These instructions apply to the Nissan Navara (D40) 2005-2015.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
When the remote key battery in your Nissan Navara (D40, 2005–2015) — the Nissan Frontier in North America — runs low, the central locking gets unreliable and the remote range drops. The D40 uses a flip (switchblade) remote key that takes a common CR2025 coin cell, and you can change it in a minute.
Before You Start
- Battery type: CR2025 (3-volt lithium coin cell) or equivalent.
- You need a small flat screwdriver — wrap the tip in cloth to protect the case.
- Note the orientation of the old cell before you lift it out.
How to Replace the Battery
- Flip out the metal key blade (or slide out the separate mechanical key) so you can reach the case seam.
- Insert a small screwdriver into the slit at the seam and gently twist to separate the two halves of the case. Keep a cloth over the tip so you do not mark it.
- Lift out the old CR2025. Handle the new cell by its edges only — fingerprints across the flat faces drain it.
- Fit the new CR2025 the same way round as the old one — the + (positive) side facing the bottom of the case.
- Press the two halves back together until the seam clicks shut all the way round.
- Fold the key blade back in and test lock and unlock.
Do not touch the circuit board or the metal terminals — it can cause a malfunction.
If the Remote Still Will Not Work
If a fresh battery does not restore the remote, the fob may have lost its sync with the truck. On the D40 the remote-keyless-entry function can require re-registration with diagnostic equipment — but note that the transponder in the key head still starts the engine normally even when the remote-lock function is dead, because the immobiliser reads it by the ignition barrel, not by radio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which battery does it take? A CR2025 — a 3-volt lithium coin cell sold in any supermarket or hardware store.
Which way up does it go? The positive (+) side faces the bottom of the case, the same way the old one sat.
The central locking still will not respond after a new battery? The remote may need re-syncing at a dealer — but you can still lock/unlock with the metal key blade and start the engine as normal.
Will a dead remote stop the engine starting? No — the transponder in the key head is separate and needs no battery, so the truck still starts with the key in the ignition.
If a warning lamp is lit alongside a key or locking problem and you want to check the code, visit our sister site autodtcs.com.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Nissan. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.