Category: Dumb Smart Keys

Issues caused by new key technology and some help.

Push Button Start — A Little Touch Will Do Ya

Push Button Start

So, we recently put together a video about push button or keyless start systems. Why? Well, it may be a bit silly, but its been nagging at us that the results just may be start button failures in the future.

Push ButtonYou see, no matter what the start button in your push button start car looks like, or even if its a lever, a single press is a command to start the car and is all that’s needed. Yet we have seen automotive professionals at all levels from service writers to technicians and from sales people to automotive journalists repeat the same mistake — holding the button down until the vehicle starts! It is a habit left over from key start cars, where the key needs to held in the start position until the engine starts, and is simply not necessary.

The video demonstrates multiple times in multiple vehicles that it is completely unnecessary. A single touch, and you’re off.

We haven’t found anyone who can say for a fact that holding the button actually causes any harm. Although once underway, many manufacturers make a press and hold of the button an emergency shut down procedure. But, since holding the button down until the engine starts is unnecessary, why do
it? Just press and go. Maybe it will save a little maintenance cost down the road.

For more videos and information on push-button start cars and automotive warning lights, check our channel on YouTube or search here at DashboardSymbols.com.

——————————————————————-

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Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow.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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2016/02/push-button-start-a-little-touch-will-do-ya/

BMW’s Display Key Fob Can Be Recharged!

A Rechargeable Key Fob

In an absolute first, as well as a “why didn’t anyone do this before” moment, BMW is making a new key fob that holds a rechargeable battery. With key fobs constantly dying in push button start cars, this is an idea that is long overdue.

Followed by a step back …

Unfortunately, the mechanical key is not integrated into the fob and must be carried separately, however, to unlock the door if a driver misses the need to recharge. I guess the rechargeable battery takes the needed space??

BMW Display KeyThe key fob in question is BMW’s Display Key (right), thus far available only in the 7-Series starting with the 2015 model year. The display offers additional functionality and ‘cool’. The display also deactivates when charge gets low, a useful hint to recharge.

Recharging is accomplished BMW Charge Portwith a micro USB port on the remote (arrow, above), a micro USB cable and a USB port in the center console of the car. The remote has a home it can be slipped into nearby for safekeeping (right).

Our interest of course is primarily in the recharge feature. We will thus take this opportunity to recommend that every manufacturer making push button start cars migrate to this option. USB ports are already standard.

However, please keep a mechanical key inside the fob itself. People are people and they will forget to recharge or simply not get to it in time. There must not be a need to remember where the mechanical key is! We can pretty much promise that there will be confusion as to the need for the extra key, and will get dropped in a drawer and forgotten.

An actual display is an expensive advance that is really not needed. There are other ways a key fob can announce a need for a charge, as is already done.

——————————————————————-

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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2015/11/bmws-display-key-fob-can-be-recharged/

Tragic Incident Points to a Need to Build to Intuition

Intuition Needed

Our mission at DashboardSymbols.com is to make new auto technologies simpler to understand and use so that you can feel safe and secure. Electronics rarely have intuitive solutions when problems arise. We have long railed about car companies making getting in a push-button start car difficult when an electronic issue strikes, but we didn’t recognize that those same problems could lead to difficulties getting out.

And now one of those problems has cost a man his life.

A Life Lost

Inside_release2A Consumer Reports article recently cited the death of a man, and his dog, of heat exhaustion in Texas when he was unable to open his 2007 Chevrolet Corvette after an electronic malfunction. He was unaware of a mechanical release located near the floor below the door, as shown in the image to the left The article begins beautifully, stating “tragedy demonstrates time and time again, there is true value in conventionally designed controls for vehicles.” Their conclusion troubles us, however. But first, a review of this and other recent incidents that we have touched on.

The man, 72 year old James Rogers, stepped out of a local restaurant to check on his dog, leaving his cell phone behind. It is thought that the electronic lock failed due to a loose battery cable. He and the dog had already died by the time they were noticed and freed from the car. Sadly, other news reports stated that his daughter believes he may have been trying to consult the owner’s manual when he succumbed.

Hours Lost

Earlier this year, we reported on an item out of New Zealand where an older couple had spent 13 hours locked inside their new keyless Mazda, and nearly died. They had left the key fob outside the car and mistakenly thought that it was the only way to unlock the car. The overriding assumption was that the root cause of the problem was that either the dealer did not fully explain the features of the car, or that the couple was confused by new technology because of their age (65 and 68).

Related: Wait, you were locked In the car?

BMW Inside Lock SwitchNope, Its Not Age!

In that same article, we related another lock-out story involving a keyless, or push button start car, this time a BMW. Their friends had used the remote to lock the car as a joke, and try as they might, those inside, a man and a woman in their 20s, could not find a way out and swore that there was none! The unlock switch, while plainly marked with the image of a door with a key in it and shown here, is placed surprisingly in the center of the dashboard just below the emergency flasher switch! Not on the doors, where our twenty somethings assumed it should be. And frankly where we had assumed it would be.

