Problems changing fob battery

[Michael Hurn]

Hi everyone,

looking for some ideas. I need to The the Battery in the remote for my RX300. However the genius garage who changed the last Battery have really gone to town and not put the tiny screws back in properly. Now when I try to open it with the precision screwdrivers they are just damaging the cross thread. 

Any ideas on what to do without cracking the casing open? 

Many thanks!

 

[sorcerer]

Get a Dremel or similar tool and, using a drill bit the same size across as the screw head, carefully drill off the screw head. Open the case and there may just be enough of the screw shank left to grip with pliers to unscrew it but if not, drill out the shank too (but use a smaller drill bit).

[rayaans]

Just crack it open and swap the internals with an eBay replacement. Don't forget the immobiliser chip btw

[Michael Hurn]

Thanks - Just checking what you mean here - crack open the actual inner case of the fob where the Battery is? I can open the outer shell but not the next level down?

cheers

[rayaans]

5 hours ago, Michael Hurn said:

Thanks - Just checking what you mean here - crack open the actual inner case of the fob where the battery is? I can open the outer shell but not the next level down?

cheers

Only the outermost plastic cover is attached by a screw. 

The inner Battery cover just pops off so not a problem there.

[PCM]

On 19/10/2017 at 4:32 PM, Michael Hurn said:

Hi everyone,

looking for some ideas. I need to The the battery in the remote for my RX300. However the genius garage who changed the last battery have really gone to town and not put the tiny screws back in properly. Now when I try to open it with the precision screwdrivers they are just damaging the cross thread. 

Any ideas on what to do without cracking the casing open? 

Many thanks!

 

To unscrew the tiny screws... I use my Swiss Army Knife penknife blade. Just the tip does the job.

[Michael Hurn]

On 23/10/2017 at 12:57 PM, rayaans said:

Only the outermost plastic cover is attached by a screw. 

The inner battery cover just pops off so not a problem there.

 

On 23/10/2017 at 12:57 PM, rayaans said:

Only the outermost plastic cover is attached by a screw. 

The inner battery cover just pops off so not a problem there.

Thanks - Just checking what you mean here - crack open the actual inner case of the fob where the Battery is? I can open the outer shell but not the next level down?

cheers

[Michael Hurn]

Hi. The inner Battery cover  has 2 tiny screws holding the fob together and they are damaged. Wish they weren’t there! :-)

[sorcerer]

26 minutes ago, Michael Hurn said:

Hi. The inner battery cover  has 2 tiny screws holding the fob together and they are damaged. Wish they weren’t there! :-)

Only thing you can do then is to drill them out. I can't remember if they're self-tappers or not but you may have to replace with self-tappers anyway, unless you can drill all the way through and use machine screws and nuts to reassemble it.

[PCM]

2 minutes ago, sorcerer said:

Only thing you can do then is to drill them out. I can't remember if they're self-tappers or not but you may have to replace with self-tappers anyway, unless you can drill all the way through and use machine screws and nuts to reassemble it.

But DO try a pen knife tip first...

[sorcerer]

12 minutes ago, PCM said:

But DO try a pen knife tip first...

I know what you're saying Piers and it may indeed work; at this point there's no harm in trying because the screw heads are already damaged. However, it was either the incorrect use of the proper tool or using an incorrect tool that got him in this mess to begin with - and a penknife tip has never been the proper tool to drive screws with, even if it is a Swiss Army one

[rayaans]

1 hour ago, Michael Hurn said:

Hi. The inner battery cover  has 2 tiny screws holding the fob together and they are damaged. Wish they weren’t there! :-)

Ah never mind, my key must have been an older one then as it didn't have inside screws!