Infiniti Key Fob Battery Replacement: CR2032 for the Intelligent Key on Q50, QX60, QX80 and Every Infiniti
Every Infiniti key fob takes one CR2032 battery: the Intelligent Key with the hidden blade used from 2007 on (the Q50, Q60, Q70, QX50, QX60 and QX80 included) and the separate remotes on older G35, FX, M and QX56 models. To open the Intelligent Key, slide the release and pull out the mechanical key, then put a small flat screwdriver in the slot it came from and twist; the back cover pops off. Note which way the old cell faces before you lift it out, because on most Infiniti keys the + side faces down, away from the cover. No reprogramming is needed.
Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury arm and the keys share the same Intelligent Key electronics, which is good news: the battery is a CR2032 on every key the brand has made in the last twenty years, and the opening method has not changed since 2007. The one detail people get wrong is the battery orientation. Most car keys sit the + side up toward the back cover, but the Infiniti Intelligent Key holds the cell with the + side facing down, so a new battery dropped in the “obvious” way does nothing at all. This guide covers which key you have, how to open it, which way the cell goes, and how to start the car while the key is dead.
Which battery your Infiniti key fob takes
Find your key in the table. The FCC ID printed on the back of the fob tells you which family it belongs to, but for Infiniti the answer in the last column is the same every time.
| Key style | Typical FCC ID | Common on | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate black remote on the key ring | KBRASTU15, CWTWB1U415, NHVWB1U733 | G35 2003 to 2006, FX35 and FX45 2003 to 2008, M35 and M45 2006 to 2007, QX56 2004 to 2007, I35, Q45 | CR2032 |
| Intelligent Key, rounded body, 3 or 4 buttons, hidden blade | KR55WK48903, KR55WK49622, CWTWBU735 | G35 and G37 2007 to 2013, EX35, FX35 and FX50 2009 to 2013, M37 and M56 2011 to 2013, QX56 2008 to 2013, JX35, Q60 2014 to 2015, QX70 2014 to 2017 | CR2032 |
| Intelligent Key, slimmer body, 4 or 5 buttons | KR5S180144014, KR5S180144204, KR5S180144106 | Q50 2014 to 2019, Q60 2017 to 2019, Q70 2014 to 2019, QX50 2014 to 2017, QX60 2014 to 2020, QX80 2014 to 2020, QX30 | CR2032 |
| Intelligent Key, newest body with chrome edge | KR5TXN7, KR5TXN1, KR5TXN4 | QX50 2019 on, Q50 and Q60 2020 on, QX55, QX60 2022 on, QX80 2021 on | CR2032 |
If you open an Infiniti key and find a CR2025 in it, someone fitted the wrong cell last time. The holder on every one of these keys is designed for the 3.2 mm thick CR2032, and a thinner cell makes poor contact, which shows up as a key that works at the door but not from across the car park. Fit a CR2032, the right way round, and the problem usually disappears.
The code tells you the size: the first two digits are the diameter in millimetres and the last two are the thickness in tenths of a millimetre, so a CR2032 is 20 mm wide and 3.2 mm thick while a CR2025 is the same width but thinner. Our key fob battery size chart lists every size by brand.
What you need
- One new CR2032 (Panasonic, Energizer, Duracell, Murata or dealer branded all work)
- A small flat-blade screwdriver with the tip wrapped in a piece of cloth or tape, or a plastic pry tool
- A clean table and good light, so a dropped battery or the small rubber button pad does not vanish
Infiniti’s own instructions tell you to wrap the screwdriver tip in cloth, and it is worth doing: the slot on the Intelligent Key is small and a bare blade marks the plastic. Avoid rechargeable cells such as LIR2032; they have the right shape but a higher voltage, and they are not what the key is designed for.
Changing the battery in an Infiniti Intelligent Key
These steps cover every Intelligent Key from 2007 to the current cars. They all open from the end where the mechanical key sits, not along the long seam.
Slide the small latch on the back of the fob and pull the metal key blade straight out. The slot it leaves is where the case opens.
Push the wrapped screwdriver tip into the opening the key blade came from, between the two case halves, and twist gently. The back cover pops free at that end. Work the tool a little way along each short side if it needs help, but stay at that end.
This is the step that matters on an Infiniti. On most Intelligent Keys the + side with the code printed on it faces down, toward the buttons, so when you look into the opened key you see the plain side of the cell. Take a photo before you touch it.
Use a plastic tool or a fingernail at the small cut-out beside the battery to lever it up, and lift it out by the edge. Do not scrape a metal tool across the green circuit board.
Hold the new cell by its edges and press it in exactly as the old one sat, matching your photo. It should sit flat under the retaining clip without rocking.
Line the halves up, press them together until the seam is flush all round, slide the mechanical key home until it clicks, and press lock and unlock near the car. The small LED on the key should flash with each press.
If the rubber button pad lifted with the cover, lay it back into the front half first, buttons facing out, and check it is sitting in its groove before you close the case. A pinched pad is why buttons feel mushy after a battery change, and why one button sometimes stops working.
