BMW 7 Series key fob battery
6 of the 30 model years listed for the BMW 7 Series have a proven battery. The most common answer is CR2032. Rows below run oldest to newest; a year can appear twice when the car came with more than one kind of key.
- 1996-1999Key-head remote
Not confirmed yet
- 2000-2001Key-head remote
Not confirmed yet
- 2002Key-head remote
Not confirmed yet
- 2003-2004Unknown
Not confirmed yet
- 2005-2008Smart key
CR2032
FCC ID LX8766STwo sites agree: americankeysupply.com and uhs-hardware.com (checked Nov 2, 2026)
Find CR2032 on Amazon - 2009-2014Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2015Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2016-2021Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2022Display key
Rechargeable
Owner's manual: manua.ls (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “Charge state of the display key battery.”
- 2022Smart key
CR2032
Owner's manual: manua.ls (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “Insert a type CR 2032 3V battery with the positive side facing up.”
Find CR2032 on Amazon - 2023Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2024Smart key
CR2032
Owner's manual: manua.ls (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “Insert a CR2032 3V battery with the positive side facing down.”
Find CR2032 on Amazon - 2025Smart key
Not confirmed yet
Changing the battery
Smart key (push-button start)
- Start by freeing the hidden metal key: there is a latch or slide on the case, and the blade comes out once it moves.
- Look inside the empty key slot for a notch. Put the tip of the metal key or a small flat screwdriver wrapped in tape there and twist gently until the shell splits.
- Before you take the old cell out, look at its face. Put the new cell in with the same side showing, and avoid touching both faces at once.
- Close the case until it clicks all the way round, put the metal key back, then try the buttons and a push-button start.
A CR2032 is 20 mm across and 3.2 mm thick. CR2032, CR2025 and CR2016 share the same width but not the same thickness, so a swap between them can leave a loose contact or a case that will not close.
Card or phone key
- The source lists a card or phone key for these years.
- Passive cards draw power from the reader in the car, so there is nothing to swap.
The owner's manual says this remote has a rechargeable cell. It charges while the key is in the ignition or the car is driven. There is no coin cell to buy; if it no longer holds a charge, a dealer replaces the remote.
Coin cells are a choking and burn hazard for children. Store the spares in their original pack, out of reach.