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My Lucid Gravity's fob died again 2 weeks after last time (with a fresh battery and 3.3.9 firmware)

archon810

archon810

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Lucid Gravity GT
Two weeks ago, I couldn't get into my Lucid Gravity because the fob was not working anymore, the buttons weren't doing anything, and the car wasn't detecting it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/LUCID/comments/1op905l/couldnt_get_into_my_lucid_gravity_with_the_latest

I popped the battery out and put it back in, and it started working again pointing to a fob that froze or a battery that was almost dead. I measured the battery at 2.91V, which was far from dead IMO, but decided to replace it with a fresh Panasonic battery measuring 3.3V.

A week later, it happened to my wife's fob which was given to us by Lucid San Jose a mere 2 weeks prior. I measured the battery 2V when it died, which is way too low. I replaced her battery with a fresh Panasonic battery measuring 3.3V as well.

Today, just 12 days after my fob died last time and I put a fresh battery in, it was dead/frozen again.

Both fobs are on the latest firmware, and the Gravity is on the latest one as well - 3.3.9. I had to use my key card to get in and drive, which, following the previous experience I knew would likely work in this case.

Not a day goes by that a new or old recurring issue prevents me from fully enjoying this $130k vehicle to the point that I want nothing to do with it anymore. I'm frustrated beyond belief.

Here's the video from tonight:

Update: About half an hour later, the fob started working again all by itself. I just got home and measured the voltage - 2.89V. In 12 days, the battery depleted from 3.3V to 2.9V, and it's the exact same voltage that it had when it refused to work last time. So the fob is still eating through batteries in a matter of weeks, even when both the car and the fob are running the latest software.
 
Last edited:
I don't see the edit button, so adding the voltage pic:
1763435643887.webp
 
Exactly the same problem that the Air key fob has. It constantly communicates with the vehicle and drains the fob battery. I got the following Faraday pouch on Amazon. It shows out of stock, but there are many similar ones like it. Once I started using the pouch, my battery lasts for Months.

Amazon.com: SuperKaKa Faraday Pouch Key Fob Protector,Car RFID Key Fob Holder,Signal Blocking Anti-Theft Bag RFID Signal Blocker Car Accessories Faraday Bags : Automotive

Buy SuperKaKa Faraday Pouch Key Fob Protector,Car RFID Key Fob Holder,Signal Blocking Anti-Theft Bag RFID Signal Blocker Car Accessories Faraday Bags: Accessories - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
 
After I published this post and received several suggestions to get a faraday bag or box, I conceded and purchased a Faraday sleeve and replaced the battery.

3 weeks later today, my fob is dead again (measured it at 2.7V). This proves that the range (which is probably further than most people's given our house layout anyway) is not the issue. I have relayed this to San Jose service.

So frustrating.
 
I'm having mobile service come out for some other issues on Wednesday morning. I have asked them to swap one of our fobs out, just in case it's a hardware issue with the fob to rule it out.

They're also bringing a truckload of fob batteries at my request, so if Amazon is sold out of CR2450s this week, my bad.
 
Mobile dropped off 10 batteries and swapped out my key fob. Unfortunately, all of the batteries except for two were under 3V (new ones from Panasonic that I use myself always come at 3.3V), and the one in the key fob was under 2.9V. 😒
 
archon810 said:
Mobile dropped off 10 batteries and swapped out my key fob. Unfortunately, all of the batteries except for two were under 3V (new ones from Panasonic that I use myself always come at 3.3V), and the one in the key fob was under 2.9V. 😒
Click to expand...
I found this as well; my energizer batteries are all great and last forever. The off-brand ones the service center last no time at all.

I don’t think it’s the fobs eating the batteries; I think they’re just bad batteries.
 
But as I just said, I replace the fob batteries with Panasonic 3.3V. And they keep dying anyway.
 
archon810 said:
But as I just said, I replace the fob batteries with Panasonic 3.3V. And they keep dying anyway.
Click to expand...
Fair enough; not sure, then. That hasn’t been my experience.
 
I had the low battery warning today. Software v3.3.20. Last time I replaced the battery was Nov 17. So about 5 weeks til failure. This morning the fib was unresponsive and I removed and reinstalled the battery, but got no warning. This evening the fob worked as normal, but got the low battery warning. I replaced the battery from a stash of pre-tested batteries and we’ll see how long it will last. I did get a Battery Low Warning from the app about 5 minutes after I parked the car.

It seems where I leave the fob may be a problem. When parked in the garage, the fob is 30’ away. When outside, it’s maybe 40’ away. I’ll start leaving the fob on the other side of the house, maybe 80’ away.

I’ve noticed that walking up to the car, with the fob in my pocket, the car will wake from 40’-50’ feet away.
 