Changing the battery in an older Infiniti remote
These are the separate black remotes from the 2003 to 2008 G35, FX, M and QX56, used alongside a normal metal key. They take a CR2032 too.
- Find the small Phillips screw on the back of the remote, remove it, and then find the notch on the seam at one short edge.
- Put a coin or the tip of a flat screwdriver in the notch and twist. Work the two halves apart slowly rather than forcing one spot.
- Note which way the battery faces, then lever it out from the cut-out at its edge.
- Press in the new CR2032 the same way round, check the rubber button pad is seated, snap the halves together until the seam is flush, and refit the screw.
On these cars the transponder chip is in the head of the metal key and does not use a battery, so a dead remote never stops the engine from starting; you just have to unlock the door with the key.
3V lithium CR2032 coin cell
Every Infiniti key takes a CR2032. Buy a name brand in a small multi-pack and keep the spares in the glove box, not loose in the fob.
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Do you need to reprogram an Infiniti key after a battery change?
No. The pairing between the Intelligent Key and the car is stored in memory that does not depend on the battery, so the key works as soon as a fresh cell goes in. If the instrument cluster showed Key Battery Low or the key symbol with a battery icon, it clears the next time you start the car, or after a short drive on some models. If the key has been dead for weeks, press lock or unlock once near the car to wake it. Pairing a new key is a dealer or locksmith job because it needs Nissan’s security access, and it is not something a battery change ever triggers.
If the car still does not see the key
First, get moving. On a push-button Infiniti, hold the brake and press the Intelligent Key itself against the Start button, buttons facing you; the button reads the chip through the plastic and the engine starts. On 2007 to 2013 models with a slot in the dash beside the steering column, push the key into the slot and press Start as normal; the slot powers the chip. The mechanical key opens the driver’s door if the remote lock does not respond.
Then work through the usual causes, in order of how often they turn out to be the problem:
- Battery in upside down. This is the most common Infiniti problem after a battery change, because the + side goes down on these keys. If the key does nothing at all and the LED does not flash, open it and turn the battery over.
- Wrong size. A CR2025 or CR2016 in a CR2032 holder makes patchy contact and the key works one day and not the next. Compare the code on the new cell with the old one.
- Bent or dirty contact. The spring contact can be flattened by prying. Lift it gently with a plastic tool and clean it with a dry cotton bud. See how to clean key fob battery contacts.
- Tired new battery. Cells that sat in a drawer or came from an unbranded multi-pack can be flat out of the packet. Try a second one from a fresh pack.
- The car’s 12 V battery. If the car was also slow to crank or the dash lights were dim, the problem is the car, not the key. See can a bad car battery cause key fob problems.
- Damage inside the key. A fob that has been dropped hard, through a wash, or left in a hot car can have a cracked solder joint or corroded board. A locksmith can test whether it still transmits.
The general checklist for a key that still does not respond is in key fob not working after a battery replacement.
What it costs
An Infiniti dealer parts counter will usually fit a battery while you wait for the cost of the cell plus a small labour charge. The larger figures only apply if the key itself has to be replaced. The Intelligent Key has to be programmed to the car and the mechanical blade cut to match, which is why it sits in the same range as the Nissan key it is based on, and why keeping the second key working is worth far more than the battery costs.
How long the new battery will last
An older separate remote only transmits when you press a button, so a CR2032 in one typically lasts three to five years. The Intelligent Key listens for the car and answers whenever you touch a door handle, so expect one to two years, less if the key lives within a few feet of the car overnight where the car keeps polling it. Cold weather and carrying the key loose with things that press the buttons both shorten that. More detail is in how long key fob batteries last.
Safety: keep coin batteries away from children and pets
A swallowed coin cell can cause serious internal burns within hours. Keep spares and the old cell out of reach, and dispose of old batteries at a drop-off point rather than in household waste. If you think a child has swallowed a battery, go to the emergency room straight away and call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 1-800-498-8666, or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every Infiniti key fob takes a single CR2032 3 V lithium coin cell: the Intelligent Key on every model from 2007 on and the separate remotes on older G35, FX, M and QX56 models. Confirm with the code on the old battery.
Slide the latch and pull out the mechanical key, then push a small flat screwdriver, tip wrapped in cloth, into the slot it came from and twist. The back cover pops free from that end. Do not pry along the long seam.
On most Infiniti Intelligent Keys the + side with the printed code faces down, toward the buttons, so you see the plain side when the cover is off. Match the way the old cell sat; a photo before removal removes the guesswork.
No. The key keeps its pairing without battery power and works as soon as the new cell is in. The Key Battery Low warning clears after the next start.
Hold the brake and press the Intelligent Key directly against the Start button. The button reads the chip in the key and the engine starts. On 2007 to 2013 models with a dash slot, push the key into the slot and press Start as usual.
The car usually needs a start cycle or a short drive to update. If it stays on, check that the new cell is a CR2032 from a fresh pack, fitted the same way round as the old one, and that the spring contact in the key is not flattened.