A quick followup on my issue..

well it would seem that a couple too many drops of my key cracked something in the remote.

I have some good solder gear at work, so I reworked the whole PCB in the key, and it's now working like a top..

I have replaced the battery in several of these remotes, so doing work on them is pretty straightforward now..

FWIW, if anybody has a remote with a dead battery, i'll be happy to put a new battery in cheap for you.. SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than buying a new key (I was quoted $165 for a key from the dealer )