Start the Car With a Dead Key Fob Battery

Alpine A110 (2017–Present) shares Renault’s hands-free keycard system, so when the card battery dies it behaves like a Clio or Megane rather than a typical sports-car fob. The card’s immobiliser chip is passive and needs no battery, which means the A110 will still start once you present the card to the START button. There is no conventional dashboard card slot, so the dead-card method is to hold the card against the START button by hand. This guide covers that, emergency entry, and the battery change.

Starting the A110 with a dead keycard

1. Get into the car using the integrated emergency key (see below) if the remote will not unlock it.
2. Sit in the driver’s seat with the keycard in hand.
3. Press the brake pedal fully and hold it.
4. Hold the keycard flat against the START/STOP button so the chip sits on the button.
5. Press the START button. The car’s antenna powers the card chip and the engine starts.
6. Keep the engine running until a fresh cell is fitted, because a dead card may not be detected for a restart. The A110 is prone to a flat 12V battery if left standing, so a no-start can be the car battery rather than the card.

Unlocking the door with the emergency key

With a flat card battery the remote buttons stop, so use the integrated metal key, which on the A110 unlocks the front left-hand (driver’s, in left-hand-drive) door.

1. Slide the catch on the keycard and pull out the integrated metal key blade.
2. Go to the front left-hand door and locate the lock barrel, concealed under a cap on the handle.
3. Remove the cap to expose the lock.
4. Insert the blade and turn to unlock. The alarm may sound and stops once you start the car with the card.
5. Return the blade into the card body before driving.

How the keycard transponder works

The keycard holds a battery-powered radio for the remote lock and unlock buttons plus a separate, battery-free transponder chip for the immobiliser. Holding the card on the START button places that chip in the car’s antenna field, which powers it just long enough to read its security code. That is why a dead card still starts the A110 but can no longer lock or unlock it remotely. The card also operates the doors, tailgate and fuel filler flap when its battery is healthy.

Replacing the keycard battery

The A110 card uses a single CR2032 3V coin cell.

1. Pull out the emergency key blade to release the card cover.
2. Press on one side of the cover and lift the other to open it, exposing the battery.
3. Remove the old CR2032 and fit the new cell, respecting the polarity and model marked on the cover.
4. Refit the cover and reinsert the blade.
5. Stand by the car and press a card button to re-sync it; the warning clears at the next start.

Frequently Asked Questions

The A110 has no card slot, so how do I start it? Hold the card flat against the START/STOP button with your foot on the brake, then press the button.

Can the emergency key start the engine? No. The blade only unlocks the front left-hand door; the card must be at the START button to start.

What battery does the A110 keycard use? A CR2032 3V lithium coin cell, the same as the wider Renault card range.

My A110 still will not start with a known-good card, what now? Suspect the car’s 12V battery, which drains quickly if the car is left standing. A jump or charge often restores starting.

Which door does the emergency key open? The front left-hand door, under a cap on the handle.

If a warning light or stored fault code appears after the keycard or 12V battery goes flat, you can look it up on autodtcs.com.