The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph's College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Hyundai back up entry updateWe have a new Hyundai back up entry update and the new processes make us wish they’d make up their minds. Back up entry processes are necessary for those moments when the key fob’s battery dies, which happens all too often. There is a brand new way to expose the key hole on the new Kona and, with the addition of digital access options, the company has a new mechanical key that is separate from the key fob.
The redesigned Kona uses a two-piece handle that looks like those on the Santa Cruz, Sonata and Tucson. However, the piece that needs to be removed is done so from behind (right)! To get at the key hole, lift the door handle and hold it in the open position. Slip the mechanical key into the open slot in the cap from behind it and rotate the cap upwards. It will come free, exposing the key hole. We have yet to try this.
The new key fob that results in a separate mechanical key was actually introduced in 2022, with the introduction of the Ionic 6. This was also the first model to have a digital access option. To use the mechanical key (right), a protective cover must be removed and its handle rotated down as the illustration shows.
We really dislike this development. The mechanical keys can easily be lost or simply left behind, and digital options on the smart phone have proven to be less than 100% effective and requires the start battery to be charged. A mechanical key is always 100% effective!
Smart Keys or Intelligent Keys, or Access Keys – or whatever the manufacturer of your chooses to call them – that let you into your car and start it with just a touch use up their internal batteries at alarming rates, catching busy drivers unawares – even though the car had tried to warn you.
Our goal is to help you feel safe – and keep you moving or get you moving if at all possible – rather than leave you fretting whenever your key fob stops working. The instructions for getting into and starting most keyless start cars can be found on our pages – without roadside assistance.
You can see the back entry page here.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/hyundai-back-up-entry-update-adds-a-new-entry-method-and-mechanical-key-problem/
Nissan dashboard symbols updateOur recent Nissan dashboard symbols update added only a handful of indicators to the list, but one of the new entries truly stood out.
It is a Pop Up Hood Warning Indicator symbol (below right) found in the 2023 Z Coupe — we missed it last year! We’ve only seen this symbol in high-performance Lexus and Infiniti models and may constitute a safety system insisted upon by the Japanese government. We have no confirmation of that however.
The pop up hood system is a pedestrian safety system akin to the interior air bags. The symbol warns that the system is not available, either due to a malfunction or because it has already been used. The light appears as the front of a vehicle with the hood separated or broken from the windshield.
The pop up hood is used – that is, blown open by explosives – if a front impact is detected that is equal to or greater than that of a pedestrian and between about 16 to 34 mph (25 to 55 km/h). The system may also activate when colliding with a curb, falling into a deep hole landing hard, or hitting the slope of a parking lot, an undulating road, a protruding object or falling object.
If the system has not been activated, have a qualified service shop or your dealer repair the system. If it has been used, it will need to be reset and rearmed by the shop or dealer.
Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.
At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.
You can find more about the pop up hood system at this page and you can see all of the nearly 100 Nissan warning lights and indicators here.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/nissan-dashboard-symbols-update-includes-a-surprising-new-entry/
Open and Start GMCWe have updated our video on our YouTube channel demonstrating how to open and start GMC trucks and SUVs with a dead key fob battery, covering procedural changes in 2021 through 2024 models.
These include are the Acadia, Canyon, Hummer, Sierra, Terrain, and Yukon.
The update is necessary due to changes in the back up start procedure in the Acadia SUV and the Sierra pick up with bucket seats in 2024. The Acadia now uses the left cup holder, while the Sierra now has a spot alongside the cup holders (right).
You can see the new video on our YouTube channel here, or on our GMC page here.
Smart Keys or Intelligent Keys, or Access Keys – or whatever the manufacturer of your chooses to call them – that let you into your car and start it with just a touch use up their internal batteries at alarming rates, catching busy drivers unawares – even though the car had tried to warn you.
Our goal is to help you feel safe – and keep you moving or get you moving if at all possible – rather than leave you fretting whenever your key fob stops working. The instructions for getting into and starting most keyless start cars can be found on our pages – without roadside assistance.
