Key fob pealing

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https://www.disco4.com/forum/2010-11-keyfob-repair-upgrade-111134.html?highlight=keyfob+upgrade

Although from a 2010 Range Rover / Sport, and so has additional lettering, I am sure many earlier Discovery 4 owners also have these rather large and heavy Key fobs that are prone to looking very shabby when the rubber starts to ripple & peel off around the edges.

KEYSWAP1.jpg

I have however recently discovered that it is now possible to replace the Plastics / Rubber parts for new.

See this Technical bulletin which also lists the part numbers and shows how to take the Fob apart.

http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/userpics/12690/2010Keys.pdf

Although this would be a great improvement, I would still have some quite scruffy metal parts and a large heavy fob and what I would really like to have for my vehicle is the later, smaller, lighter and smoother pebble shaped fob.

KEYSWAP2.jpg


I had already purchased a number of these later fobs brand new from Ebay and so decided to open both types up.

KEYSWAP3.jpg


On the new type there are a couple of small melted plastic pegs holding the PCB and a plastic cover that can be shaved around and give way pretty easily and on the old Type to the Right the PCB just lifts out.

I have also included the Key Blades for the fobs on this picture to show you how they are different. Basically for leverage the older type clips to the key body and the newer has its own little flip out handle.

Amazingly as you can see in the picture the PCB's from each fob type are near identical with just a little size difference on the top right and bottom right corners.

KEYSWAP4.jpg


On inspecting the other half of the case I discovered that the top right actually fitted and only a very small amount was required to be removed on the lower right.
However with their being no tracks I filed them both down more than enough

KEYSWAP5.jpg


I had left enough on my posts to clip the plastic cover on but could have used a couple of dabs of glue. Then I re fitted the Battery, clipped the cases back together and re assembled the key blade and slide cover.

Those with an eagle eye will note on the picture showing the Key Blades that they are both cut the same to suit my locks.

I am a bit of a perfectionist in these things, so It is with great thanks to TLO who helped me order the Later Key Blade type but with an earlier VIN number so the cut was correct.

Other alternates are to just keep the Blade from the early key in the late one, which really only means that if ever you have to use it you might need to find something to apply a little more leverage to turn it in the door lock. A coin in the end actually works quite well.
 
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Skullbiker

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Although mine is a D3 and a slightly different key - I did like Daniele Gardellin above and got new fob case from amazon and swapped them out - I even managed to swap out the whole blade mechanism and avoid having a new one cut.
 

cperez

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There is a small spring-loaded button mechanism on the bottom center that must also be transferred. I found it extremely challenging trying to reinstall that button/spring combination on the new case.The button is used to release the key assembly from a locked position so it can be pushed back into the case. No one else seems to have mentioned that. Either everyone else had some secret to installing the tiny spring and button mechanism, or they simply left it out.

I actually did mention this PITA button in my write up from a few years ago (Repaired peeling key fob). Admittedly, I didn’t have any good advice for transferring it to a new blank fob case. My workaround was to reuse the half of the old fob that included this part; somewhat of a cheat. Hats off to you for having the perseverance to do it right!
 

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