Harley Key fob battery failure? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

VIP · 04-25-2008, 12:25 PM

Have you ever heard of this happening?

I was just curious how long the batteries last in those things.

If a battery does fail and you replace it does the MC recognize it as the same key?

ss-serenity · 04-25-2008, 01:17 PM

I was curious about this as well. The owners manual says to replace the battery once a year. It doesn't say anything about reprogramming the key fob so I assume after you replace the battery it will still work the same.

JRS · 04-25-2008, 01:50 PM

Mine are 6 years old and still work fine. Probably time to replace them though.

Milehog · 04-25-2008, 02:13 PM

Bike came with two fobs. Used one for one & a half years, swapped fobs, changed batteries after another year & a half..
No need to reprogram.

petrock · 04-26-2008, 03:29 PM

The battery life span all depends on how often you use it, and what you put in your pocket along with the key fob. If something pushes up against the button while your riding, of course the battery is going to drain faster...

The battery is just a battery. Nothing more. If it dies, replace the battery. It doesn't control the programming in the fob.

btw, my fob battery is 2 years old and going strong.

PR3VS56 · 04-26-2008, 03:56 PM

Mine failed!!! Rode to breakfast with a group, locked the bike & set the alarm, ate breakfast. Came out & began the ride-out ritual, everyone was helmets on ready to go & I couldn't get my bike to un-alarm! Fortunately, ONE GUY had a spare battery... now I carry one too. No problem once the new battery is in!

Cowboy'sHD69 · 04-26-2008, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VIP

Have you ever heard of this happening?

I was just curious how long the batteries last in those things.

If a battery does fail and you replace it does the MC recognize it as the same key?

Damn, thats a great question. So far both of mine have been going strong. I think I will buy some spairs just in case though. I learn more and more on this forum every day

ProFvnv · 04-26-2008, 05:40 PM

IIRCC, the programming is in the bike. The key fob transmits a preset signal and the bike is coded to respond to it. So if you replace the battery, there is no coding in the fob to lose. A new battery lets it send the signal it always did.

ceraaa42 · 04-26-2008, 08:20 PM

This is a good reason to code the computer with something you remember to unlock the alarm with the turnsignals.

For instance the 08's just set themselves, if you don't know the code and the batt. goes dead. Oh well.

Chris

leolarry · 04-26-2008, 09:28 PM

You can de alarm the bike using the turn signals its in the owners manual I have an o3 road king with the factory alarm system.

PR3VS56 · 04-26-2008, 11:30 PM

So it is. That took a while to wrap my mind around, but it works! Learn something new all the time.

Is there an audible that can be added to the factory alarm?

trooper113 · 04-26-2008, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR3VS56

So it is. That took a while to wrap my mind around, but it works! Learn something new all the time.

Is there an audible that can be added to the factory alarm?

Sho'nuff. I added the audible to my '03 Dyna and '07 Ultra factory alarms.

fourhour · 04-27-2008, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR3VS56

So it is. That took a while to wrap my mind around, but it works! Learn something new all the time.

Is there an audible that can be added to the factory alarm?

Fairly simple, the left switch is for the code, the right to advance to the next code, a total of five. I programmed mine with my ATM code, plus another digit.

I use my FOB exclusively. The battery died after a few years, about 400 miles from home. Had I not copied and laminated the instructions, I would've been forced to find a battery on a late, rainy night.

Maybe time to renew that battery. Thanks for bringing it up.

dreamrider · 02-09-2010, 11:34 AM

I have had a problem with batteries failing after about one month of use. I have a motorcycle rental company with about 15 Harleys. I have purchased about 50 batteries in the last 6 months due to failures. I have a spare fob for each bike and store all the keys together in the same place. Does anyone know if storing the keys next to each other is draining the batteries?

I have tried panasonic and maxell with similar results. The panansonics work a little better but not much. The date on teh battery package state good until 2013 so they are fresh batteries.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Russ

nvsteve · 02-09-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamrider

I have had a problem with batteries failing after about one month of use. I have a motorcycle rental company with about 15 Harleys. I have purchased about 50 batteries in the last 6 months due to failures. I have a spare fob for each bike and store all the keys together in the same place. Does anyone know if storing the keys next to each other is draining the batteries?

I have tried panasonic and maxell with similar results. The panansonics work a little better but not much. The date on teh battery package state good until 2013 so they are fresh batteries.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Russ

Maybe there's something to that but I would guess dealers keep the fobs in the same location.