Question 1

My key fob shell is cracking around the key ring area. Can you swap the shell without reprogramming the whole key?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it's one of the cleaner fixes we do. The Q70 fob, like a lot of Infiniti Intelligent Key units from this era, is known for developing stress cracks near the key ring bridge and around the emergency blade release tab. The plastic takes a beating from keychains over time.

The fix is a shell swap: open the old fob, transfer the original circuit board into a new housing, move the CR2032 over, and cut a fresh emergency blade if the old one is worn. As long as the internal electronics come through intact, the car already knows that board. No reprogramming, no PIN lookup, no dealer visit. It's a fraction of what a full key replacement costs.

Question 2

How does the smart key system on the 2017 Q70 actually work?

Accepted Answer

The fob communicates with the vehicle passively when you're near it. Touch the door handle to unlock, press the handle button to lock, and the start button reads the fob's signal when you're inside with your foot on the brake. There's also a low-frequency antenna loop built into the start button itself, which is why holding the fob directly against that button can sometimes get a car started even when the fob battery is nearly dead.

The fob has four buttons for lock, unlock, and the other functions. A CR2032 powers it. Programming is done through the OBD port with the right equipment and the vehicle's PIN code. A fob bought online won't work until it's registered to your specific car.

Question 3

My Infiniti is showing a key-not-detected warning. What should I check first?

Accepted Answer

Start with the CR2032. That battery is the culprit more often than anything else, and a low cell doesn't always kill the fob completely. It just gets inconsistent.

If a fresh battery doesn't fix it, try holding the fob flat against the start button with your foot on the brake. The button has a backup antenna built in that can read the fob at close range even with minimal battery power. This is also how you confirm whether the issue is the battery or something deeper.

If neither of those works, the fob may have lost its pairing. This can happen after the car battery dies completely and gets jumped or replaced. In that case, the fob needs to be re-registered to the vehicle. That's a job for someone with the right diagnostic equipment. It's not a long job, but there's no DIY workaround on this system.

Question 4

Can I buy a replacement fob online and program it myself?

Accepted Answer

No. The 2017 Q70 smart key has no self-programming sequence. There's no ignition-turn trick, no button combination, nothing you can do in the driver's seat to register a new fob. Adding a key to this system requires diagnostic equipment that communicates through the OBD port and the vehicle's unique PIN code. Without that, the car simply won't recognize the new fob. You can buy the shell online to save a little, but you still need a trained locksmith or the dealer to do the actual registration.

Question 5

I had my car battery replaced and now my key fob acts like it's only working half the time. Are these two things connected?

Accepted Answer

They can be. A full power loss, the kind that happens when a car battery dies or gets disconnected, doesn't usually wipe the key pairing entirely on these vehicles. But it can cause the body control module to behave strangely for a short period while it relearns some settings. Owners on Q70 and related forums have reported intermittent key detection and sluggish door-handle response after battery swaps, with things settling down after a few drive cycles.

If the issue is still there after a day or two of normal driving, swap the CR2032 in the fob first. A battery replacement job often involves some jostling of the car, and sometimes the fob battery gets knocked loose or was already marginal. If it keeps happening after that, the fob may need to be re-registered. Give me a call and we can sort it out on site.

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