Inside_release3This image is an expanded view of the Corvette’s door release lever and icon. While the image does indicate the function of the lever, it would not be easily seen while sitting in the driver’s seat of the cramped coupe. Also, it is located where we have learned to expect to find a trunk or fuel door release, so it is quite likely that that Rogers never thought to even look towards the floor. It should be noted that this lock technology is shared by the Cadillac CTS, XLR and ELR Coupes.

Consumer Report’s states that their own reliability data shows that “problems with door locks and latches are among the most common complaints.” Their article concludes that “there isn’t any worrisome trends among Corvettes.”

Looking purely at data – developed by definition after problems occur – this is certainly true. We, however, see several worrisome trends surrounding the growing love affair with electronics and the auto industry itself. We’ve cited three incidents of drivers who believed they locked in their cars. This leads us to,

  1. short of a photographic memory, ‘showing’ and ‘explaining’ new features to drivers and expecting them to read and remember everything new in an owner’s manual have never – repeat never – worked in the auto industry. Ever. No one in the industry seems capable of learning this lesson no matter how many times it is repeated. This makes the New Zealand incident the most troublesome to address and it continues the “blame the driver”, or the salesperson, mentality. That said,
  2. there is nothing intuitive about a door release on the floor below the door. GM, take responsibility for it and change it, period. The electronic lock does nothing for the owner and only satisfies something at GM. Make it part of the arm rest. Better yet, lose the unnecessary electronic release altogether and return the mechanical release as the primary, or only, release. And it follows that,
  3. there is also nothing intuitive about a lock switch located in the center of the dashboard. BMW, it too should be returned to the armrest, even though it then means a second switch is needed on the passenger door.

If you could change the behavior of the one or the behavior of the millions, which would have the greater chance of success?

Changing the one, the manufacturer, eliminates the need for the millions (drivers) to read, and frankly memorize, crucial new features or the owner’s manual. It also eliminates the need for other millions (salespeople) to somehow become effective teachers. Someone else’s dad, mom, brother, sister, son, daughter husband or wife will not have to die over something that seems simple – to those of us in the industry.

Build to intuition. Let’s not wait for data to act.

Update: We got hold of a Cadillac CTS Coupe and can add this gif (below) of the lever in action. We used it from outside the car, so we could see it well!

GM Coupe Escape Lever

And we’ve added this video discussing the growing trend towards electronic locks and latches.

——————————————————————-

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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2015/06/tragic-incident-points-to-a-need-to-build-to-intuition/

Wait, you were locked IN the car?

Locked IN??

A few months ago, an item out of New Zealand relayed a story of an older couple who spent 13 hours locked inside their new keyless start Mazda, and nearly died. They had left the key fob outside the car and mistakenly thought that it was the only way to unlock the car. I initially let the story pass without comment feeling it would be a relatively rare occurrence.

However, I recently overheard a lunchtime conversation, again about someone locked inside a keyless, or push button start, BMW. Only this time those locked in were in their twenties! Their friends had used the remote to lock the car as a joke, and try as they might, those inside could not find a way out. In fact, they swore there was no way out!

A Closer Look

Mazda Inside Lock SwitchLets get something out of the way first: there is always an unlock option inside the car. Any car. Keep looking! In fact, in most cases any door can simply be opened from the inside regardless of a locked condition. If the manual is in the glove box, consult it! The switch for the Mazda is shown to the right with open and closed padlock images.

Now to the New Zealand case. The overriding assumption is that the root cause of the problem was twofold. First, that the dealer did not fully explain the features of the car, and second, that the couple were confused by new technology because of their age (65 and 68).

Its Not About Age

Both assumptions are completely false. We’ve said this here before and it bears repeating: people learn by doing not by having things explained to them. The dealer could easily have gone over the locks with the older couple as well as a dozen other features that would have been new to them. Learning comes with experience, hopefully not as extreme as what these folks went through. And for the record, they had left the manual in their house.

As to age, anyone is capable of being confused by new technology. Anyone. Our twenty-somethings put the lie to age being an excuse. And while the car did not belong to them, the car’s owners, who are only a few years older, also could not find an unlock mechanism inside the car!

We know that confusion and assumptions kept our New Zealanders inside their car. But just what was the problem with the BMW? A 2009 X3 to be exact.

BMW Inside Lock SwitchWell, looking through the owner’s manual, we find the answer. The unlock switch, while plainly marked with the image of a door with a key in it, is placed surprisingly in the center of the dashboard just below the emergency flasher switch! Not on the doors, where our twenty somethings assumed it should be! And frankly where I had assumed it would be. If this is a driver’s first BMW, the lock switch is in a truly mysterious location.

