Jeep Key Fob Battery Replacement: CR2032 for Most Jeeps, CR2450 for the Wrangler JL and Gladiator
Most Jeep keys take one CR2032: the old remote head keys and separate remotes, the rectangular Fobik used from 2008 to about 2020, and the push-button smart key on the Cherokee, Compass, Renegade and 2014 to 2021 Grand Cherokee. The Wrangler JL (2018 on) and Gladiator use a larger, thicker CR2450, and so do the 2022-on Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer. To open a Fobik or smart key, pull out the emergency key blade, push a flat screwdriver into the slot it came from and twist. Fit the new cell the same way round as the old one. No reprogramming is needed.
Jeep is mostly a CR2032 brand with one important exception, and that exception is the vehicle most people are asking about. The Wrangler JL and Gladiator key looks almost identical to the Compass and Cherokee key but holds a CR2450, which is the same 3 V but wider and nearly twice as thick, and neither cell will do the other’s job. The other thing people get wrong on Jeeps is where the key opens: the Fobik and the smart key split from the end where the emergency blade sits, not along the long seam, and prying the seam cracks the case. This guide covers which battery each Jeep key takes, how to open each type, and what to check if the Jeep still does not see the key.
Which battery your Jeep 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, and for Jeep the model matters as much as the year.
| Key style | Typical FCC ID | Common on | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote head key (buttons on the key head, turn-key ignition) | KOBDT04A, OHT692427AA, OHT692713AA | Grand Cherokee 2005 to 2007, Liberty 2005 to 2012, Commander, Wrangler JK 2007 to 2018, Patriot and Compass 2007 to 2017 | CR2032 |
| Separate remote on the key ring | GQ43VT17T, GQ43VT9T, GQ43VT18T | Grand Cherokee WJ 1999 to 2004, Liberty KJ 2002 to 2004, Wrangler TJ 1998 to 2006, Cherokee XJ | CR2032 |
| Fobik (rectangular key that pushes into the dash) | IYZ-C01C, M3N5WY783X | Grand Cherokee 2008 to 2013, Commander 2008 to 2010, Liberty 2008 to 2012, Wrangler JK with remote start | CR2032 |
| Smart key with push-button start, rounded body | GQ4-54T, M3N-40821302, GQ4-76T, OHT-4882056 | Cherokee KL 2014 to 2023, Grand Cherokee WK2 2014 to 2021, Compass MP 2017 on, Renegade 2015 on, Wrangler JK Sahara/Rubicon with keyless | CR2032 |
| Smart key with push-button start, larger body | OHT1130261, M3NWXF0B1 | Wrangler JL 2018 on, Gladiator JT 2020 on, Grand Cherokee WL and Grand Cherokee L 2021 on, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer 2022 on | CR2450 |
A CR2450 is 24 mm across and 5 mm thick; a CR2032 is 20 mm across and 3.2 mm thick. A CR2032 dropped into a Wrangler JL key rattles in the holder and makes contact only when it feels like it, and a CR2450 will not physically fit a Cherokee or Compass key. If your Jeep is a 2021 or newer Grand Cherokee or Wagoneer, check the code on the old cell before buying, because the key design changed with the new platform and the cell went to CR2450 with it.
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. Our key fob battery size chart lists every size by brand.
What you need
- One new battery of the exact code printed on the old one, CR2032 or CR2450 (Panasonic, Energizer, Duracell, Murata or dealer branded all work)
- A small flat-blade screwdriver, a coin, or a plastic pry tool
- A clean table and good light, so a dropped battery or the small rubber button pad does not vanish
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. A branded 3 V lithium cell with a date well into the future is all you need.
Changing the battery in a Jeep Fobik or smart key
The Fobik, the rounded smart key and the larger Wrangler JL key all open the same way, from the end where the emergency key sits. Do not try to split them along the long seam.
Slide the small latch on the back of the fob and pull the metal key blade straight out. On the Wrangler JL key the latch is a button on the side.
Look into the opening the key blade came from. Push a small flat screwdriver or the tip of the key blade into that slot, between the two case halves, and twist. The case splits from that end. Work the tool along the short edge if it does not pop first time, but stay at that end; the long seam is tight and chews up if you pry it.
The + side with the code printed on it normally faces up, toward the back cover, but take a photo so there is no guessing later.
