Nissan Key Fob Battery Replacement: CR2032 for the Intelligent Key on Altima, Rogue, Sentra and Pathfinder
Nissan keys take one CR2032 battery: the separate remotes on 1998 to 2012 models, the remote head keys on the Versa, Sentra and Frontier, the oval Intelligent Key used from 2007 to 2012, the rounded Intelligent Key used from 2013 to 2020, and the current flat Intelligent Key on the Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, Kicks, Frontier and Ariya. A small number of Rogue and Leaf keys left the factory with a thinner CR2025, so read the code on the old cell before you buy. To open an Intelligent Key, slide the release and pull out the emergency key, then put a flat tool in the slot it came from and twist. No reprogramming is needed.
Nissan has used the same battery in its keys for more than twenty years, so buying the right one is easy. What changes between generations is how the key opens. The oval 2007 to 2012 Intelligent Key splits at a notch on its side, while every key since opens from the slot where the emergency key sits, and a screwdriver forced into the outside seam cracks the case. This guide shows where each Nissan key opens, how to start the car when the key is already dead, and what to check if the car still does not see the key afterwards.
Which battery your Nissan 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 Nissan the answer in the last column is almost always the same.
| Key style | Typical FCC ID | Common on | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate remote on the key ring, turn-key ignition | KBRASTU15, CWTWB1U415, CWTWB1U733, KOBUTA3T | Altima and Maxima 1998 to 2006, Sentra to 2012, Frontier, Titan, Xterra and Pathfinder 2004 to 2012, Versa, Cube, Quest, Armada | CR2032 |
| Remote head key (buttons on the key head) | CWTWB1U751, CWTWB1U816 | Versa 2012 to 2019, Sentra 2013 to 2019, Frontier 2013 to 2021, NV200, Rogue Sport and Kicks (key-start trims) | CR2032 |
| Oval Intelligent Key, 2007 to 2012 | CWTWBU729, CWTWBU735, KR55WK48903, KR55WK49622 | Altima 2007 to 2012, Maxima 2009 to 2014, Murano 2009 to 2014, Rogue 2008 to 2013, Sentra 2007 to 2012, 370Z, GT-R, Armada 2008 to 2015, Leaf 2011 to 2017, Juke, Quest 2011 to 2017 | CR2032 (a few Leaf keys use a CR2025) |
| Rounded Intelligent Key, 2013 to 2020 | KR5S180144014, KR5S180144106, KR5S180144105 | Altima 2013 to 2018, Rogue 2014 to 2020, Pathfinder 2013 to 2020, Murano 2015 to 2020, Maxima 2016 to 2020, Titan 2016 to 2020, Sentra 2013 to 2019, Kicks 2018 to 2020 | CR2032 (some Rogue keys use a CR2025) |
| Flat Intelligent Key, 2019 on | KR5TXN4, KR5TXN7, KR5TXN1, KR5TXN3, KR5TXPZ1 | Altima 2019 on, Versa 2020 on, Sentra 2020 on, Rogue 2021 on, Pathfinder 2022 on, Frontier 2022 on, Kicks 2021 on, Ariya, Z 2023 on | CR2032 |
The code stamped on the flat + face of the old battery is the final word. If it says CR2025, use a CR2025; the holder in that key is set for the thinner cell and a CR2032 may keep the cover from closing. If it says CR2032, do not substitute a CR2025, which sits loose and makes poor contact. If the old battery is missing, the owner’s manual lists the type in the section on the Intelligent Key battery.
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 and a CR2025 are both 20 mm wide but differ in thickness. A thinner cell in a holder made for the thicker one makes poor contact and causes the random dropouts people blame on the car. 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 (Panasonic, Energizer, Duracell, Murata or Nissan branded all work)
- A small flat-blade screwdriver with the tip wrapped in 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
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 Nissan Intelligent Key
This covers the rounded 2013 to 2020 key and the flat 2019 and newer key. They open the same way. The oval 2007 to 2012 key is covered in the next section.
Slide the small catch on the back of the fob and pull the metal key blade straight out. You will use its tip in the next step.
Look into the opening the key blade came from. There is a small notch between the two halves. Push a taped flat screwdriver or the tip of the key blade into that notch and twist gently. The back cover lifts off. Do not pry around the outside seam; that is how cases get chewed up.
Before you touch the battery, look at which side shows. On Nissan Intelligent Keys the + side with the code printed on it faces the back cover, towards you, 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 slide a metal tool across the circuit board.
