Volvo Key Fob Battery Replacement: CR2032 or CR2430, Which One Your Key Takes and How to Open It
Volvo keys take one of two batteries. The current generation, from the 2016 XC90 onwards (XC90, S90, V90, XC60 2018 on, XC40, S60 and V60 2019 on, C40, EX30, EX90), takes one CR2032. The 2008 to 2018 generation (S60 and V60 2011 to 2018, XC60 2010 to 2017, XC70 and V70 2008 to 2016, S80 2007 to 2016) takes a thicker CR2430, and the older Personal Car Communicator key with the small display takes two of them. The 2000 to 2014 generation before that (S60 and S80 to 2009, V70 and XC70 to 2007, XC90 to 2014, S40, V50, C30, C70) takes one CR2032. Read the code on the old battery before you buy.
Volvo is one of the brands where buying the wrong battery is easy. The CR2430 used in the 2008 to 2018 keys is the same 24 mm width as the CR2450 and thinner, and a CR2032 is thinner and narrower still, so the wrong cell will often sit in the holder and work badly rather than not at all. The keys also open three different ways. This guide tells you which battery your Volvo key takes, shows how each generation opens, and covers what to do if the car still does not see the key afterwards.
Which battery your Volvo key fob takes
The battery depends on the generation of key, not the badge on the car. Find your key in the table, then confirm the code against the old battery once the case is open.
| Key style | Typical FCC ID | Common on | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Older remote key with the flip-out or fixed blade (P2 and P1 platforms) | LQNP2T-APU, KR55WK49264, KR55WK49266 | S60 2001 to 2009, S80 1999 to 2006, V70 and XC70 2001 to 2007, XC90 2003 to 2014, S40, V50, C30 and C70 2004 to 2013 | CR2032 |
| Remote key with the slide-out blade, 2008 to 2018 style (P3 platform) | KR55WK49264 (6-button), KR55WK49266 | S80 2007 to 2016, V70 and XC70 2008 to 2016, XC60 2010 to 2017, S60 and V60 2011 to 2018 | CR2430 (two in the Personal Car Communicator key with the display) |
| Current smart key with leather or glossy back (SPA and CMA platforms) | YGOHUF8423, YGOHUF8432, KR55WK49266 (2016 to 2018 XC90) | XC90 2016 on, S90 and V90 2017 on, XC60 2018 on, XC40 2019 on, S60 and V60 2019 on, C40, EX30, EX90 | CR2032 |
The code stamped on the flat + face of the old battery is the final word. A CR2430 is 24 mm across and 3 mm thick; a CR2032 is 20 mm across and 3.2 mm thick. They are not interchangeable, whatever the counter at the shop tells you. If the old battery is missing, the owner’s manual lists the type in the section on the remote key, and the current cars show it in the centre display under Settings when the key battery is low.
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 CR2032 dropped into a CR2430 holder rattles and makes contact only some of the time, 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 Volvo branded all work; two CR2430s for the display key)
- A small flat-blade screwdriver 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 current Volvo smart key
This is the flat key with the leather, wood or glossy back used from the 2016 XC90 onwards. It takes one CR2032.
Hold the key with the Volvo logo facing you and the key ring end down. Slide the small catch at the bottom edge sideways, then slide the back cover down a few millimetres and lift it off.
With the cover off, the metal key blade is exposed. Lift it out and put it somewhere safe; you will use its tip in the next step.
Put the tip of the key blade or a small flat screwdriver into the slot at the end of the inner battery cover, where the blade was sitting, and lever it up gently. It hinges open rather than coming right off on most keys.
On these keys the + side with the code printed on it faces up, towards you. Take a photo so there is no guessing later, then lever the cell out from the cut-out at its edge. Do not slide a metal tool across the circuit board.
Hold the new cell by its edges, keep your fingers off the flat faces, and press it in the same way round as the old one. It should sit flat under the retaining tab.
Press the inner cover down until it clicks, lay the key blade back in its channel, slide the back cover on until the catch clicks, and press lock and unlock. The lights should flash and the small LED on the key should blink with each press.
