Wife's NX will randomly not detect the key and the vehicle will not start even though the key is in her purse inside the car, like always. Dealer replaced the key fob battery, but the issue keeps happening, alas, it seems totally random, so of course the dealer can't reproduce it when the car is in their possession.

Anyone had this happen? What is the culprit?

I've found another thread (not NX specifically), where the issue seemed to point to the battery. Not sure what battery the dealer installed. I can certainly try another battery if you guys think that's the most likely problem.

Thanks!

 

Since it's the easiest thing to do, I went ahead and pulled the battery. The one that was in there tested at 2.97V (unloaded). Seems kind of low for a brand new battery, if the dealer truly replaced it just a month ago. I went ahead and replaced it with a new one which tested at 3.28V.

Figured we can't blame the battery anymore. Let's see if the issue comes up again.

 

Was the old one an "Enerjizzer", "NeverReady", or perhaps a "Dura-swell". Those off name brands can sometimes have a very short life. Dealer probably buys them by the barrel for $40. I once took an old button cell battery out of some device that stopped working, I was looking at the battery because it looked odd and then POP, the thing blew up in my face. Fortunately, it didn't have much power and just startled me.

 

The old one was "Murata."

 

I think the dealer probably did replace it, but may not have replaced it with a fresh battery -- just one that had been around the shop for who knows how long.

 

The only time I’ve had a “key not detected” problem was whenever I had my key fob too close to my iPhone. If your wife keeps both her fob and her phone in her purse the interference from the phone can/will interfere with the fob signal. The reason the dealer can’t replicate the problem may be that “they don’t use purses”!!😊

 

I have had a few instances when I was driving, then I would stop the car, the passenger would get out and I would just sit and wait for a while while the car is still running, then the passenger would come back and then when they are back in their seat and close the door, I get the message that key is not detected, which is always confuses me lol Maybe for me it is happening from all the inactivity on my part, and the key falls a sleep or something Anyway, I just ignore the message and just drive, and the message goes away. But that is the different from what you are experiencing on your end, with the key not being detected from the get-go, so who knows maybe it is indeed just a bad battery or two. Unless somebody is putting your key to sleep, but you would know that right.

 

Oh, yes! I forgot about that one. Happened to me once when I had both the phone and the keyfob in the same pants pocket. Definitely an interference issue.