Replace the Key Fob Battery

The DR DR5 (DR Automobiles, 2020–2023) is an Italian-badged compact SUV built by DR Motor from Chery running gear — the 5.0 sits on the Chery Tiggo family, so its remote is a Chery-designed unit wearing a DR key head. Depending on trim you will have either a folding “flip” remote with a metal blade that swings out of the fob, or the keyless smart fob that lets you unlock and start without pressing a button. If the range has collapsed or the key has died altogether, the coin cell inside is almost always the culprit. Here is how to change it on each key type, how to be sure it is the battery and not the car, and one honesty note — because DR does not publish an English workshop manual, the safe rule is to read the code printed on the cell you remove.

How to Tell the Fob Battery Is Dying

• Shrinking range. You have to stand right next to the DR5 — or hold the fob against the door handle — before it locks or unlocks. This is the classic first sign of a tired cell.
• The button LED weakens or stops. On the flip remote the little indicator light dims or fails to flash on a press once voltage drops — a quick way to confirm the fob, not the receiver, is at fault.
• A key-battery warning. On keyless DR5 trims the dashboard shows a low smart-key alert when the fob is weak; you may also have to press the start button with the fob held against it to start the engine.
• Cold-morning dropouts. Intermittent response when it is cold is a near-flat lithium cell struggling at low temperature — it will often seem to “recover” by mid-morning, then fail again.

A coin cell in a remote like this typically lasts two to four years. If yours is around that age and doing any of the above, fit a fresh cell before you suspect the immobiliser or the car’s own battery.

The Battery You Need

The DR5 uses a 3-volt lithium coin cell — on the Chery-based fob DR fits, that is almost always a CR2032, the single most common key-fob battery there is and sold in any supermarket, hardware shop or phone-repair counter. Because DR does not publish a widely available English owner’s manual, treat that as the likely size rather than gospel: open the fob first and match the code stamped on the old cell (CR2032, CR2025 and CR2016 share the same 20 mm diameter but differ in thickness, so the printed number is what matters). Buy a good-quality branded cell — budget batteries sag under the brief high current the transmitter draws and can give poor range even when “new”.

Method 1 — Folding “Flip” Remote

1. Fold the metal blade closed so the fob is easier to grip, and have a fine cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver and a thin plastic tool ready.
2. Look for a small retaining screw on the back of the fob. If there is one, undo it and lift the cover away. If there is no screw, press the blade-release catch, slide the blade out, and use the slot it leaves — or the plastic tool along the case seam — to gently prise the two halves apart.
3. Note exactly which way the old cell sits (which face — the marked + side — you can see), then ease it out from under its retaining clip.
4. Drop the new cell in the same way round as the one you removed, seating it fully under the clip against clean contacts.
5. Refit the cover, replace the screw if there was one — snug, not over-tight, the case is plastic — and test every button.

Method 2 — Keyless Smart Fob

1. Release the emergency blade. Keyless DR5 fobs carry a hidden mechanical key; slide its catch and pull the blade straight out. You will need this blade both to open the case and to unlock the car if the battery is flat.
2. Insert a thin plastic tool (or the emergency blade itself) into the seam the blade leaves behind and gently twist to split the two halves of the case. Work around the edge rather than forcing one spot.
3. Lift out the old cell, again noting which face points up before it leaves the holder.
4. Fit the fresh cell in the identical orientation, press the halves back together until they click, and slide the mechanical blade home until it latches.

⚠️ Copy the orientation, don’t guess it. A coin cell fitted the wrong way round will not power the fob and can slowly discharge against the contacts. Since we cannot verify a single “correct” way-up for every DR5 fob variant, the only safe rule is to photograph or note the old cell before you lift it and match that exactly.

Did It Work?

Stand back a few metres and lock, then unlock, the DR5. Full range should return at once and the button LED should flash brightly again. On a keyless trim, any low-key warning clears the next time the car reads a healthy fob — sometimes after one drive cycle rather than the instant you close the case.

If a Fresh Cell Doesn’t Fix It

• Re-check polarity and seating. An upside-down or loosely seated cell is by far the most common reason a “new” battery does nothing — the coin must sit firmly under its clip.
• Confirm the code. If you assumed CR2032 without reading the old cell, a too-thin CR2025 or CR2016 can rattle and lose contact. Check the number printed on what you took out.
• Clean the contacts. A smear of finger grease or light corrosion on the terminals is enough to cause dropouts — wipe them with a dry cloth.
• Rule out the car. Rarely, a weak 12 V vehicle battery makes the whole car slow to wake and mimics a key fault. If the DR5 itself is sluggish to respond, have the main battery tested.

New Key or Spare — Why It’s a Dealer Job

Changing the coin cell keeps the fob’s existing coding, so nothing needs reprogramming — the key works the moment the case clicks shut. Cutting or coding a new key is different: DR’s keyless remotes are transponder units paired to the car (the system runs at 433 MHz), and a blank must be matched to the vehicle with diagnostic equipment. Because DR is a low-volume, Chery-based marque, that usually means a DR dealer or an auto-locksmith who handles Chery-platform keys. So keep your spare key’s battery fresh too, and you are never down to a single working fob.

Frequently Asked Questions

What battery does a DR DR5 key fob take?

A 3-volt lithium coin cell — on the Chery-based remote DR uses, that is almost always a CR2032. DR does not publish a clear English manual, so open the fob and match the code printed on the cell you remove rather than buying blind.

Which way up does the battery go?

Match the cell you took out. There is no single published orientation we can verify for every DR5 variant, so note or photograph the old cell’s marked side before lifting it, and fit the new one the same way. A reversed cell simply will not work.

Do I have to reprogram the key after changing the battery?

No. A battery swap does not affect the fob’s coding, so it works straight away. Only a brand-new or replacement key needs pairing to the car with diagnostic tools.

How long should a DR5 key battery last?

Usually two to four years. Leaving a keyless fob sitting close to the car, so it wakes and transmits constantly, shortens that — as does heavy day-to-day use of the remote buttons.

My DR5 key still won’t work after a new battery — what now?

Re-check the polarity and that the cell is the right thickness and fully seated, then wipe the contacts. If the LED still won’t light with a known-good cell, the transmitter may have failed and need a replacement fob — but that is far rarer than a flat, wrong-size or upside-down cell.

Can I still drive the DR5 if the fob is completely dead?

Yes. Use the emergency blade hidden in the fob to unlock the driver’s door, then hold the fob against the start button (or in the marked slot) — the keyless system is designed to still start the car with a flat fob battery, so a dead cell won’t strand you.

If your remote stopped working suddenly right after the car battery was disconnected — rather than fading over weeks — the problem is more likely the pairing than the coin cell, and the car may log a fault in the process. You can look up any stored code on autodtcs.com.