Volvo’s own advice is to avoid touching the battery faces with your fingers because skin oils shorten the life of the cell. It is a small thing, but it costs nothing to hold the battery by its edge.
Changing the battery in a 2008 to 2018 or older Volvo key
The 2008 to 2018 key with the slide-out blade takes a CR2430 (two in the display key). The older key with the flip-out or fixed blade takes a CR2032.
- On the 2008 to 2018 key, slide the small button on the back and pull out the emergency key blade. Then put the tip of the blade or a small screwdriver into the slot behind the button and twist; the back cover pops off. On the older flip key, look for the notch on the seam between the remote and the key head, or on the oldest keys a small Phillips screw on the back, and open the case there.
- Note which way the battery faces. On the 2008 to 2018 key the + side faces down into the holder on most versions, which catches people out; take a photo before you remove it.
- Lever the old cell out from the cut-out at its edge. On the display key, remove both cells and replace both together, even if one still reads a good voltage.
- Press in the new cell or cells the same way round, check the rubber button pad is seated, and snap the cover back on until the seam is flush all the way round. Slide the key blade home until it clicks.
On a Volvo with a key slot in the dash, the transponder chip that lets the car start is read by the slot and does not depend on the remote battery. So even with a completely dead remote the car still starts; you just have to unlock the door with the blade.
3V lithium coin cell in the size printed on your old battery
Current Volvo keys take a CR2032; the 2008 to 2018 keys take a CR2430. Buy a name brand in a small multi-pack and keep the spares in the glove box, not loose in the key.
Other size: CR2430
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Do you need to reprogram a Volvo 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 Volvo key keeps working as soon as a fresh cell goes in. If the driver display showed Car key battery low, it clears after the next start or two. On the current cars you can check the result straight away under Settings, My Car, Locking in the centre display, which shows the key battery level.
If the car still does not see the key
First, get moving. On a 2016 and newer Volvo, if the display says Car key not found, put the key in the backup reader: it is the marked spot in the cup holder in the tunnel console, with the key lying flat and the Volvo logo up on most models. Hold the brake, turn the start knob and the car starts. On a 2008 to 2018 Volvo without keyless drive, push the key into the slot in the dash as usual; on one with keyless drive, push the key into the slot anyway, which is the backup. The emergency key blade opens the driver’s door if the remote lock does not respond; on the current cars the lock cylinder is under a small cover on the handle that pops off with the blade.
Then work through the usual causes, in order of how often they turn out to be the problem:
- Wrong size. A CR2032 in a CR2430 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 2008 to 2018 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 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 Volvo 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, and Volvo keys are among the more expensive because the dealer orders them against the VIN and programs them with factory software, so it is worth keeping a working spare.
How long the new battery will last
An older Volvo key only transmits when you press a button, so a CR2032 in one typically lasts three years or more. The 2008 to 2018 key and the current smart key both listen for the car and answer whenever you touch a door handle, so expect one to two years, and less again from the display key, which also receives alerts from the car. Keeping the key within a few metres of the car overnight, cold weather, and carrying it loose with things that press the buttons all 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
Current Volvo keys (2016 XC90 onwards) take one CR2032. The 2008 to 2018 keys with the slide-out blade take a CR2430, or two CR2430s in the Personal Car Communicator key with the display. The older 2000 to 2014 keys take one CR2032. Confirm with the code on the old battery.
Slide the catch at the bottom edge, slide the back cover down and lift it off, take out the emergency key blade, then lever up the inner battery cover with the tip of the blade. The CR2032 sits under it with the + side up.
No. Volvo keys keep their pairing without battery power. The key works as soon as the new battery is in, and the Car key battery low message clears after the next start or two.
On a 2016 and newer Volvo, lay the key in the backup reader in the cup holder, hold the brake and turn the start knob. On a 2008 to 2018 Volvo, push the key into the slot in the dash. Use the emergency key blade to unlock the driver’s door.
No. A CR2032 is 4 mm narrower than a CR2430 and rattles in the holder, so the key works intermittently at best. Use the size the key was designed for.
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.