So, your Honda Ridgeline is flashing that low key fob battery warning? No problem, right? Just pop in a new battery and you’re good to go. That’s what I thought too, until I embarked on what turned into a 50-minute odyssey in a Pep Boys parking lot. Armed with a fresh CR2032 lithium battery and the unwavering confidence of someone who’s changed countless batteries before, I figured this would be a five-minute job, tops. Boy, was I wrong.
It all started smoothly enough. A quick search on YouTube revealed a video showing how to open the Ridgeline key fob case. Piece of cake. But that’s where the simplicity ended and the real fun – or should I say frustration – began. Getting to the old battery was easy; removing it was another story entirely. It was wedged in there tighter than I expected. A little gentle prying, and… SPROING! Suddenly, I was holding two halves of a key fob and staring at a scattering of tiny black buttons. Lock, Unlock, Start, Panic – all separate, minuscule pieces, now adrift in the front seat of my truck. And then there was another piece, a mysterious bit of plastic that seemed designed solely to test my patience.
Of course, Murphy’s Law dictated that one of these tiny black gremlins would immediately dive into the abyss between my seat and the center console – the infamous “black hole.” Seriously, how do things even go there? Luckily, after some frantic searching and feeling around in the dark recesses, I actually found it! Small victories, right?
Feeling a surge of renewed optimism, I consulted another video, this one promising to guide me through the reassembly of the key fob’s microscopic components. “Piece of cake!” the video proclaimed. Famous last words. I carefully positioned all the tiny buttons, feeling like I was performing microsurgery with my clumsy fingers. Just as I was about to triumphantly close the case, disaster struck again.
It turns out that mysterious extra piece? Yeah, I had no clue where it went. Back to YouTube I went, flashlight app blazing, peering into the digital depths for guidance. Another video revealed the big black piece’s rightful place. Easy peasy, now that I knew. But wait, where did that big black piece go? You guessed it – back into the black hole. This time, it was the other black hole – the inside of my center console. And the opening? A mere half-inch slit. The odds of it falling in there? Apparently, 100%.
After some impressive contortions that would make a yoga instructor proud (or maybe concerned), I spotted it! Miraculously, it had landed on a tiny shelf inside the console, a shelf I didn’t even know existed. Using the battery packaging as a makeshift tool, I managed to coax the errant piece out of its hiding place. Victory was within reach!
Finally, with all pieces seemingly in place, I snapped the key fob back together. But then, the moment of truth: the low battery light on the dashboard was still on. Seriously?! A moment of panic set in. Had I done it wrong? Was I doomed to key fob purgatory? Taking a deep breath, I channeled my inner IT support and decided to “try turning it off and on again.” And you know what? It actually worked! The low battery warning vanished.
After a grueling 50 minutes, my Ridgeline Key Fob Battery was finally replaced. Almost two years to the day since I picked up my truck (March 24, 2017, to be precise, and this adventure happened on March 9, 2019). So, while changing your Ridgeline key fob battery should be simple, be warned: it can quickly turn into a comical, frustrating, and surprisingly time-consuming escapade. Maybe next time, I’ll just go to the dealership. Or at least, change the battery before I’m stuck in a parking lot.
