The Key Fob (FOBIK)
Disassembly

By TJGS (Challenger enthusiast)

---

This will deal with taking apart your key fob.

Part:1 will show you how to change the battery.

Part:2 will show you how to take it apart for cleaning the circuit board.

If your battery is good and the fob works intermittently or not at all, you may need to clean the circuit board.

How do you know if the battery is good ? If you have the EVIC it will notify you if the battery is low.

If you don't have the EVIC you will have to test the button battery for voltage.
A new battery will put out 3V or more.

Whether your changing the battery or just cleaning the circuit board you will need to start with these items.

Alcohol for cleaning, Q-tips and a flat blade screwdriver with a 3/16 tip.

If you have an anti-static mat, place the fob on it while doing these procedures.

If you don't no problem, just touch something metal that is grounded to drain any static charge you may have on your body.
When in doubt, ground it out ! A Static charge jumping off your body will "fry" your components on the circuit board.

Part 1: Changing the battery

You will first have to remove the valet key from the fob. Slide the release button to remove the key.

After removing the valet key, you will see an indent to the right of the area where the key was.
You will put the screwdriver there and lightly twist in order to get the top and bottom of the fob to separate.

After carefully separating the fob it will look like this.
Try not to touch any metal parts on the inside of these fob halves.

You can slide a Q-tip under the battery to remove it.

Do not touch the battery or it's contact points to the fob with your bare hands.
The oils and salt from your skin will cause corrosion and problems with the operation of the fob.

Make sure the battery is inserted correctly and is the correct number. Mine is a CR 2032.

When snapping the halves back together, make sure the seams are flush with each other.
Squeeze the fob all the way around the outer edges for a perfect seal.

Part 2: Complete disassembly and cleaning of the fob.

You have already learned how to separate the fob so what we are looking at here is the top portion containing the buttons.

You push the button assembly out from the housing.

You then carefully remove the circuit board from the rubber button cover and it'll look like this.
Remove the circuit by it's edges and don't touch any components on the board.

This is a comparison of the circuit board with the rubber buttons cover that sits on top of it when assembled.
Note how the metal circles on the board line up with the rubber buttons.

This is what the underside of the button pad looks like. Note the circles that correspond to the circuit board.

These circles are what you will clean with a Q-tip dipped in alcohol.
Clean them and then dry them with another clean Q-tip.
Use very light pressure when performing this operation.

Do the same to the circuit board. Hold the board by it's edges and do not touch the cleaned surface with you fingers.

On the flip side of the circuit board clean these areas as well.

The four prongs sticking up are what connect to the button cell when assembled.
The metal patched area completes the circuit for the button cell as well.

Re-assemble the fob and your good to go.