These instructions apply to the Jeep Cherokee Mk2 (XJ) 1991-2001.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
The Jeep Cherokee XJ (1991–2001) spans a full decade, and whether it even has a remote at all depends heavily on the year and trim. Many early XJs left the factory with no keyless entry, and where a remote was fitted before 1997 it was often an infrared, line-of-sight system rather than the radio fob most drivers picture today. From the 1997 model year onward the Cherokee switched to a proper RF remote keyless entry (RKE) fob — a small separate transmitter that hangs on the keyring beside the plain metal ignition key, not an integrated flip key. If your XJ’s remote has gone weak or dead, the coin cell inside is almost always the reason. Here is how to work out which system you have, the exact battery it takes, and how to change it without cracking the case.
Which Cherokees Actually Have a Remote
Because this is an older vehicle, do a quick reality check before buying a battery:
- Base and early trims (1991–1996): many were sold with no factory keyless entry at all — you simply lock and unlock with the key. There is no fob to service.
- Pre-1997 keyless (where fitted): some earlier XJs used an infrared remote that only works pointed straight at the receiver, close up and in line of sight. These are uncommon and behave differently from a radio fob.
- 1997–2001: the XJ used a genuine RF RKE fob that works from a distance. The 1997–1998 remote differs from the 1999–2001 one, but both are the small rectangular Chrysler-family fobs of that era.
The rest of this guide covers the 1997–2001 RF fob, which is the one owners actually replace batteries in.
How to Tell the Fob Battery Is Dying
- Shrinking range. You have to stand right next to the Cherokee — or almost touch the fob to the glass — before it responds. On a two-decade-old RKE fob this is the usual first sign.
- Weak or no LED. If your fob has an indicator light, it dims or stops flashing on a button press as the cells fade.
- One button works, another doesn’t. A near-flat cell often drives the lock but not the unlock (or vice versa) because each command needs a slightly different burst of power.
- Cold-weather dropouts. A tired lithium cell sags further in winter, so the fob that just about worked in summer quits on frosty mornings.
A coin cell in one of these fobs typically lasts two to four years. On a car this old the original cell is long gone, so if the remote is fading, fit fresh batteries before suspecting the receiver.
The Battery You Need
The 1997–2001 Cherokee RKE fob runs on the small CR2016 3-volt lithium coin cell — not the thicker CR2032 many other Jeeps use. The important quirk on the later fob is quantity: the 1999–2001 remote takes two CR2016 cells stacked together to make 6 volts, so buy a pair. The 1997–1998 remote also uses CR2016; when you open it, match the number and orientation of the cells you remove — if there are two, replace both. CR2016 cells are sold in any pharmacy or supermarket alongside watch batteries. Use fresh, good-quality branded cells; a weak or half-flat cell gives poor range even when “new”.
Method — Opening the RKE Fob
- Separate the little remote from the metal ignition key on your keyring so you can hold it flat and steady.
- Look along the edge of the fob for the seam and the small pry notch where the two shell halves meet — usually near one end or along a side.
- Insert a thin flat-blade (slotted) screwdriver or a plastic pry tool into the notch and twist gently. These old shells can be stiff, so use slow, steady pressure rather than force — you don’t want to crack the plastic or slip and cut yourself.
- Once the halves part, note exactly how the cell (or cells) sit — which way the “+” face points, and whether there are one or two stacked. Take a phone photo before you disturb anything.
- Ease the old battery out with a plastic tool or your fingernail. On a car this age the contacts may be dull — wipe them with a dry cloth while it’s open.
- Fit the new CR2016 the same way round the old one came out (and both cells, same order, if there were two). Press the two halves back together until they click all the way round.
⚠️ Copy the orientation exactly. These fobs are polarity-sensitive, and a cell fitted the wrong way — or two cells stacked the wrong order — simply won’t power the transmitter and can flatten quickly. When in doubt, the “+” (larger, flat) face of a coin cell almost always sits against the wider contact plate; match what you removed.
Confirm It Worked
Stand a few metres from the Cherokee and press lock, then unlock. Full range should return at once. If the fob has an LED, it should flash brightly again on each press. If it only works up close with brand-new cells, re-open it and check the batteries are seated firmly and the right way up.
If a Fresh Cell Doesn’t Fix It
- Re-check quantity and polarity. The single most common miss on the later fob is fitting one cell where two are needed, or stacking the pair the wrong way — the remote stays dead until it’s right.
- Clean the contacts. Two decades of finger grease or light corrosion on the terminals is enough to cause dropouts; a dry cloth or a gentle scratch with a fingernail usually restores them.
- Suspect the fob itself. These transmitters are old; if the LED still won’t light with known-good cells, the fob’s electronics may simply have failed, which is common at this age.
- Rule out the car. A tired 12 V vehicle battery or a fault in the RKE module can mimic a dead fob. If the Cherokee is generally slow to wake or the central locking is erratic on both keys, the problem is the car, not the cell.
New Key or Spare — Why It Can Be a Dealer or Locksmith Job
Changing the battery keeps the fob’s existing code, so nothing needs reprogramming — it works the moment fresh cells go in. A brand-new or spare remote is different: it has to be paired to the Cherokee’s RKE module before it will lock or unlock. Some 1997–2001 XJ remotes can be taught to the car with an ignition-key and door-lock sequence at home, but the procedure varies by year and doesn’t always work, and lost-key situations may need a technician with the correct diagnostic tool. Realistically, adding a spare or replacing a lost remote on an XJ is often easiest through a Jeep dealer or an auto-locksmith — so keep the batteries fresh in both your remotes and you’re never left relying on one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What battery does a Jeep Cherokee XJ key fob take?
The 1997–2001 RF remote uses the CR2016 3-volt lithium coin cell. The 1999–2001 fob takes two of them stacked together; the 1997–1998 fob also uses CR2016 — replace however many you find inside.
Does my early Cherokee even have a remote?
Not necessarily. Many 1991–1996 XJs had no factory keyless entry, and some early keyless systems were infrared and line-of-sight. The radio fob that works from a distance is the 1997–2001 setup.
Do I need to reprogram the remote after changing the battery?
No. A battery swap doesn’t affect the fob’s coding, so it keeps working straight away. Only a genuinely new or replacement remote needs pairing to the car.
My remote still won’t work with new batteries — what now?
Re-check that you have the right number of cells, fitted the right way, on clean contacts. If a known-good pair still won’t light the LED, the ageing transmitter has likely failed — common on a fob this old — and you’ll need a replacement remote programmed to the car.
Can I still drive the Cherokee if the fob is dead?
Yes. The remote only operates the central locking — you unlock and start the XJ with the ordinary metal key regardless of the fob’s battery, so a flat cell never strands you.
If your central locking or remote started misbehaving after other electrical work — rather than simply fading with age — it’s worth checking whether the car has logged a related fault; you can look up what a stored trouble code means on autodtcs.com.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Jeep. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.