There are a number of possible reasons for placing an unlock switch in the center of the car. Perhaps to give both front seat occupants access. Perhaps avoid the reflexive lock action many drivers employ that can override the outside handle button if the fob is accidentally left inside, even if it is in range.

Regardless, that’s where it is in newer BMW models, and there is one somewhere in every other car made.

If you think you’re locked inside, please keep looking!

——————————————————————-

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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2015/03/wait-you-were-locked-in-the-car/

A Tale of Four Drivers – And the Car Dealers That Failed Them

Four Drivers

Car dealers found themselves on the wrong side of three customers who contacted us over the last week or so. They, plus a fourth who skipped his dealer, have something to teach those of us in the auto industry.

Key Warning IndicatorNumber 1

Our first case involved a dying key fob. Fortunately, her car continued to start but the locks had begun to misbehave. She’s a personal friend and relayed the problem in casual conversation. I recommended a new battery for the fob, and as she was bringing the car in for a recall the next day, she would note the problem. When she dropped off the car, she asked to have the fob’s battery replaced.

They took care of the recall and failed to replace the battery, so back to the dealer she went. Its truly small consolation – they had the car! – but she did get the battery for free.

Our next two revolve around instrument panels. Not traditional warning lights, but rather messaging that has become so prevalent over the last several years. In each case, these drivers contacted their dealers asking what they were seeing.

Service personnel had no idea. So they took to the web and found us.

Smart instrument panelNumber 2

The first car, a Smart Pulse, had begun a daily countdown past a missed service interval, which to an untrained eye looked rather intimidating. Add to this that the dealer didn’t know what the countdown meant, and the result was a very anxious driver. An example is shown to the right, has a wrench and a -3 (days). Its a bit difficult to see, but it took only a few minutes in the vehicles owner’s manual to decipher the answer.

Fiat instument panelNumber 3

Our second instrument panel from a Fiat had also begun displaying information that the car’s owner had not previously seen. In this case, the driver had accidentally changed the display herself. The panel was now showing average miles to the gallon, mpg, which was in lower case. The “g” in the font used really looked like a “9”. She sent a photo shown to the right. Again, a few minutes in the owner’s manual turned up the answer.

Number 4

Our fourth driver didn’t actually have a problem, but when I relayed the stories, he laughed and said he would have called AAA! He spends that money every year, and by gosh they would be his first choice.

So what do we take from these incidents?

The first and best lesson is that only one of these drivers, the Smart owner, consulted their owner’s manuals. And he did not dig deep enough or understand what he read (he didn’t say). The first three started all made calls to their dealer. The fourth would have gone to AAA. Every new system added by auto manufacturers is backed up by an equally new entry in the manual and it is assumed that this is where a driver will turn. And understand.

They don’t…

Manufacturers are in a continual struggle to bring their customers up to speed on their vehicles, and from our perspective continue to fail. Showing a new owner a feature will never replace experiencing it for the first, second or third time. In our examples here, changeable instrument panel displays are a good idea on paper but less so in practice.

For all the training and experience, service personnel are only human. And in these incidents, their failings are left in full display. And at first blush, they may not take the time to problem solve. I say at first blush because they are not identified and do not have the opportunity to tell their side.

Which is the second lesson. Manufacturers also continue to struggle to keep their own personnel up to speed. Our largest concern in these examples is the failure to replace a key fob battery. We are moving inexorably towards all cars being equipped with push button start capability, and a non-working key fob is in our minds a safety concern. It will likely take a lawsuit from a stranded motorist to drive this point home. Every service person across the industry must make sure that their customers have new key fob batteries once a year.

And third, while a manual was available, the Internet was chosen for a search for an answer instead! This is where drivers increasingly turn for help.

We, and others like us, are happy to help.

In the meantime, automakers surely want to simplify their products. Add all the features you want, but with an eye towards making them simple to use, experience and understand.

——————————————————————-

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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2015/03/a-tale-of-four-drivers-and-the-dealers-that-failed-them/

Automotive Culture Needs an Empathy Reboot

Automotive Culture

DashboardSymbols.com was founded on the basis that the industry was leaving its driver’s behind at crucial points in the driving experience – namely when something goes wrong. Recent events reinforce this basis.

First, General Motors and the ongoing saga surrounding very, very bad ignition switches. Evidence continues to point to GM treating the problem as a customer satisfaction issue early on and later to discover how to alter the behavior of their customers in order to rectify the problem of their cars shutting down unexpectedly. At first, the company warned against possibly hitting the ignition key with a knee or a bag, or some other foreign object and thus turning off the car. Later, drivers were instructed not hang heavy items on key chains, a warning that remains in force for cars not yet serviced in a recall.

Who Know?

