After all the many years I have owned my 2010 Jag, I never understood the purpose of placing the fob in the dock. I've always kept the fob in my pocket. What exactly is the purpose? Is it used when the battery in the fob is low and not able to get the car started?

 

Exactly what you state. The key battery can be completely dead and it'll still start the car from that slot.

 

Thanks Cee Jay. I learn something every day! Now, I just have to figure which way the damn thing goes in!

 

Thanks. I will check this out.

 

goes in removable key up. Be gentle with it.

 

Simple solution. I recommended doing this years ago. You will never have to put the key in the Emergency Slot.

Keep a spare CR2032 battery or two in your glove box. If your fob battery dies, you can replace it right away. Make sure to buy a name brand with an expiration date from a local retailer (I prefer Duracell from Costco).



Keep the spare CR2032 batteries in a small ziplock plastic bag together with a piece of aluminum foil to use to make a shim if you need it. More on that later.

Beware of cheap knockoffs sold on Ebay and Amazon. They're cheap for a reason.

The prongs that secure the battery inside the fob often stretch with age and repeated battery replacement. If that happens to your fob, don't try to bend the prongs because if they snap off your fob is toast and you'll have to replace it. Instead, to maintain a good connection, take a small piece of aluminum foil and fold it up to make a shim to fit under the new CR2032 battery. Unfortunately, the slightly thicker CR2035 battery is no longer available.

It's not difficult to replace the battery. If you have never done it, I strongly recommend that you disassemble your Smartkey at home to learn how to do it and not lose any small pieces in your car. You don't need any tools, as the mechanical key can be used instead of a screwdriver to separate the two halves of the plastic shell. Watch this video:

 

Are you sure? I haven't tried this on my car yet, but the smart key seems to have electrical connections in the 'key' end and so I'd assume that was the 'business' end of the transponder and should go in first i.e. removable key end down.

 

 

Mea Culpa...

 

We are human, and there is no shame in making a misteak.

Just don't do it more than once.

 

There is a little diagram on the console slot that corresponds to the marking on the key itself which shows the orientation.

 

As @Stuart S noted, make sure to follow the diagram exactly. My son accidentally put the fob in upside down a few weeks ago and it became so stuck that I almost had to tear the armrest console apart in order to dislodge it. Eventually, it succumbed, but it was touch and go for a bit and it was not fun times...

 

If I remember rightly - only done the insert once, the key gets "sucked" down into the socket - I may be remembering this wrong though (years ago)

 

PRESS and it goes down. PRESS and it comes up.

 

If you are sitting in the drivers seat I know the emergency key is on the top. Which direction do the lock and unlock fob buttons go? Towards the drivers side or towards the passenger side? I know to push down when getting in and in park and push down again when the car is off and in park. OK I GOT IT...THE EMERGENCY RELEASE BUTTON FOR THE KEY IS FACING THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE FOB BUTTONS WILL BE FACING THE DRIVER'S SIDE. GOT IT.

 

This thread just made me realize my spare key is missing one of the chrome side bands. Another thing to add to my low priority list. I suppose I should be grateful that I even have a spare key...

 

It's an electromagnetic RFID connection rather than an electrical connection.

Richard

 

I recently purchased this:
chrome
What I received appears to be genuine Jaguar parts in original packaging.

 

Or the entire case PLUS key blade for half that cost:

 

Thanks for the info on the replacement bezels/fob cases. Didn't think they'd actually exist. Amazing the differences in parts availability for simple cosmetic bezels vs important things (like CATS shocks).