Today my LR3 would not unlock. I pulled the plastic piece off the exterior driver side handle and manually opened (set off alarm) and drove the vehicle.

When I got to my destination I tried the FOB again, but no luck. I knocked it against the step rail just to see if that might work, and voilą - it worked.

Unfortunately, it did not work the next time without knocking it against something again. My guess is maybe the connector that pushes up against the battery has become loose, or possibly the soldered connection? Any other thoughts or experience with this problem? I hear getting into the FOB is a PITA.

 

Mine is doing opposite, lock button acting up and yes its a bitch to open the case

 

The link below has some good links within as well, but includes lots of pictures etc.

Yes, no fun taking it apart but an alternative is about four hundred dollars from Land Rover. There is a solder joint that electrically joins the battery to the circuit board that cracks and just needs to be heated up / re-soldered.

I assume you do not have a second key fob as if you did, I would be making certain the problem was truly the key fob in question before I attempted to take it apart.

If you do not have a second fob and the repair fails and the fob quits totally, then one must presume you will be walking.

DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - both key fobs not working - help

 

The trick to opening the fob is to use a set of snap ring pliers in the blade joint opening. Not my idea, but it works great.

 

I had a similar problem with my 2007 LR3 key fob so purchased a new case/flip key on Ebay for about $11.00. To cut open the old case I used a Dremel with a small cutting disc around the join. Although the new case is supplied with a new blank key I simply fitted my existing key and the whole process took less than 30 mins. There is a video on Youtube that shows you how to proceed.

 

Thanks for all the good advice! Unfortunately I don't have a second key/fob, so let's hope this surgery goes well.

 

Good luck then.

Since the fob works when banged the "correct" way, the odds are the soldered connection of the battery to the printed circuit board is cracked. If so, then it is just a matter of some heat and a bit more solder to the cracked joint.

The cracked joint suggest intermittent power to the transmitter at times and also the battery will not reliable recharge when there is no path for power to get back into the battery. Re-soldering the joint should resolve both problems.

Please let us know how it all works out.

 

Timely conversation - The Key Fob case for my 2008 LR3 was a bit cracked, and looking old and worn, so I got a new one from Amazon with very good reviews, for about $10. Battery worked just fine before I took the old keyfob apart. I used a combination of dremmel, pliers and flat screwdriver blade to pry apart the old fob. None of the 3 Keyfob buttons worked at all after I removed it from case. I was worried that I damaged something. I did some research, and I was hoping it was just the Battery - Perhaps somehow the connections became damaged. Anyway, took it to Batteries Plus last night, (in wife's car) and he had a gadget that diagnosed a dead Battery. Does anyone know what may have happened? Did I somehow fry the Battery? I have a new one ordered, and hopefully I won't fry the circuit board when I solder the new one on. I had a mild panic attack, because I didn't know if the car would start with a dead keyfob battery, and figured I may set off alarm, but I figured that worst case scenario, I could open hood and disconnect vehicle battery. So, I manually unlocked driver side door, opened door, alarm went off, I put key into ignition, and luckily the steering column 'unlocked' and I was able to turn the key as normal, and start the car as normal, and the Alarm automatically turned off. Fortunately, I don't really need to drive the car much - I work from home. Figured I would share...

 

That is a bit worrisome. Battery is soldered into the board, so it's not like it could have come loose when you pried the fob apart. I don't think you need anything fancy to test the battery... just put a multimeter across the terminals and see that you get 3.whatever volts. I don't remember the type of battery or the voltage, but I'm sure it's plastered across this form and disco3.

 

Thank you cmb6s - Obviously I'm still a bit panicky and not thinking clearly. I just tested the Battery Voltage, and it's at full power - It's reading 3.3volts. Tested at each of the two 'prongs', which go through, and stick out of, the printed circuit board. So, the issue is probably not the Battery, which has me worried. Is there possibly a need, or a way to, 're-program' the remote, so that the 3 Buttons work? Any other ideas, to test or fix? I will start trawling the Forums for an answer to this. I would appreciate some responses here though, even if you know the answer has been posted elsewhere.