Car is DEAD with dead battery in key??

[rayc325]

I think the dealer is wrong but has anyone heard of this? My wife's EX started yesterday morning. When she went to leave work the car was DEAD nothing worked, seats, keyless onlock nothing..it wouldn't even work with key in manual slot. Had it jumped and brought to dealer. They told me the battery was fine but because the battery in the key was dead the car would be dead also???

I can't see where this could be possible..Any thoughts? Thanks

[mcube3]

If this is true then it's scary. I'll make sure my wife carries a spare battery with her all the time as I don't want her and my 1 year old stuck somewhere and couldn't start the car.

I like the "Push Start" and all but why can't they come up with a smarter back-up plan?

[SteveTheTech]

That makes little logical sense. There is no way that a radio transponder could kill the battery.....unless the remote was within range (1meter around the vehicle) keeping the BCM alive. If the battery was still in good condition, required warranty procedures and the such, the battery should be fine. Was there anyway that the doors were left unlocked?

I would try not to stress it too much unless you start noticing things like erratic performance of some devices or any type of warning light, run don't walk to the dealer and strongly suggest a new battery. In my personal experiences I have seen batteries go on for years of service and others not make it a week. Keep on top of it, but there is not need to loose sleep over it.

The food from your state is by far the best food in the entire country, but only when done right.

[aft981]

Yeah, I don't see how that is possible. The dealer told you your car battery was fine, but the car wouldn't start because the battery in the remote was dead??

I was told that it didn't matter if you drowned your key in water, or the battery in it was dead, so long as it was in the slot, bottom left of the steering wheel, the car would recognise it and start.

If your car then started by getting a jump start, forgive me for stating the obvious...but it was the car battery they jump started, they didn't attach leads to your key did they!!!!

If they did indeed insist that your car didn't start because the battery in the key was dead, how did they remedy the issue?!

I flattened my battery once, a few months ago, I was washing it and cleaning it inside and out. I had the radio on, all the doors open for several hours, got a phone call, took it inside, forgot and by the time I remembered it was too late. My boss also almost flattened my battery, I lent him my car one afternoon at work, I think the whole stop/start button confused him, and when I went to leave, several hours after he came back with it, the ignition was still on, dashboard lit up and nav screen on. There wasn't enough juice left to turn the engine over, I turned everything off, left it half an hour, then it started. It's funny actually, this is the only car I've ever had whereby I have to explain to people I lend it to how to start it!

[rontek]

I do not agree with the dealers statement either. While there may have not shown anything wrong with the car battery, the key battery being dead should have no impact on the ability to start the car as long as it was inserted in the slot. A very easy to test this, and also demonstrate for the dealer, is to take the battery out of the key fob, insert, and start. If it starts, then you can show the dealer they were incorrect, and if you are sure there was nothing that could have killed the battery, that they need to check the car again. If it DOESN'T start then either the key fob is bad, or we all have a problem.

[dividedhighw]

Great analysis, Ron - I totally agree!!

BTW, congrats on your 100th post!!!!!!!

Cheers,David

[rayc325]

It was a pretty ridiculous statement he made..and I asked him about three times if he was sure about that and he kept saying there was nothing wrong with the car or battery. But now that I read aft's post I am thinking that my wife might have left the "key" in the acc position all day, about 6 hrs,..but would that kill the battery completely dead, to not even work the seats? Oh well, just wondering if anybody heard of such a thing..Thanks

[SteveTheTech]

You tend to forget just how many electrically activated features these new cars have.

If the car continues to start without an issue and there is no noticeable struggle to start. You should be ok.

[Lowery bros. infiniti]

The remote battery will not make the car unable to start. We just pulled a battery out of a remote,put remote is card slot and car started right up.I would tend to think cust. may have hit button 2 times to put in accessory mode to use blue tooth,or listen to radio and got out of car with it like that.

[dividedhighw]

Thanks for your input (this confirms rontek's suggestion) and welcome to NICO, Lowery bros. infiniti!!

Cheers,David

[rayc325]

Only flaw in that theory is this... I was reading the owners manual and it says that there is a "battery Saver System", pg 3-10, which shuts off power if acc is left on, after 60 minutes..This surely wouldn't discharge the battery..Would it?

[SteveTheTech]

However, when the key is left in either ON or ACC the car will stay on until the battery is dead. Leaving any of the doors partially ajar will also not allow the Battery Saver to meet its operating criteria.

[EX55]

Thanks for testing it. Now we know, the manual is correct.