Alex said:
I had the low battery warning today. Software v3.3.20. Last time I replaced the battery was Nov 17. So about 5 weeks til failure. This morning the fib was unresponsive and I removed and reinstalled the battery, but got no warning. This evening the fob worked as normal, but got the low battery warning. I replaced the battery from a stash of pre-tested batteries and we’ll see how long it will last. I did get a Battery Low Warning from the app about 5 minutes after I parked the car.

It seems where I leave the fob may be a problem. When parked in the garage, the fob is 30’ away. When outside, it’s maybe 40’ away. I’ll start leaving the fob on the other side of the house, maybe 80’ away.

I’ve noticed that walking up to the car, with the fob in my pocket, the car will wake from 40’-50’ feet away.
Click to expand...
Have you used a Faraday pouch/cage?
What battery brand do you use?
 
EVCar said:
Have you used a Faraday pouch/cage?
What battery brand do you use?
Click to expand...
I don't use a fairy pouch on the Gravity, and I haven't used one on the Lucid Air, but I have not had any problems with it. My philosophy is that I would rather suffer through this and complain about it until it gets fixed. The batteries that I use came from Amazon and I pre-tested them, and some were not up to snuff, but the good ones were at 3.2-3.3V:

 
Alex said:
I don't use a fairy pouch on the Gravity, and I haven't used one on the Lucid Air, but I have not had any problems with it. My philosophy is that I would rather suffer through this and complain about it until it gets fixed. The batteries that I use came from Amazon and I pre-tested them, and some were not up to snuff, but the good ones were at 3.2-3.3V:

Click to expand...
I bought some from Toshiba, and they’re just at 3 V.
I have some coming from Renata, hopefully with higher voltage.
 
Alex said:
I don't use a fairy pouch on the Gravity, and I haven't used one on the Lucid Air, but I have not had any problems with it. My philosophy is that I would rather suffer through this and complain about it until it gets fixed. The batteries that I use came from Amazon and I pre-tested them, and some were not up to snuff, but the good ones were at 3.2-3.3V:

Click to expand...
I use those style of batteries in other key fobs and they last a couple years.

Hint: it's not the batteries.
 
I suspect this is a battery AND a software issue. The latest update (BIG) seems to have resolved this.
I had to be practically standing on the car to get the keyfob to work and now I can be 75 feet away, definitely fixed by software issue.
There was a fob update which was separate from the automatic update to the car. I had to keep my fob close to my phone and do a manual update via the phone app.
If you haven't done that, you go to software update in the app and slide the top to the right for "key fob".
 
the should’ve made the key fob able to wirelessly charge. I’ve owned the car since 11/29 and it’s already non-responsive. Although I did not receive any errors or notifications from the car saying my key fob was running low on battery.

Lucid really fails at even the smallest things.
 
went to check my battery level today. I have the Spinal Tap model apparently and is better than everyone elses, mine goes to "12." :)

Lucid Gravity fob 12.webp
 
Still using original battery that came with fob at delivery 7 weeks ago. Only one issue of refusing to unlock since 3.3.20 (about 2 weeks ago) that I am pretty sure was car issue and not fob. Checked fob battery and it registered 2.85 v. No “low battery” warnings from car. Plan to keep using current battery until I get low battery warning from car or it fails to test how long battery will go. Of course I am making sure to keep key card with me as backup (which worked flawless the one time fob acted up.)

To be fair, I am retired, so no walking around office with fob in pocket and I am in habit of always putting key away in our “key drawer” once in house. No faraday bags.

For me, with the exception of that one hiccup 2 weeks ago, proximity lock/unlock has been dead on. I open door to garage, I immediately see Gravity lights come one, walk around front corner of car, I see door handles present.
 
The voltage reading in new batteries doesn’t tell the whole story. Batteries need to be tested under load as well as having their internal resistance checked. CR2450 batteries hold a flat voltage until it’s nearly ready to die. “Expect a long, steady plateau and a sharp end-of-life knee” from everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-cr2450-3v-battery (contains discharge curves).

I remember getting a bad batch of batteries for my Model X key fob. I had bought a packet of 4 and the first two I tried were already dead. The next two didn’t last long. Over the course of nearly 10 years with the same key fob, I’ve had batteries that lasted just one month to over two years (outside of the bad batch of 4). Highly variable. I concluded that the bad ones have either been sitting on the shelf for a very long time before purchase or had some manufacturing defect. It might be good to try from a different batch of batteries (not from the same brand purchased at the same time).

I haven’t had my Gravity long enough to evaluate key fob battery life. I’m at the two week mark with software 3.3.20 and key fob firmware 2.33.08, but so far no problems. Key fob has worked flawlessly. I’ll post when my key fob finally dies - hopefully a long time from now!
 
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