Mrs A dropped her fob in the river. It probably spent 10 mins in the water and another 10 before I got it home and took it apart.
So far luck seems to be on my side. The river is a clear chalk stream so no dirt or salt. The key is non-folding which reduces the ways water can get in. The fob also had an extra rubber “cosy” that seems to have held the water back a bit and once I took it apart the outside of the fob itself was wet but inside the electronics seemed dry. It even has an internal rubber membrane that fits tightly over the circuitry to offer some extra protection. It’s all now air drying as a precaution and a replacement battery is on order. So I won’t know until later in the week if it’s working.
Even a Timpson replacement is around £400. Maybe she’ll now listen when I ask her not to take the car key when she goes out for a walk.
Meanwhile what’s the chances we’ve got away with it?
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I think you’ll be ok . £400 from Timpson sounds like more than a main dealer key .,
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I rechecked with the specific reg and Timpsons online quote for a Suzuki logo’d remote is £318-£346. A non remote however is only £99. Online they don’t offer a middle alternative such as a non branded remote.
If I do have to get a new key there is a local Timpsons branch and I can drop in to see what if there are other options.
I hope it won’t be necessary though
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I'm intrigued to know how she managed to drop it in a river.
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Apparently she took her phone out of her pocket and the keys went flying, unfortunately this was when she was on a bridge.
It wouldn’t have happened to me as I leave my car keys at home unless I need them.
I may be wrong but I guess it’s not the time to remind her of this……..
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>> Maybe she’ll now listen when I ask her
>> not to take the car key when she goes out for a walk.
How is she supposed to get into the car when she gets back from her walk? Leave the key on top of the front offside tyre?
>> Meanwhile what’s the chances we’ve got away with it?
>>
Somewhere between zero and none.
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Good point re getting home except you’ve missed the point that her walk began and ended at home.
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Timpsons is just one option.
When one of the keys for the 'lingo packed in an outfit in Milton Keynes provided a replacement.
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>> When the Venga key started playing up, I sent it off to a place that
>> advertises on ebay (Peterborough) and returned 2 days later with the chip (the important bit)
>> transferred into a new generic key. Remote works as before
>>
>> www.ebay.co.uk/itm/168134552469?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338990947&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A168134552469%3B{GCLID}&adtype=pla&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9243051&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzdaO48SulQMVYJRQBh3uDgW9EAQYBCABEgJyLfD_BwE
>>
Oh, if only there were something like, oh, I don't know, say, tinyurl, where a chap could shorten these ridiculously long URLs.
tinyurl.com/ydfppz22
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>> Oh, if only there were something like, oh, I don't know, say, tinyurl, where a
>> chap could shorten these ridiculously long URLs.
>>
>> tinyurl.com/ydfppz22
Or just edit the URL. Everything after the question mark is for Ebay's benefit not yours.
EDIT: the question mark isn't needed either.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 30 Jun 26 at 11:16
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>> >> www.ebay.co.uk/itm/168134552469?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338990947&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A168134552469%3B{GCLID}&adtype=pla&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9243051&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzdaO48SulQMVYJRQBh3uDgW9EAQYBCABEgJyLfD_BwE
>> >>
>>
>> Oh, if only there were something like, oh, I don't know, say, tinyurl, where a
>> chap could shorten these ridiculously long URLs.
>>
>> tinyurl.com/ydfppz22 >>
Why bother? (I only recently worked out how to do it......and it's a time consuming faff). Long or short, the blue links just highlight automatically and you just click on them, so no easier.
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>> Maybe she’ll now listen when I ask her
>> not to take the car key when she goes out for a walk.
SWMBO and I always each carry car and house keys when we're out together. It means one of us always have access.
Learnt our lesson from friends.
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>>SWMBO and I always each carry car and house keys when we're out together. It
>> means one of us always have access.
>> Learnt our lesson from friends.
We try to but Mrs B forgot to pick hers up when we were in Scotland in May. Didn't realise until we stopped at Keele.
Since Seoras the Skoda has keyless ignition I habitually keep mine clipped to the D ring on my Rohan trousers.
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Update. Stuck the new battery in today and ………………it works!
Having taken the fob fully apart the electronics are well protected by a rubber seal. This includes the battery and I doubt whether any water got into the delicate areas. My suspicion is that it’s effectively waterproof at shallow depth but that Suzuki don’t want to claim it is and expose themselves to claims.
What I would say to fellow Vitara owners on there that, at least in the 2020 model, it takes a CR1616 battery, not CR1620 as some battery suppliers suggest. I doubt the contacts and/or case would close on the thick one. Neither size is stocked on my local high street and short of driving to a bigger town 30 mins away, mail order was the only option. Also the fob needs a tiny jewellers cross screwdriver to open it and once inside there are fiddly parts. So if you feel the battery is weakening, a precautionary change at the kitchen table is worth considering rather than being caught away from base.
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>....... it takes a CR1616 battery, not CR1620 as some battery suppliers suggest. I
>> doubt the contacts and/or case would close on the thick one......>>
It might do. It's not that much thicker. From 1.6mm to 2.0mm is less than half a mm.
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Or it might not. It’s a 25% difference. Space is very tight inside the separate internal rubber and plastic case that protects all the electrical stuff. This only just closes with the 1616 (as specified in the handbook). I wouldn’t risk shoe-horning a thicker battery.
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>> It might do. It's not that much thicker. From 1.6mm to 2.0mm is less than
>> half a mm.
Says the guy who tried to gap his iridium plugs!
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Suzuki - 20 1.4 Key fob went in the river - carmalade
