Nisaja

Hey guys. A friend of mine has the credit card style (don't know what it's real name is :D) smart key. It's pretty old so he bought a new credit card style key case off eBay.

All he's gotta do now is open the key, take the circuit out and put it in the new case.

He did his best but he just can't open it. He can take the battery out. But He can't pry it open. Is there a technique to open this thing?


Thanks

fataldeadlock

Any particular reason to put it in a new case? It seems much easier to just teach the car to accept the new key/key code.

I would be curious to know how to take the key apart as well.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Can't you tell from the new case how to take it apart ?

kops

iTrader: (1)

I did this not long ago, there are some tricks and I damaged my original case in the process.

I bought a replacement case off of eBay and planned to out the circuit from my smart key in it. First of all the eBay case quality was awful, and didn't snap together perfectly afterwards. Secondly, once I had opened up the original I found that the battery leads actually run through a plastic wall inside. In order to get the electronics out I had to destroy the wall with snips.

If you're careful you may have better results than I. I've attached some pictures of when I did this

kops

iTrader: (1)

Lucky you lol...my fob buttons all work, but the door handle/request switch and keyless ignition do not work. I have to use the auxiliary key

There are directions around here for reprogramming the fob. Someone wrote up a great DIY, this is from Mazda but just as easy to follow

https://www.rx8club.com/attachments/...emote-key4-gif

Nisaja

C'mon guys. I'm sure someone has gone through this before

Aston177

I bought a credit card style key off eBay and I'm having a hard time removing the key shell as well.

Kops,

Did your door handle request buttons stop working after putting the circuit into the new shell?

1dergirl

Hi there,

I recently bought the replacement shell as well, and after reading what's been written here I'm still not really confident to simply ply open the old shell with just force without damaging the inside.

I think the manufacturer makes the original key card hard to take apart so that you have to buy new for $300... Also, when I manage to get the components into the new shell, do I glue the new shell together since the two halves don't seem to snap together in any way.

If anyone has additional advise as to how to accomplish the switch cleanly and safely, I would appreciate it greatly.

Thanks!

tintor12

I have a MS6 and my access buttons stopped working also. The lock and unlock worked on the card remote so I used that and the key to drive the car. Eventually took it in to the dealer and they said the transponder in my remotes didn't work so the programmed me a new card remote and it worked for the new one. Remote was 200 and programming was 100. Now my new remote doesn't work cause I carried it in my wallet and I guess I sat on it too much. I can squeeze it with my fingers and it works fine. So now I'm m gonna try and take it apart and see what's wrong with it. Good luck to me.

Abdul-Hafiz

My wireless keys were very dependable for years and I've changed batteries several times without any problem. Lately and slowly they became unreliable. Sometimes they work and other times they don't. Battery change did not make any difference. Finally, they became unusable.

Because the problem is on and off, I thought it might be the battery leads (full of residue or bend away from battery) and indeed that was the problem. I've cleaned those with Q-tips and alcohol and then bent the leads inward and the key was back working and very reliably, at least for now.

Some folks buy and replace the plastic housing but I think that works only because they have to bend the battery leads anyway when they replace the cover.

Rx8_sport

With the OEM smart card key that comes with the car, there is no other option but to cut the card key open. Mazda made it so it couldn't be repaired, but replaced and you paying hundreds for it.

Cut this puppy open after it stopped working to realize that one of the + and - metal connectors coming from the battery contacts to the circuit board actually had a micro-crack in it, losing its complete circuit. Bent the connector so it went under the cracked part, pushed down on it to make them touch while having the battery rest on the terminals, pressed the lock button, red light lit up and I could hear the horn outside. Boom! Just saved myself $600 from a new key and programming! Now just need to order a shell and solder the connection.

**NOTE**

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL CUTTING OPEN THE CARD KEY SHELL! the circuit board is extremely close to the outer edges and you WILL cut and damage the board if not practicing a very slight and fine hand. Use a very sharp but strong style of scissors and stick to the very edge of the shell. Be careful splitting the battery location apart, as the + and - actually go through the middle of the plastic housing.

Nisaja

Damn. That's scary **** man. Those cases are on eBay for like $12. But they aren't as good as the original case quality wise.

Rx8_sport

For case quality, zero ***** are given. As long as buttons work

Nisaja

Hahaha good point. Post up a pic once you installed the new case

Tharinda

Sorry to wake up an old thread, but couldn't find any info on this. Also there is no Mazda dealers for this vehicle in my country
Got the car( 2008 RX8 Series2 R3 with 30k on the odo) last week.
I tried the above guide (many times) but didn't work. But when I turned the key four times it did lock and unlock.. and...
1. the boot opened!
2. the hazard light came on once.
I pressed the unlock on the remote twice but no response from the car. cycled many times...no results. tried closing the boot immediately and tried, still no results..

I really hope someone can help me out here...

ne_idet

If you have the Advanced Keyless Entry (AKE) version (that looks like a credit card), I believe those instructions don't work, and unfortunately only way to program the new key is to have two working keys already, or go to a Mazda dealer.. OR maybe some locksmiths with the Mazda IDS might be able to help you out.

You can find some good information regarding keys used for the RX-8 here: Replacement KEYS and Key Transmitter Modules - RX8Club.com

Tharinda

Thanks a lot for the update. Yes it is the card style key and I only have one of them which don't work
I am afraid that I might loose the key as the key alone can't even be put on a key tag!

I had given up on it. I will try a third partly locksmith...

k-Tracker

Thanks for the update, didn't know about two keys requirement.