Hold the new cell by its edges and press it into the holder the same way round as the old one. It should sit flat and click under the retaining tab. A battery that rocks or stands proud is the wrong size.
Snap the cover back on, slide the emergency key home until it clicks, and press lock and unlock. The lights should flash and the small LED on the fob should blink with each press.
If the rubber button pad came away with the cover, lay it back in the front half first, buttons facing out, before you close the case. A pinched pad is why buttons feel mushy after a battery change, and why the trunk or remote start button sometimes stops working.
Changing the battery in an oval Nissan Intelligent Key or older remote
The oval 2007 to 2012 Intelligent Key, the remote head keys and the older separate remotes all take a CR2032 and all open at a notch on the seam rather than from the key slot.
- On the oval Intelligent Key, slide the catch and remove the emergency key, then look at the side of the case: there is a small notch on the seam near the key ring end. On the remote head key the notch is on the seam of the head opposite the blade. On the separate remotes it is on one edge, sometimes next to a tiny Phillips screw; remove the screw first if there is one.
- Put a taped flat screwdriver or a coin 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. On the oval key the + side faces down into the holder on most versions, which catches people out; take a photo before you remove it.
- Press in the new cell 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.
On a turn-key Nissan the transponder chip is sealed in the key head and does not need the battery, so a dead remote never stops the car starting; you just have to unlock the door with the key.
3V lithium CR2032 coin cell
Nearly every Nissan key takes a CR2032; a few Rogue and Leaf keys take a CR2025. Buy a name brand in a small multi-pack and keep the spares in the glove box, not loose in the fob.
Other size: CR2025
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Do you need to reprogram a Nissan key after a battery change?
No. The pairing between the key and the car is stored in memory that does not depend on the battery, so a Nissan Intelligent Key keeps working as soon as a fresh cell goes in. If the instrument panel showed Key Battery Low or Replace Key Battery, it clears the next time you start the car, or after a short drive on some models. If the key has sat for a long time with a dead battery, press a button once to wake it, and that is all.
If the car still does not see the key
First, get moving. If a push-button Nissan shows Key ID Incorrect or No Key Detected, hold the brake and press the Intelligent Key directly against the Start button, buttons facing you. You will hear a chime, which means the car has read the chip in the key through the button; press the button again with the key still touching it and the engine starts. On the 2007 to 2012 Altima, Maxima and Murano there is a key slot in the dash below the Start button instead: push the oval key into it and press Start. The emergency key blade opens the driver’s door if the remote lock does not respond; on newer models the lock cylinder is under a small cap on the handle that pops off with the key tip.
Then work through the usual causes, in order of how often they turn out to be the problem:
- Wrong size. 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. The oval key is the one people most often get wrong.
- 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 on a hot dashboard can have a cracked solder joint or corroded board. A locksmith can test whether it still transmits.
If the buttons work but the car does not respond, see Nissan key fob not working. The general checklist is in key fob not working after a battery replacement.
What it costs
A Nissan 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. Older Nissan remotes are cheap to replace because many can be programmed from the driver’s seat without dealer tools; the Intelligent Key cannot, which is why it costs more.
How long the new battery will last
A separate remote or remote head key 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. Nissan’s own guidance is roughly two years for an Intelligent Key under normal use. 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
Nearly every Nissan key takes a single CR2032 3 V lithium coin cell: the separate remotes, the remote head keys and every generation of Intelligent Key. A few Rogue and Leaf keys use a CR2025, so confirm with the code on the old battery.
Slide the catch and pull out the emergency key, then push a taped flat screwdriver or the tip of the key blade into the notch inside the slot it came from and twist. The back cover lifts off. On the oval 2007 to 2012 key the notch is on the side seam near the key ring instead.
No. Nissan keys keep their pairing without battery power. The key works as soon as the new battery is in, and the Key Battery Low message clears after the next start.
Hold the brake and press the key directly against the Start button until you hear a chime, then press the button again with the key still touching it. On 2007 to 2012 models with a key slot in the dash, push the key into the slot and press Start. Use the emergency key blade to unlock the driver’s door.
Only if the old cell was a CR2025. In a key designed for a CR2032 it is thinner, so the contact is poor and the key becomes unreliable. Match the code on the old battery.
The car usually needs a start cycle or a short drive to update. If it stays on, check that the new cell is the right code from a fresh pack, the right way up, and that the spring contact in the key is not flattened.