These instructions apply to the Jaguar XE Mk1 (X760) 2015-Present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
The Jaguar XE (X760, 2015–Present) is a passive keyless saloon: walk up with the smart key in your pocket, the doors sense it, and a press of the START/STOP button gets you going. When the coin cell in the fob dies the key stops transmitting, so the XE can no longer feel it across the cabin — touch-unlock fails and the start button looks lifeless. The car is fine. Jaguar engineers a battery-free fallback into the XE key, and the whole recovery takes under a minute once you know the reader spot.
Start the XE With a Dead Fob Battery
The transponder chip inside the key needs no power from the coin cell. Held against the reader, it is energised by the car and read directly — exactly how a basic immobiliser key has always worked.
- Get into the driver’s seat with the smart key and press your foot firmly on the brake.
- Locate the key symbol on the steering column shroud. On a manually-adjusted column the reader is on the underside; on an electrically-adjusted column it sits on the left side, marked with three parallel lines.
- Hold the fob flat against that mark with the buttons facing away from the column.
- With the key held in place, press the START/STOP button. The engine should start.
- Once running you can pocket the key for the rest of the journey.
If it does not catch first time, shift the fob a few millimetres and retry — the antenna has a small sweet spot. From the 2020 model year the XE adopted the newer Smart Key, which reads against an indent on the underside of the dashboard below the switches rather than the column. Hold it flat there, buttons facing out, then press START/STOP.
Unlock the Door With the Hidden Emergency Key
If the fob is too flat to unlock remotely, the XE key carries a metal blade for the door.
- Press the release catch or slider on the side of the smart key and pull the emergency blade free.
- At the driver’s door, the lock barrel is concealed under a cap at the rear of the door handle, nearest the door pillar.
- Insert the blade tip into the slot and lever the cap off to expose the cylinder.
- Turn the blade in the cylinder to unlock the door, then refit the cap.
The alarm will almost certainly sound as the door opens. That is normal — with a dead fob the XE has no radio confirmation that a valid key was used, so it assumes a break-in. It stops the instant you finish the column-reader start.
Why the Immobiliser Still Lets You In
The XE immobiliser is satisfied by the passive transponder rather than the radio link. Pressing the key against the reader proves a genuine key is present, so the engine control unit releases fuelling and ignition. A flat coin cell never locks you out of the car — this fallback is built in for exactly this situation.
Replace the Fob Battery
The XE smart key uses a single CR2032 3V lithium coin cell. Slide out the emergency blade, split the two fob halves at the seam, lift out the spent cell, and fit the new one with the “+” face matching the holder. Click the case back together and the key reads at full range again. A spare CR2032 in the glovebox saves you ever repeating the dead-fob routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the start reader on the XE? On the steering column shroud — underside for a manual column, left side for an electric column, marked by three parallel lines. The 2020-on XE moved it to an indent under the dashboard.
Why does the alarm sound when I use the blade? The dead fob cannot send the “valid key” signal, so the XE reads the door opening as forced entry. It silences as soon as the engine starts from the reader.
What battery does the XE key use? A single CR2032 lithium coin cell, sold in any supermarket or hardware shop.
Where is the emergency keyhole on the XE? Under a cap at the rear edge of the driver’s door handle. Lever the cap off with the blade to reach the lock cylinder.
Is it safe to drive after a dead-fob start? Yes. The XE keeps running for the trip, but fit a fresh battery before switching off so the key works normally next time.
If a warning lamp stayed lit after the alarm cleared, you can identify the code at autodtcs.com before deciding whether it needs attention.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Jaguar. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.