How do you get the key fob open?

[ericy]

My wife ran my car key through the wash, and I need to open it up to dry it out. But I can't figure out how to get it open.

I could easily remove the valet key - that's easy. Many other Hyundai keys say you just insert a screwdriver in the slot where the valey key was and twist, but with the Kona key that isn't working. If I twist harder, I think it will end up breaking something.

I had the thing in a little zip-up key case. When I picked up the thing this evening, I unzipped the case - there wasn't any pooling of water in there. I shook the thing and only got a few small drops out.

 

[ericy]

Found it. I was prying in the wrong place.



There is a very thin seam of sorts along the edge - you need to use something like a utility knife to separate the two halves just a little bit. In the video, the guy used a sort of plastic spudging tool that looked like a guitar pick. Anyways, once I had a very small opening, I could then get a small screwdriver in there to push it apart the rest of the way.

There appears to be a gasket in there to keep moisture out, and it looked pretty dry when I got the thing out. No idea about the buttons however. I will let the thing sit out for a day or so to dry out. Not like I am going anywhere these days...

 

[electriceddy]

Found it. I was prying in the wrong place.



There is a very thin seam of sorts along the edge - you need to use something like a utility knife to separate the two halves just a little bit. In the video, the guy used a sort of plastic spudging tool that looked like a guitar pick. Anyways, once I had a very small opening, I could then get a small screwdriver in there to push it apart the rest of the way.

There appears to be a gasket in there to keep moisture out, and it looked pretty dry when I got the thing out. No idea about the buttons however. I will let the thing sit out for a day or so to dry out. Not like I am going anywhere these days...

Thanks for the video- I would blow some air thru it just to be sure to remove any moisture that may have accumulated

 

[Paul Rummler]

Put it in a bag of rice.

 

[mikeselectricstuff]

take the battery out til it's dry- electrolytic corrosion is the biggest risk

 

[ericy]

take the battery out til it's dry- electrolytic corrosion is the biggest risk

Once I had a chance to inspect it, I found that there is a silicone gasket/membrane that separates the circuit card from the keyfob buttons on the bottom half of the keyfob case, and the top half of the keyfob case also seals against this same gasket. In the top half, there is the channel for the valet key, but water in there cant get to the area where the circuit card is. Thus the circuit board itself never got wet. A very interesting design.

I can take some pictures or maybe a video of my own later.

 

[ericy]

My own video skills are lacking. But here are photos of the thing all taken apart.


In the 1st picture, you see the silicone membrane - this goes inbetween the circuit card and the half of the fob where the buttons are. This keeps water from going around the buttons and reaching the circuit board.

The circuit board neatly fits into the silicone, and then the two of them together neatly fit into the bottom half of the key fob. You still see a lip on the silicone sticking out around the edge - this is where the top half of the keyfob seals and isolates the circuit board from any external moisture.