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MG MGF Technical - remote locking

Can I replace the battery in the remote locking handset myself; I assume it is like a watch battery. Does the thing have to be re set by a specialist or anything?

I must admit that this is in relation to my mothers 97 Rover 200, but I'm sure its the same parts and you seem the best people to ask.


T Graveling

In short, yes. Handle the battery carefully and avoid getting fingerprints on it. Give it a wipe on a clean cloth before placing it inside the fob. Don't use metal tweezers.

If the fob is similar to the MGF then it should just prise open. Remove it from the key ring first though.
It doesn't need resetting.

Bruce
Bruce Caldwell

Is everyone elses remote locking fob as useless as ours are? The battery on one was replaced just last month & it seems to be no better (You might as well stick the key in the lock!) Although the tip on Top Gear about holding it to your head did seem to make a slight improvement. We noticed similar problems with both our older 98' F & the courtesy car from the dealers where the car was last serviced.

The main reason I ask is because my fella used to drive a Peugot 406 as a company car & you could unock the car two county's away with the remote for it!!

Any ideas on improving the range?

Thanks

Sally
ashnsalnhen

I don't know if this holds true for newer cars but on older models it was found that the receiving aerial was coiled up behind the left hand footwell lamp cover (two screws). Because it was coiled, it limited the range. If you find this is the case on your car then find the aerial (yellow wire attached at only one end) and unwind it up towards the front of the car and tape it in position.

The trick of placing the blipper under the chin works well and I always do it. I can operate my locks from an upstairs room in the house, with the car four cars down the street and on the opposite side!

The biggest limiter of range is local radio interference. I have parked in some places where operating the blipper next to the receiving aerial would not work. I carry my four digit Emergency Key Access Code for such occasions. It is always best to practice using the Emergency Key Access Code as some early cars had the second and fourth digits incorrect. You have to add 1 to the 2nd and 4th numbers, even if it makes one of the numbers 10.

hope this helps

Bruce
Bruce Caldwell

Just to re iterate bruces comments I can rareley get my remote to work from outside the car when i am parked at work, i have to open with the key then disable the immobiliser from inside. After asking around in the office i found this is not just a rover thing everyone else has the same problem. It turns out that we have a mast for one of the major mobile network operators located very nearby which i guess is the cause?
n stretton

Recently I found out that I have 2 different fobs, 1 is the 3txa and the other is 3txb. After replacing the batteries on both I found that the 3txb worked much better, and from a longer distance as well. Maybe you should check which model you have.

Johan
Johan Slagter

This thread was discussed between 07/11/2003 and 09/11/2003

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