Suzuki Key Fob Battery Replacement: CR2032 or CR1620, Which One Your Swift, Vitara or Jimny Key Takes
Suzuki uses two battery sizes. The keyless smart keys, both the 2007 to 2013 slot-type key on the Grand Vitara, SX4 and Kizashi and the current push-button keys on the Swift, Vitara, S-Cross, Ignis, Jimny and Across, take one CR2032. The older flip keys and remote head keys on the Swift, SX4, Alto, Celerio, Vitara and the 1998 to 2018 Jimny take a smaller CR1620. Open a smart key by pulling out the emergency blade and levering at the slot; open a flip key at the notch on the seam. Fit the new cell the same way round as the old one. No reprogramming is needed.
Suzuki key batteries trip people up because the two common sizes look nothing alike once you see them side by side: a CR2032 is a 20 mm coin, a CR1620 is a 16 mm button. Buy the wrong one and it either will not fit or rattles around and works on alternate days. This guide tells you which battery your Suzuki key takes, shows where each type opens, and covers what to do if the car still does not see the key afterwards. It covers the North American models sold up to 2013 as well as the current Swift, Vitara and Jimny sold elsewhere.
Which battery your Suzuki key fob takes
The battery depends on the style of key. Find your key in the table, then confirm the code against the old battery once the case is open.
| Key style | Typical FCC ID or type | Common on | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate remote or remote head key, turn-key ignition | KOBUTA3T (Forenza, Reno), CWTWB1U415 (Equator), HYQ-type Suzuki remotes | Forenza and Reno 2004 to 2008, Aerio, XL-7 2007 to 2009, Equator 2009 to 2012, Grand Vitara and SX4 without keyless start | CR2032 on the GM and Nissan built remotes; CR1620 on most Suzuki built remotes, so read the old cell |
| Flip key or fixed-blade remote key, Suzuki built | TS008, TS007, 37145-xxxxx | Swift 2005 to 2017, SX4 and S-Cross 2006 to 2016 (non keyless), Alto, Celerio, Splash, Vitara 2015 on (non keyless), Jimny 1998 to 2018 | CR1620 |
| Slot-type smart key, 2007 to 2013 | KBRTS003, KBRTS001 | Grand Vitara 2006 to 2013, SX4 2007 to 2013, Kizashi 2010 to 2013 | CR2032 |
| Push-button smart key, current | Suzuki 2-button and 3-button keyless remote (37172-xxxxx) | Swift 2017 on, Vitara 2015 on (keyless trims), S-Cross 2016 on, Ignis 2017 on, Jimny 2018 on, Baleno, Across, Swace | CR2032 |
The code stamped on the flat + face of the old battery is the final word. A CR1620 is 16 mm across and 2 mm thick; a CR2032 is 20 mm across and 3.2 mm thick. A CR1616 fits a CR1620 holder but is thinner and makes poor contact, and a CR2025 does the same in a CR2032 holder. If the old battery is missing, the owner’s manual lists the type in the section on the keyless entry system or the remote controller.
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. A cell that is the right width but too thin sits loose, which shows up as a key that works from arm’s length one day and not at all the next. 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 Suzuki branded all work; CR1620 is less common in shops, so buy it before you open the key)
- A small flat-blade screwdriver, a coin, or a plastic pry tool, and a small Phillips screwdriver for some flip keys
- A clean table and good light, so a dropped battery or the small rubber button pad does not vanish
Avoid rechargeable cells. 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 Suzuki smart key
This covers the current push-button keys and the 2007 to 2013 slot-type key. Both take a CR2032 and both open from the end where the emergency blade sits.
Slide the small catch on the back of the key and pull the metal key blade straight out. You will use its tip in the next step.
Look into the opening the blade came from. There is a small notch between the two halves. Push the tip of the blade or a flat screwdriver into that notch and twist gently; the back cover lifts off from that end. Do not pry around the outside seam.