Use a plastic tool or the tip of the emergency key 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 it by its edges and press it in the same way round as the old one. It should sit flat under the retaining clip. If it rocks, rattles or stands proud, it is the wrong size.
Line the halves up, press them together until the seam is flush all round, slide the emergency key home until it clicks, and press lock and unlock. The small red LED 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 Jeep remote head key or separate remote
These are the keys with the buttons moulded into the key head (Wrangler JK, Liberty, Patriot, older Grand Cherokee) and the black remotes that hang separately on the ring. Both take a CR2032.
- Find the notch. On the remote head key it is on the seam at the bottom edge of the head, opposite the blade. On the separate remotes it is on one short edge, sometimes with a tiny Phillips screw beside it; remove the screw first if there is one.
- 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, and snap the halves together until the seam is flush all the way round.
The transponder chip that lets the Jeep start is sealed in the key head and does not use the battery. Even with a completely dead remote the key still turns the ignition and starts the engine; you just have to unlock the door by hand.
3V lithium CR2032 coin cell
The right cell for the Fobik, the Cherokee, Compass, Renegade and Grand Cherokee WK2 smart keys and every older Jeep key. Wrangler JL, Gladiator and 2021-on Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer owners need the CR2450 below instead.
Other size: CR2450
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Do you need to reprogram a Jeep key after a battery change?
No. The pairing between the key and the Jeep is stored in memory that does not depend on the battery, so the key keeps working as soon as a fresh cell goes in. If the instrument cluster showed Key Fob Battery Low, it clears the next time you start the vehicle, or after a drive or two on some models. If the key has been out of the vehicle for a long time with a dead battery you may need to press a button once to wake it, and that is all. Pairing a new key is a dealer or locksmith job because it needs the vehicle’s security PIN.
If the Jeep still does not see the key
First, get moving. On a push-button Jeep, hold the brake and press the nose of the fob (the end with the emergency key) directly against the Start/Stop button; the button reads the chip through the plastic and the engine starts. On a Fobik vehicle, push the Fobik into the ignition slot and turn it as normal; the ignition powers the chip, so a dead remote battery does not stop it. The emergency key blade 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:
- Wrong size. A CR2032 in a CR2450 holder, or a CR2025 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.
- Upside down. If the key does nothing at all and the LED does not flash, open it and turn the battery over.
- 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 Jeep’s 12 V battery. If the Jeep was also slow to crank or the dash lights were dim, the problem is the vehicle, not the key. See can a bad car battery cause key fob problems.
- Damage inside the key. A fob that has been dropped on a trail, through a wash, or left on a hot dash can have a cracked solder joint or corroded board. A locksmith can test whether it still transmits.
If the buttons work but the Jeep does not respond, see Jeep key fob not working. The general checklist is in key fob not working after a battery replacement.
What it costs
A Jeep 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. A smart key for a Wrangler JL, Grand Cherokee or Gladiator has to be programmed to the vehicle with the security PIN, so it is worth keeping a working spare rather than letting the second key die in a drawer.
How long the new battery will last
A remote head key or separate remote only transmits when you press a button, so a CR2032 in one typically lasts three to five years. A Fobik is in between: it transmits on button presses and is read by the ignition, and two to three years is normal. The push-button smart key listens for the vehicle 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 Jeep overnight. The CR2450 in the Wrangler JL key has more capacity and usually goes two to three years. 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
Most Jeep keys take one CR2032: remote head keys, separate remotes, the Fobik and the smart key on the Cherokee, Compass, Renegade and 2014 to 2021 Grand Cherokee. The Wrangler JL, Gladiator and 2021-on Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer take a CR2450. Confirm with the code on the old battery.
A CR2450. It is wider and thicker than the CR2032 used in other Jeep keys. A CR2032 will rattle in the JL holder and give unreliable contact, so buy the CR2450.
Slide the latch and remove the emergency key blade, then push a small flat screwdriver or the tip of that blade into the slot it came from and twist. The case splits from that end. Do not pry along the long seam.
No. Jeep keys keep their pairing without battery power. The key works as soon as the new battery is in, and the Key Fob Battery Low message clears after the next start.
Hold the brake and press the nose of the fob directly against the Start/Stop button. The button reads the chip in the key and the engine starts. On a Fobik vehicle, push the Fobik into the ignition slot and turn it as usual.
The vehicle usually needs a start cycle or a short drive to update. If it stays on, check that the new cell is the right size from a fresh pack, the right way up, and that the spring contact in the key is not flattened.