Today it stopped working completely. Now that I think of it though I did noticed that it was less responsive to press buttons for a little while. I press through my pocket without taking the fob out mostly so I thought I might just not have been getting a good press but in hindsight I was quite confident I had and it wouldn't lock/unlock so I guess perhaps simply battery is depleted?

Thing is though I have looked on the fob (ford transit connect 2007) and there are no obvious screws or ways to open it. Will I have to pry it open somehow to get to the battery to change it?

40 minutes ago, anotherforduser said:

Will I have to pry it open somehow to get to the battery to change it?

Yes. You can download full handbook here: https://www.ford.co.uk/support/vehicle/transit-connect-2002/2007/owner-manuals

Keys and Remote Controls - Changing the remote control battery

Changing the remote control battery



  Make sure that you dispose of old batteries in an environmentally friendly way. Seek advice from your local authority regarding recycling.

If the range of the transmitter in the key decreases gradually, the battery (type 3V CR 2032) should be replaced.

• Carefully separate the transmitter unit from the key using a flat object (e.g. a screwdriver) at the recess on the back.

• Carefully prise out the battery with the flat object. Fit the new battery between the contacts with the + sign facing downwards. Reassemble the transmitter unit in reverse order.

• Open the transmitter unit by separating the retaining clips on the sides with the flat object.

• Carefully prise out the battery with the flat object. Fit the new battery between the contacts with the + sign facing downwards. Reassemble the transmitter unit in reverse order.

On 4/6/2026 at 9:05 AM, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Yes...

Thanks, I figured it out it was trivial soon after posting however I tried it and it changed nothing! I tried the new battery on something else, as well as another one to check it wasn't and anomaly and the batteries were functional on other devices. Still doesn't work, so what does that point to?

In the interim I had figured out that the central locking does still work via inserting the key in one of the front doors and doing two turns in the respective direction for locking and unlocking, including the side door, which is what I am using mostly. I had been managing fine like this with a vague plan to find the root cause at some point to fix until this morning when I locked myself out! I had gotten in the, in hindsight bad, habit of not taking my keys with me when I was just popping out of the van for a few seconds but I shall stop that now given what happened.

As I live in the van I would open it from inside the back by pulling the door lever at the front and then the side door lock from inside to get out. What I must have forgotten to do this morning is first unlock the front central locking before twisting the knob on the side door as when I had closed the side door back up when outside it had relocked again with the front doors also being locked.

Thankfully I had a spare key - thanks to my mum lol as per the previous thread so used that to get back in but served as a spur to find out what the issue is with the remote.

So if it isn't the battery what else could have happened to it?

If it was working previously it still points to the battery or something happening when you changed it - assuming it was the correct way up and the contacts were not bent or damaged in the process.

Did you check the actual voltage of the new battery? Needs to read 3.3v on a multimeter.

Some older remotes had a chip inside which could drop out while changing the battery.

I never needed to swap a battery on that era of vehicle, tbh (had to do it several times on more recent ones!), members who have may have other thoughts.

I guess its also a possibility that the button/contacts in the fob are just worn out after 18 years use.

8 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

If it was working previously it still points to the battery or something happening when you changed it - assuming it was the correct way up and the contacts were not bent or damaged in the process.

Did you check the actual voltage of the new battery? Needs to read 3.3v on a multimeter.

Some older remotes had a chip inside which could drop out while changing the battery.

I never needed to swap a battery on that era of vehicle, tbh (had to do it several times on more recent ones!), members who have may have other thoughts.

I guess its also a possibility that the button/contacts in the fob are just worn out after 18 years use.

What do you mean something happening when I changed it? It wasn't working before I changed it or else I wouldn't have done so in the first place?

I didn't check with a meter but both batteries worked fine on another thing and also I checked more than one so I doubt the batteries would be at issue happening to have 2 bad ones in a row from different sources and checking them on something else to find them working. I doubt my 18 year old battery would have had bang on 3.3V throughout its whole life. Battery voltages slowly get lower as they deplete don't they? and it worked fine up until just recently.

Is there not some radio stuff elsewhere that could have broken? I am familiar with DC electronics having done all my leisure side stuff in the van so I was not afraid to try and take the fob apart to see if there was anything I could examine to clean contacts or such as I have fixed quite a few items like this when I see they are simple in operation and often is straight forward but in this case I couldn't see how to dismantle it further for inspection on that front, that I can recall.

It seemed pretty sealed tight beyond the exposure of the battery and more meddling might have risked breaking the plastic further. Didn't look extensively but those were my initial impressions preventing me from going further down that route at the time.

4 minutes ago, anotherforduser said:

What do you mean something happening when I changed it? It wasn't working before I changed it or else I wouldn't have done so in the first place?

You said:

On 4/6/2026 at 8:20 AM, anotherforduser said:

Today it stopped working completely. Now that I think of it though I did noticed that it was less responsive to press buttons for a little while.

So it seems the fob itself was working to some degree before the battery gave out completely, so replacing the battery should have solved it.

Yes, voltages drop over time as the handbook extract suggests but I've usually found they're 2.8v or less when they stop working. A new battery should show 3.3v.

I have had several dud batteries in a row so wouldn't necessarily rule that out.

You wouldn't normally need to do anything inside the fob apart from ensuring the battery is free from any fingermarks or sticker residue, is inserted the correct way up, and the contacts are undamaged.

You mention using your spare key. Is that a remote or just a manual key?. If that one works remotely it suggests nothing wrong in the van itself.

I see you mention:

38 minutes ago, anotherforduser said:

more meddling might have risked breaking the plastic further.

which suggests the fob may have been previously damaged in some way.

That's about the extent of my knowledge of this stuff I'm afraid.

32 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

You said:

So it seems the fob itself was working to some degree before the battery gave out completely, so replacing the battery should have solved it.

Yes, voltages drop over time as the handbook extract suggests but I've usually found they're 2.8v or less when they stop working. A new battery should show 3.3v.

I have had several dud batteries in a row so wouldn't necessarily rule that out.

You wouldn't normally need to do anything inside the fob apart from ensuring the battery is free from any fingermarks or sticker residue, is inserted the correct way up, and the contacts are undamaged.

You mention using your spare key. Is that a remote or just a manual key?. If that one works remotely it suggests nothing wrong in the van itself.

I see you mention:

which suggests the fob may have been previously damaged in some way.

That's about the extent of my knowledge of this stuff I'm afraid.

Ok I just had a fiddle around with the multimeter.

Just to confirm the battery is at 3.3V. I was also testing for continuity on the + and - of the fob with the meter, as it was easy to get apart to reveal the circuit board now I looked again, which did not give continuity bell however I thought is that normal? since it may only make a connection when one of the buttons is pressed (to form a circuit)? Not sure on that one so I wasn't able to deduce if the device is faulty or not from that.

The spare key is just a key, no fob.

Just looking it up and it seems the fob is £20-40 but then it has to be coded to the van so probably another £60+?

Can't comment from personal experience as I've never needed to replace a remote fob, but for a 2007 there are programming instructions in the handbook.

Personally, if I had 2 bladed keys that lock/unlock and start the vehicle, I'm not sure I'd bother with the remote. (Only reason I use mine is it doesn't have a bladed key and its button start😀)

If I did I'd probably stump up for a replacement key from Ford or a proper auto electrician (proof of ownership and ID needed).