Second, we got a call from a Kia Motors customer who tried to determine in advance of the battery in his key fob going dead just how to start a 2014 Optima. No one in sales or service at the dealership where he bought the car actually knew! They each pointed to a slot in the glove box, which had been removed for the 2014 model year. The customer called Kia’s California headquarters where he Kia/Hyun Start Style 6was told that the start button is simply to be pushed by the key fob itself if the fob’s battery goes flat. He called us since we turned up in a search for the answer, and we had it wrong too! We had the procedure, but not for the 2014 Optima. (We had access only to the 2013 model year manual and have since confirmed his answer and updated this website posting.)

In both stories, one element of a car company serving the public got it wrong – at corporate in the first instance and at the dealership level in the second. The underlying issue to us at DashboardSymbols.com is a lack of empathy for customers. It is far too easy and convenient to look for where a customer is misusing the equipment or to leave them to their own devices rather than to expend energy looking for a possible problem or a real answer. Even as there was ample evidence that several parties at GM knew the ignition switches were bad, others at the company who were hearing complaints failed to go beyond looking for how the customer might have caused the problem. And anyone at the Kia store (who will remain nameless) could have opened the owner’s manual from a new Optima and supplied the correct answer.

Widespread Problems

These problems are not confined to GM or to Kia dealerships. They are part of a culture deeply entrenched with service and sales personnel who all too often quite frankly see their customers as stupid. “Not that question again!” And they are just as entrenched at the corporate level as evidenced by the growing number of tell tales thrown into cars with little regard for the average Joe who just needs to get the kids to school on time and get to work. The car culture puts a new system in a car, and makes a new tell tale. Over 270 of them on DashboardSymbols.com and growing.

BMW Cylinder CoverAnd adding insult to injury, there are now 11 manufacturers building cars with hidden key holes, and not one has thought to put the instructions in an app for a locked-out customer to reference. Its in the manual after all – locked in the car.  The customer is supposed to remember having been shown. Once. As if anyone really learns anything that way.

A little empathy, a mile walk in their shoes, rather than the cynicism will go a long way at GM, and the industry as a whole, to change the current culture. Or at least soften it.

——————————————————————-

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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2014/06/automotive-culture-needs-an-empathy-reboot/

Think You Locked Your Keys in the Trunk? Maybe Not…

Locked Your Keys in the Trunk?

In the world of Push Button or Keyless Start cars, three calls are commonly received by service departments and roadside assistance operators: lock outs, dead key fob batteries and keys “locked” in the trunk or behind the rear hatch.

Key Detected IndicatorOf the three, the lock out is most likely to require an actual visit from roadside assistance. The second, a dead fob battery, has a backup plan that you can find here at DashboardSymbols.com or in your owner’s manual – if you can get into the car.

The third, keys locked in the trunk or storage area, is usually a conceptual problem that is a result of the nature of “locked” when it comes to modern push button ignition systems.

And of course the length of the explanation highlights one of the many problems associated with advanced technology. Perceived as user-friendly, the details can be more than confusing.

So first, assuming, and yes we hate to use that word, that the battery in the fob is strong, closing the trunk with the fob inside does not lock your keys inside. Just as a driver can approach the car with the key fob in a pocket or purse and open a door with just a touch, there is also a touch spot or pad for the trunk.

The difference is, of course, that a door has a handle to pull while a trunk does not. Thus a sense of panic can easily arise in a driver who has not routinely opened the trunk using the touch pad. Feel for it – it will generally be a raised or depressed, rubberized bit above the license plate. It is not visible unless you bend over and look for it.

This takes us to the nature of “locked” on push button systems. A driver steps from his or her car and presses the lock button on the fob. The locks engage. However, he or she can approach the vehicle at any time and open it with just a touch, all because the vehicle is in constant communication with that key fob. The same is true for the trunk, even with the fob inside the trunk.

So is the vehicle locked?

Well yes – and no! If the driver is within range, anyone can walk up to vehicle and open it. However, most vehicles make it possible to lock all the doors from the inside, which overrides the touch system.

This can result in a lockout, if the interior lock switch is engaged when exiting the car – and leaving the keys inside. This is roadside assistance time, unless you are fortunate enough to have OnStar, or an equivalent service.

So just to confuse things further, many manufacturers have included a trunk lockout switch, usually located in the glove box. This allows a driver to lock the trunk with the switch, then manually lock the glove box and hand the key fob to a valet while keeping valuables protected. If that switch is engaged and the keys are in a closed trunk, its roadside assistance time again!

Truly though, in the vast majority of situations, if you have dropped the keys into the trunk and closed it, relax. If you have a push-button start system, simply touch the pad above the license plate or on the lift handle of your rear hatch and the trunk lid or hatch will pop open.

The video below will help as well.

——————————————————————-

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.

 

 

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/09/think-you-locked-your-keys-in-the-trunk-maybe-not/