What if my car key fob battery dies during the cruise?

Car key fob batteries fail. They fail at inconvenient times. One of the more frustrating versions of this is the fob failing during a cruise window, leaving the customer unable to unlock or start the car on return. This page covers how we handle the situation.

What happens at handover

At handover, the driver checks the key fob works (locks, unlocks, starts the car if applicable). The body-cammed walk-around includes a brief confirmation that the keys are functional.

If a fob is already weak at handover (the key works but the range is reduced or the LED is dim), the driver notes it on the body-cam record. This is unusual but does happen.

During the cruise

The car spends the cruise in our compound. The fob is in our key cabinet, not in the car. Standby drain on the fob (the battery being used) does not happen because the fob is not active in proximity to the car.

For most cruise durations (7 to 21 days), a fob that worked at handover will work at return.

For longer durations (60+ days, world cruises), the natural battery decay is more noticeable. A fob with a battery near the end of its life may fail during a long stay even though the fob is not being actively used.

What to do if you suspect the battery is weak

If the fob has been giving you trouble before the cruise (occasional non-response, reduced range, flickering LED), replace the battery before the cruise.

Replacement is straightforward for most vehicles: a small CR2032 or similar coin battery, available at most supermarkets and corner shops, takes 2 minutes to fit. The fob usually has a small Phillips screw or a clip; the manual covers the specific access.

For some vehicles, the fob is more involved (Tesla, some BMW, some Mercedes). For these, the manufacturer's service centre or a specialist locksmith handles the replacement.

The battery replacement before the cruise is the safest path. It costs £2 to £5 for the battery and 2 to 5 minutes of time. It eliminates the cruise-window risk.

If the fob fails at return

If the fob fails between handover and return, the practical situation at return:

The driver brings the car (or you arrive at the compound). The keys are handed back to you. You try to unlock the car. The fob does nothing.

For most modern cars, there are backup options:

Mechanical key. Many fobs contain a small mechanical key that pops out (often via a small button or slide on the fob). This unlocks the driver's door manually. Starting the car may require holding the fob against a specific spot in the cabin (manufacturer-dependent).

Phone-as-key (some Tesla, some BMW, some Mercedes). If the vehicle supports phone-as-key, your phone may unlock and start the car.

Spare key. If you left a spare key with us or in the glovebox, the spare typically has a working battery and just works.

The driver does not have specialised tools for vehicles in this situation; the customer's own backup is the path.

What we will do to help

A few things that are practical:

Provide a place to swap the battery. Compound staff can lend a Phillips screwdriver. If you have a replacement battery, you can swap it.

Call a roadside service. If the situation is more complex, your standard roadside breakdown cover (RAC, AA, Green Flag) covers locked-out and dead-battery situations. The roadside service handles the resolution.

Provide details for a locksmith. For non-standard keys or vehicles where the customer cannot resolve, a specialist locksmith handles fob replacement. We can point at local options.

What we will not do

A few honest limits:

Replace a fob battery for you. The customer's vehicle and the customer's responsibility.

Bypass vehicle security systems. The car's electronic security is the manufacturer's design, not ours.

Provide a replacement fob. We do not stock car key fobs.

The spare-key recommendation

For any cruise of 14+ days, leaving a spare key in the glovebox is a useful precaution. The spare key has a separate battery; if the main fob dies during the cruise, the spare typically works.

We do not require this; the main key works fine for standard handover and return. It is a backup, not a requirement.

Booking

The quote returns the standard rate. For specific questions about a fob situation (e.g., a Tesla phone-as-key setup), the contact page has the office number.