Fixed it: CLE was working fine, except for the Check Battery light..

[AveryWagg]

I finally figured out the problem - at least for the CLE that I own. Everything worked fine, except that the Check Battery light wouldn't light up. It wouldn't light during the self-timer function either. Does now.

What's happened: The gray button on the bottom of the camera has a bit of corrosion on the inside where it touches the inside sensor plate. Take the bottom plate off, support it (I used tape), so that it doesn't stress the wires attached to it, then clean the two contact points with a small pencil eraser and a Q-tip with a bit of alcohol. Put it back together - and you're done.

Details: 1. There are three tiny screws under the film rewind knob. Take them out and save the screws.
2. There's another, longer screw by the battery door. Take it out and save it.
3. Put a piece of tape on the body of the camera near the gray button. Not on the bottom plate,
put it on the camera.
4. Lift the base plate away, and support it - so you don't break those two wires (I used tape).
5. As your lifting the base plate away, the plastic camera rewind button will fall out. Put it aside.
5. On inside, right by the tape you placed on the camera body, look for a very small flat gold
contact point.
6. Clean it. I used a pencil eraser then a bit of Alcohol on a Q-tip.
7. Use the same method to clean the metal contact point of the gray button.
8. Just reverse the process when putting it back together. Two more tips though:
a). When you're putting the plate back on, make sure that chrome colored plastic rewind button
is gently placed on that metal holder. It doesn't get fastened - it just sits there.
b. As your placing the base plate back on, eyeball that rewind button to ensure it stays in place.

You're done..

 

[MinoltaSony]

I finally figured out the problem - at least for the CLE that I own. Everything worked fine, except that the Check Battery light wouldn't light up. It wouldn't light during the self-timer function either. Does now.

What's happened: The gray button on the bottom of the camera has a bit of corrosion on the inside where it touches the inside sensor plate. Take the bottom plate off, support it (I used tape), so that it doesn't stress the wires attached to it, then clean the two contact points with a small pencil eraser and a Q-tip with a bit of alcohol. Put it back together - and you're done.

Details: 1. There are three tiny screws under the film rewind knob. Take them out and save the screws.
2. There's another, longer screw by the battery door. Take it out and save it.
3. Put a piece of tape on the body of the camera near the gray button. Not on the bottom plate,
put it on the camera.
4. Lift the base plate away, and support it - so you don't break those two wires (I used tape).
5. As your lifting the base plate away, the plastic camera rewind button will fall out. Put it aside.
5. On inside, right by the tape you placed on the camera body, look for a very small flat gold
contact point.
6. Clean it. I used a pencil eraser then a bit of Alcohol on a Q-tip.
7. Use the same method to clean the metal contact point of the gray button.
8. Just reverse the process when putting it back together. Two more tips though:
a). When you're putting the plate back on, make sure that chrome colored plastic rewind button
is gently placed on that metal holder. It doesn't get fastened - it just sits there.
b. As your placing the base plate back on, eyeball that rewind button to ensure it stays in place.

You're done..

Thanks for posting this CLE repair tutorial...Especially in Feb 2026! My CLE is currently in CA, awaiting its turn for an inspection...I bought it in April/2024. Sent it for a CLA. Shot my first roll (ever) on a rangefinder in May. CLE came along on a couple of trips. Shot10 rolls through Oct 2025. (in rotation with an XD, SRT202, XE-7, and X-700). The CLE took a few photos that are some my favorite film photos of all time. Great travel camera. (With the essential Minolta grip... I almost dropped it a couple of times when it was "new", before I bought the grip!) So...I was reading a thread about CLE repair when I noticed your post 😉 In October, near the end of a roll, the led readout started to contradict logic (rotate to F2, shutter speed led steps slower to down arrow. Rotate towards to f16, indicated SS increased, however only to a max speed of 1/30 - 1/60... After trolling threads relevant to my CLE situation, I am leaning towards the dirty contact cause.(even though I rotated the SS dial several times w/o success.) I reviewed the photos I took after the leds started acting contrary... They are properly exposed. (I do not recall if I sunny 16'd the rest of the roll) . Either way, the CLE seemed to operate properly... with misbehaving leds...I am also about to buy another CLE body (from Japan). Hopefully, my first CLE will be restored with a contact cleaning...I am fine with having 2 bodies...TBD