Tonale back up start
Tonale back up startAlfa 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.
Push 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.
Since 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Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow.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.
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