I just lost mine today at my sisters garage ( after working on her 2017 Stingray Z51 ) . I opened the fob to change the battery and BOING the plastic piece fell out of the FOB. I did not realize there was a spring inside ( under the plastic release button ) until I put the new battery in and put the FOB together to find the hidden key would not stay in the FOB.
I went home and took my other FOB apart inside of a plastic bag and discovered the little spring. I called my sister and let her know that I lost it 2 hrs. later. My brother-in-law vacuumed the garage floor and removed the bag from the vacuum and found it ! Like finding a needle in a haystack ! What a find !
Rich

 

It was just the way you handle it. I took my FOB apart yesterday to change the battery and it stayed intact. Today I took it apart again and lost the spring !
Rich

 

Old thread, but still a current topic.

A large magnet would work as well. I keep one in my sewing room for pins and such, but I could bring it to the garage as well (if needed).

 

That was going to be my next move tomorrow to go back to my sisters house and to her garage with my 3 ft. long round broom handle sized magnet and sweep the floor and hope no one had stepped on it. But as luck had it when she vacuumed the floor she scooped it up and my brother-in-law took the bag apart and found it.
Rich

 

If you still don't have one, you might ask for a faulty FOB at the parts section here.

 

Very good suggestion.

 

It is true that the spring from a ballpoint pen is larger than the original spring. But a ballpoint spring fits pretty well over the outside of the spring holder instead of the inside. I got two fobs with my car and one was held together by tape….after getting it home I took it apart and cut down the length of a ballpoint spring and it fit. Still operational.

 

That is good to know, great find.
Rich