——————————————————————-
Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/updated-open-and-start-gmc-video-dropped-on-our-youtube-channel/
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/jeep-dashboard-symbols-update-swells-the-page-by-13/
Mercedes Benz videoWe just added a new Mercedes Benz video to our YouTube channel. It is specifically for 2016 and newer models with a dead key fob battery and in many cases a hidden key hole. Models covered are EQB, EQB, GLB, E-Class, EQS, E-Class, Maybach EQS, S-Class, EQE, S-Class, C-Class, AMG, GLC and CLE models.
GLE and GLS SUVs and 2024 and newer G-Class SUVs are covered in a separate video.
All these models use a back up location at the front center console storage area. They vary a bit but tend to be in or near a cup holder.
But the primary reason for this update is to cover getting past two new door handles added since 2022, including the one seen here.
We’ve added the video to our Mercedes Benz video page, which now features ten videos. You can find them all here at this link. The new video can be seen here.
Remember to replace the batteries in your key fobs at the first moment you see a warning on your instrument panel!
Smart Keys or Intelligent Keys, or Access Keys – or whatever the manufacturer of your chooses to call them – that let you into your car and start it with just a touch use up their internal batteries at alarming rates, catching busy drivers unawares – even though the car had tried to warn you.
Our goal is to help you feel safe – and keep you moving or get you moving if at all possible – rather than leave you fretting whenever your key fob stops working. The instructions for getting into and starting most keyless start cars can be found on our pages – without roadside assistance.
——————————————————————-
Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/we-just-dropped-another-new-mercedes-benz-video/
BMW dashboard symbols updateOur latest BMW dashboard symbols update added a number of new indicators, with two in particular that stood out. They are the first of what will very likely be many Intersection Collision Warning symbols industry wide over time.
The intriguing part is that the pair face different directions, pointing to which way the danger is approaching! They are shown here on either side. It remains to be seen if drivers will find them an effective warning mechanism. They are certain to be part of any future self driving software developed by BMW.
Other notable additions include alternate Pedestrian Detection symbols, unnecessary in our opinion, and Manual Speed Limiter indicators.
All in all, there are more than 80 symbols that can be seen on our BMW symbols page here.
Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.
At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.
——————————————————————-
Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/bmw-dashboard-symbols-update-includes-an-intriguing-new-pair-of-indicators/
After a Volvo symbols update, our EV, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Battery Charge and Warning Symbols page now holds 14 images! And it is hardly the most prolific page! This is primarily because the automotive industry lacks discipline — or someone to apply that discipline — and continues the absurdity that is automotive dashboard symbols, telltales and indicators. Our pages now hold well over 1,000 distinct versions!
The Volvo update added two black and white versions (right), bringing the total to six of the 14. We certainly feel obligated to include them, as a driver needs to know that they are looking at exactly what they see on their instrument panel in order to feel confident about the information being given to them.
And note that the second symbol with the padlock is said to be an indicator that the hybrid battery is holding its charge! Isn’t that what its supposed to do??
Despite calls for uniformity and promises of such, auto manufacturers continue to forge their own paths when designing indicators. The addition of information displays on instrument panels has prompted the new assortment of black and white entries. Fortunately, this usually — but not always — include a text message explaining what the indicator is trying to tell the driver.
We’re pretty comfortable saying that oftentimes these messages are less than helpful.
You can see our EV, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Battery Charge and Warning Symbols page here.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/battery-charge-and-warning-symbols-count-on-our-page-now-at-14/
Jeep dashboard symbols update swells the page by 13
The recent electrification of several models meant that our Jeep dashboard symbols update resulted in 13 new images added to the Jeep symbols page.
Among them were the standard fare for electrified vehicles — battery failure warnings, EV system fault warnings, power limitation indicators, etc. What was really interesting was a
brand new warning light, a Traction Battery Coolant Fluid Level Low indicator. The image looks like an extra long battery, complete with plus and minus signs, with a wavy line at the bottom.
Jeep is using a liquid cooling system for its hybrid batteries. And much like a typical internal combustion engine cooling system, this system requires a cooling fluid that may require topping off occasionally.
And rather than make a new page, we added it our Hybrid Battery Overheat page and adjusted the title to include cooling. Its pretty much in the same functional family.
The Overheat and Cooling page is here and you can find Jeep’s dashboard symbols page, and its over 100 entries, here.
Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.
At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.
——————————————————————-
Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY