Replace the Key Fob Battery

When your Toyota Yaris XP130 remote starts working only up close, or the dashboard shows a key-battery warning, the coin cell inside the key is flat. It is a five-minute job with one screwdriver and a cheap lithium cell.

Which battery your Yaris key uses

Toyota fits two different cells depending on how your car locks and starts:

• CR2016 — cars without Smart Entry & Start (the flip/blade key with lock and unlock buttons that you turn in the ignition).
• CR2032 — cars with Smart Entry & Start (keyless entry and a push-button start). The CR2032 is the thicker of the two.

Both are 3-volt lithium coin cells sold in any supermarket. If you are unsure which your car has, open the key: the old cell has its size printed on the face.

What you’ll need

• A new CR2016 or CR2032 lithium coin cell.
• A small flathead screwdriver, with the tip wrapped in tape to protect the plastic.
• Clean, dry hands — skin oil and moisture shorten a new cell’s life.

Replace the battery — blade/remote key (CR2016)

1. Insert the taped screwdriver into the slot on the side of the key and push down to lift the cover.
2. Insert the screwdriver into the bottom of the key and push down to remove the cover fully.
3. Lift out the depleted CR2016 cell.
4. Fit the new cell with the “+” side facing up, then press the cover back together until it clicks.
5. Test lock and unlock from a few metres away.

Replace the battery — Smart Entry key (CR2032)

1. Slide the catch and pull out the mechanical (emergency) key blade.
2. Insert the taped screwdriver into the gap left by the blade and twist gently to release the cover.
3. Remove the inner battery cover, then lift out the old CR2032.
4. Fit the new cell with the “+” side facing up, refit both covers, and push the mechanical key back in until it locks.
5. Press a button to confirm the LED flashes, then test keyless entry and push-button start.

Signs the key battery is going flat

• The remote only works within a metre or two, or you have to point it straight at the car.
• A “key battery low” message appears in the instrument display (Smart Entry cars).
• On keyless cars the car sometimes fails to detect the key — hold the key against the START button to start, which uses the key’s backup antenna.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to reprogram the key after changing the battery?
No. The transponder and remote keep their coding through a battery change — the cell only powers the buttons and keyless signal. Programming is only needed when adding a brand-new key.

My keyless car won’t detect the key at all after a flat battery — am I stuck?
No. Hold the key fob flat against the engine start button and press the button with the brake pressed; the car reads the transponder directly. Then fit a fresh CR2032.

Can I use a CR2025 instead of a CR2032?
In an emergency it fits, but it is thinner, so contact can be poor and life is shorter. Use the CR2032 the manual specifies.

Why did my new battery drain in a few weeks?
Usually fingerprints on the cell, a cell that was already old on the shelf, or the cover not fully clicked shut. Handle the cell by its edge and confirm the case closes flush.

If a dashboard warning stays on after the swap, look up the exact code at autodtcs.com.