be accessible.
I was gonna say the fob is made that way for robustness and ingress protection. Then I saw the amount of crud on the pcb.
Its just landrover getting extra $ out of the customer.
I was going to say the same. And given the number of keys Alex gets with water damage, it perhaps seemed a fair point.
But this fob is the worst of both goals - obviously not waterproof, and not user serviceable either.😮
I suppose on the plus side (if there is one) it is at least robust.
As my granpa would say.. "if everything fails, grab the persuator and give it a few whacks"
Ford did something similar with battery on vans. But have a special battery that is expensive AF , but.. That battery is lifetime and never needed to be removed . I see keys from ford with over 20 years behind and the original battery are still charge and works perfectly !
I just checked my Fiat Cronos key out of curiosity, same style but you can easily take the back cover with some force and the battery holder is accesible.
Hi Alex
There is an efficient way that I personally use in cases like this where the shell is super sealed which is pouring alcohol on the seam of the shell, and give it some time. The alcohol will erode the glue inside as well as the shell itself, then you can effortlessly open the fob.
They welded the plastic
I can't imagine that they make it so hard. I just changed the batteries on my Honda fob for about $5
Thank you Alex
"Giraffes and elephants, everywhere...." LMAO!!!
I’m also into repairing I’m learning a lot from ur channel ❤️❤️
It should be criminal to charge that much to replace the fob. Even my 2006 dodge was a ridiculous price from the dealer $300 per key...but they'd cut the key for free. lol I picked up 2 aftermarket fobs for $50 (Canadian) shipped, got them cut for $15 and then manually programmed them in the vehicle following a factory process for replacement keys. I did it in the dealer parking lot after their parts guy told me "there's no possible way it can work." He literally stood right there and watched as I did it and was astounded. He asked how I was able to do it and I showed him the 30 second google search followed by the forum post.
Anyone else yell OMG when Alex put the board under the microscope.