Tag: back-up start

Ford back up entry and start update results in in three changes

Ford back up entry and start

A full review of 2024 and 2025 models finds several important changes to the Ford back up entry and start pages. Transit, Mustang and Explorer all now use new back up start options. And we added information on F-150 Lightning models we had neglected at its 2022 introduction. Entry processes saw no changes.

Back entry and start processes are made necessary by the batteries in key fobs dying.

Escape back up spotWhen keyless start was first introduced to Transit models in 2019, a back up location was found in one of the cup holders. In 2024, the back up location is moved to the front of the center console. A fob-shaped depression will be seen once the mat is removed.

Mustang back up startMustang models first saw push button start in 2015 and also used a cup holder for its back up spot. Now, that spot has been moved to the bottom of the center console. Remove the mat covering the bottom — as well as anything stored there — and place the fob in the fob-shaped depression with the buttons facing up.

Ford Pick-up OneExpedition slotDepending on seating, Explorer models use two back up options beginning with the 2025 models. Those with bucket seats feature a back up slot in the rear cup holder beneath the mat at the bottom. Clearly Ford has not completely abandoned cup holder locations. In bench seat models, the back up slot is found inside the center console at the rear. Note that there are two console storage areas. The one needed and shown is beneath the center bench seat.

Ford truck back up slotAll Lightning models use the rear cup holder. Remove the mat at the bottom (see image) by pulling the tab and stand the key fob up in the slot, buttons forward.

In all cases, once the fobs are placed, press the Start/Stop button while stepping on the brake as normal.

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. These back up options are there to overcome a dead key fob battery.

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 Ford back up entry page here and the back up start 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 could be more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/11/ford-back-up-entry-and-start-update-results-in-in-three-changes/

Mazda back up start review finds no changes

Mazda logoMazda back up start

A full review of 2025 models results in no changes to the Mazda back up start page. All Mazda models use the tried and true “push the start/stop button with the back of the key fob to start the vehicles. In fact all the company’s models have used this simple and sane method since 2016.

As the battery in the key fob weakens, and it will at some point, the vehicle produces Back up starta notice on the instrument panel pointing this out. However, everyone’s busy lives often result in putting replacing the battery in the fob until “tomorrow” or, because we are inundated with information from everywhere, the notice may simply be missed.

This is where a back-up start method is necessary. And welcome!

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 Mazda back up start page here, which includes information on pre-2016 models.

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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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/10/mazda-back-up-start-review-finds-no-changes/

Infiniti back up start page sees no changes

Infiniti LogoInfiniti back up start page

A 2025 review of our Infiniti back up start page sees no changes whatsoever. In fact, what we learned is that the company has abandoned all back up start options that are not “push the button with the back of the key fob.”

All keyless or push button start vehicles offer a back up start option in the event that Nissan Key Port 2the battery in the key fob dies. Which they do all tooo quickly and at what is likely the worst possible time.

For years, Infiniti offered two options: push the start/stop button with the back of the fob; or slip the fob into a slot on the left side of the dash (right). This last option has been abandoned.

Mercedes Start ButtonThen in 2018, the QX30 was introduced using a pull-out button akin to a version developed by the old Chrysler Corporation. The button can be removed and the key fob inserted into the space and used as a key.

The car was introduced in 2017 and both the method and the model were abandoned in 2019.

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 Infiniti back-up start 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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/10/infiniti-back-up-start-page-sees-no-changes/

Volvo EV back up start focused on the center console

Volvo logoVolvo EV back up start

Until the 2021 model year, all redesigned keyless start Volvo models used a cup holder as a back up start location. But the Volvo EV back up start location has migrated to the center console.

In the Volvo introduced the company’s first all electric model, the XC40. The C40 (now the EC40) followed in 2022, and now the EX40 hybrid in 2025. As we updated this year, we see that all these EV and Hybrid models use a XC-40 backup locationmark found inside the center console on the bottom and to the front (right).

The mark remains the image of a key with lines radiating from it. Placing the key fob on the mark will allow the car to recognize the fob.

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.

All Volvo back up start locations and procedures can be seen on this page.

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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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/volvo-ev-back-up-start-focused-on-the-center-console/

Tonale back up start spot is a departure for Alfo Romeo

Alfa Romeo LogoTonale back up start

Alfa Romeo introduced a new model in 2023 and with it came a new back up start spot, necessary if and when the battery in the key fob dies. The Tonale back up start start spot is inside the front cup holder (below right). In fact, its a match to the 2023 Dodge Hornet. In addition, both of these Stellantis models went hybrid in 2024.

Tonale back up startPush button or keyless start cars and trucks need a location to touch or drop the key fob in the event the battery in the fob becomes depleted. This can happen as quickly as eight months, depending on use.

Alfa back upSince the introduction of the Giulia and Stelvio models, the only thing a driver of a keyless start Alfa Romeo had to do if their key fob died was to drop the fob in the bottom of the center console (right), a spot clearly marked by the outline of the fob itself. Time will tell if the new method in the Tonale will spread to additional models, old or new.

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 Alfa Romeo dead key fob back up start 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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/tonale-back-up-start-spot-is-a-departure-for-alfo-romeo/

Polestar back up entry and start update points to manufacturer schizophrenia

Polestar-logoPolestar back up entry and start update

Our latest Polestar back up entry and start update really points to a manufacturer trying to figure it out. The schizophrenia leads to each new model having a different back up entry process and, while both the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 use essentially the same back up start process, one model holds an interesting surprise.

Polestar 4 back up entryPolestar-3 door handleA mechanical key is not available to unlock the Polestar 3 or Polestar 4. The smart phone app or the vehicle’s key card will be needed. With the Polestar 3, the card is touched to the front of the driver’s door handle (right). With the Polestar 4, the card is touched to the middle of the door pillar just behind the driver’s door (far right).

Polestar 3 card readerBoth models use a card reader at the front of the center console to start the car when the key fob’s battery has died. The reader doubles as a phone charger as well as a key fob charger for the Polestar 3!

Only BMW has tried this and it never left the one vehicle it was assigned to.

You can see the Polestar back up open processes here and the back up start processes 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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/polestar-back-up-entry-and-start-update-points-to-manufacturer-schizophrenia/

Mercedes back-up start page update needed for G-Class SUVs

Mercedes_logoMercedes Back-up Start Page Update

Changes in the 2024 G-Class SUV required a Mercedes back-up start page update. The models joined the GLE and GLS SUVS which use a slot found inside the center console storage area at the front as a back-up start location, and have done so since 2019.

GLE 350 slotAs is true with most Mercedes-Benz models, the back-up spot is marked with the image of a key with lines radiating from it (left).

We say most, because a handful of models, like the C-Class, use a cup holder as the back up start spot and, while the cup holders are marked, the image used is that of the key fob or SmartKey itself!

Note: For reasons unknown, all the Mercedes models we’ve tested have s light delay built in after the start/stop button is pushed and the key fob being recognized. Not to worry…

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.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/08/mercedes-back-up-start-page-update-needed-for-g-class-suvs/