MINI Countryman key fob battery
5 of the 16 model years listed for the MINI Countryman have a proven battery. The most common answer is Rechargeable. Rows below run oldest to newest; a year can appear twice when the car came with more than one kind of key.
- 2011Key-head remote
Rechargeable
Owner's manual: manualslib.com (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “contains a rechargeable battery that is recharged when it is in the ignition”
- 2011-2014Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2012-2013Key-head remote
Not confirmed yet
- 2014Key-head remote
Rechargeable
Owner's manual: manua.ls (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “Each remote control contains a rechargeable battery that is automatically recharged”
- 2015-2016Key-head remote
Not confirmed yet
- 2017Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2018-2019Smart key
CR2032
Owner's manual: manualslib.com (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “Insert a new type CR 2032 battery with the positive side facing upwards.”
Find CR2032 on Amazon - 2020Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2021Smart key
CR2032
Owner's manual: manua.ls (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Manual text: “Insert a type CR 2032 battery with the positive side facing up.”
Find CR2032 on Amazon - 2022-2024Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2025Smart key
Not confirmed yet
- 2026Smart key
Not confirmed yet
Changing the battery
Key with remote in the head
- Here the key blade and remote are one piece. You open the plastic head, not the blade.
- Find the seam around the head. Twist a coin or small flat screwdriver in the notch at the blade end or side until the halves part.
- Inside you may find a small circuit board in a tray. Lift the board out if the cell is underneath, swap the cell with the same side up, and refit the board.
- Snap it closed and press each button. The car still starts with a dead remote battery on most of these keys, because the start chip needs no battery.
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.
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.
- Note which side of the old coin cell faces up (usually the side with the writing), lift it out with a plastic tool, and press the new one in the same way.
- 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.
Coin cells are a choking and burn hazard for children. Store the spares in their original pack, out of reach.