Saab 900s key problem

I have a 1995 900S, which sounds like what you also have, give or take a year. Just pick up (2) CR2016 lithium batteries at Radio Shack or Wal-Mart and you can change them yourself.

Carefully pry the battery cover off of the keyfob using something like a knife blade, slide the old batteries out and the new ones in. While the batteries are out, it's a good idea to carefully inspect the contacts for corrosion and clean if necessary. I use a contact cleaner pen that I picked up at Radio Shack.

After installing the new batteries, press the left-button (5) times in succession with the remote pointed at the car to synchronize the remote with the receiver. This is all in the owners manual.

Jim M

Ebay ! Best place ever for such batteries.

Graham

Why would you abandon a feature just because it needs a 2-minute battery swap?

Depends on your point of view of what is a feature and what is a pain. There is a reason you should take eveything out of your pockets when you sleep at a camp out. This was Cub Scout camping and some adult did not remove his keys. He rolled over or somehow pressed the alarm button early in the morning. Once one car alram went off, the other half alseep adult started pressing their alarm buttons to run of "their" alarm. Well, you know where this goes - soon every car with a remote and alarm was blasting away. I had a similar incident happen to me with my car in my garage so it wasn't quite so bad.

I prefer my Saabs to have manual transmission, crank down windows . . . and not be made by GM :-)

Well, sure, but if he's asking how to do it, apparently he's made that decision already?

You seem to be extending an example of misuse of a tool, to all users of that tool.

Same here, but not the point.

Sorry, I made a mistake. It's a fob thing, and not the key that needs the new battery. It seems impossible to get into, bu clearly, there must be a way. Can anyone help? It's a fob thing with 2 buttons on it - one does the trunk and the other does the doors. There's a seam that goes all the way round it, but seems to be moulded, maybe. Then there's a little panel which can prise off, probably, but it would maybe be a problem getting it to go back on.

However, now I know what the button on the key is for. This has never had a working battery in it! I assumed it was some sort of defunct alarm button. heh!

"derek" wrote in news:dip7c4$s6v$ snipped-for-privacy@reader01.news.esat.net:

On mine, 1997 900CS, the button on the key is for a mini-flashlight. There's a tiny lightbulb next to the side of the key at the top of the metal part. Mine works but is fading.

Yes, it's the small cover on the back that you need to pry off with a thin blade. It takes a bit of force, but it's made of a fairly durable plastic so it shouldn't break too easily. When replacing, I think I had to squeeze the tabs in on the sides to refit. It's really not that difficult.

Jim M

Jim,

Thanks for that - great!

Hehe, that's a funny story.

I can't see the point of those radio keys. In fact their signal can be snooped by someone with a scanner and stored for later use... Also, the keys sometimes don't work in the proximity of transmitters.

Not with the method Saab uses.

That's what the key-part is for then. Aren't choices wonderful? My 9-5's remote keyless entry has never not worked.

Technology is a wonderful game of one-up-manship, just like the Spy-vs-spy comic. Saab claims no one can steal the signal for their remote entry. Perhaps this was true when it was designed, but I would bet the signal could be stolen today. But this leads to the question of why? The NG Saabs stolen today are probably taken by a thief who just needs any car at that particular time and finds one with the keys left in the ignition. Since GM took over they have earned a reputation for having problems (GM V6, DI cassette etc) - so why would anyone want to steal a GM Saab? If you could not afford to buy one - you certainly could not afford to keep it on the road.

The DI problem is not peculiar to Saabs. Most GM Saabs in the UK are not fitted with a V6 engine. Please explain the etc.

You would find reading about "one time passwords" informative, possibly with a google modifier of "cryptography"