Before you touch the battery, look at which side shows. On Suzuki keys the + side with the code printed on it normally faces up, towards the back cover, but take a photo so there is no guessing later.
Use a plastic tool or the tip of the blade 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 blade home until it clicks, and press lock and unlock. The lights should flash and the small LED on the key 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.
Changing the battery in a Suzuki flip key or remote key
This is the folding key or fixed-blade remote key used on turn-key Swifts, SX4s, Vitaras, Altos and the 1998 to 2018 Jimny. Most take a CR1620.
- On a flip key, press the button and fold the blade out. Look for a small Phillips screw on the back of the remote half and remove it if there is one, then find the notch on the seam beside the hinge or on the bottom edge. On a fixed-blade key the notch is on the seam of the head, opposite the blade.
- 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. On many Suzuki remote keys the + side faces the circuit board, which catches people out.
- Press in the new cell the same way round, check the rubber button pad is seated, snap the halves together until the seam is flush all the way round, and refit the screw.
The transponder chip that lets the car start is sealed in the key head and does not use the battery. So 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 coin cell in the size printed on your old battery
Suzuki smart keys take a CR2032; flip keys and remote keys take a CR1620. Buy a name brand in a small multi-pack and keep the spares in the glove box, not loose in the key.
Other size: CR1620
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Do you need to reprogram a Suzuki 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 Suzuki key keeps working as soon as a fresh cell goes in. If the instrument panel showed a key battery warning, it clears after the next start or two. If an older remote key has lost its sync after months without power, turn the key in the ignition and press a button once; the car picks it up again.
If the car still does not see the key
First, get moving. On a current Suzuki with push-button start, hold the key with its buttons facing you and touch the back of it to the engine switch, then press the brake and press the switch while holding it there; the switch reads the chip in the key. On a 2007 to 2013 Grand Vitara, SX4 or Kizashi, push the smart key into the slot in the dash and turn the knob as normal; the slot reads the chip directly. The emergency 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 CR1616 in a CR1620 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. The flip 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. Small cells like the CR1620 sit on shop shelves for a long time and 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 key 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, the full checklist is in key fob not working after a battery replacement.
What it costs
A Suzuki dealer or a locksmith 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. In North America, where Suzuki dealers closed after 2013, a locksmith who handles Japanese and GM vehicles is the practical route for a replacement Grand Vitara, SX4 or Kizashi key.
How long the new battery will last
A flip key or remote key only transmits when you press a button, but the CR1620 is a small cell, so expect two to three years rather than the four or five a CR2032 gives in a bigger key. A smart key listens for the car and answers whenever you touch a door handle, so expect one to two years from its CR2032, less if the key lives within a few metres of the car overnight. 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, and the small CR1620 is an easy size to swallow. 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
Suzuki smart keys, both the 2007 to 2013 slot type and the current push-button type, take a CR2032. The flip keys and remote keys on the Swift, SX4, Alto, Vitara and 1998 to 2018 Jimny take a CR1620. Confirm with the code printed on the old battery.
Slide the catch and pull out the emergency blade, then push the tip of the blade or a small flat screwdriver into the notch inside the slot it came from and twist. The back cover lifts off. Do not pry at the outside seam.
No. Suzuki keys keep their pairing without battery power. The key works as soon as the new battery is in, and any key battery warning clears after the next start or two.
On a push-button Suzuki, touch the back of the key to the engine switch, press the brake and press the switch while holding the key there. On a 2007 to 2013 Grand Vitara, SX4 or Kizashi, push the key into the slot and turn the knob. Use the emergency blade to unlock the driver’s door.
No. The flip key holder is made for a 16 mm CR1620 and a 20 mm CR2032 will not fit. The other way round, a CR1620 in a smart key is far too small to make contact. Use the exact size the key was designed for.
Usually the new cell is the right width but too thin, such as a CR1616 in place of a CR1620, or it is upside down, or the spring contact was flattened when the case was opened. Check all three before blaming the key.