Feel Smart?
Avoid Mistakes with Smart Keys. AAA did a terrific article we found on Cars.com on so-called Smart Keys that we think is a must read for every driver (see the link at the end of this item). In it, the company notes that the Smart Key (AKA Advanced Key, Intelligent Key, etc.) “has brought with it new opportunities for motorists to feel stupid”, with such incidents as walking away from the car with it still running or the ignition still on, or managing to lock the key in the car.
It is interesting how easily the idea of a driver feeling stupid rolls off so casually. Regardless, we’d like to add an item or two.
First, AAA’s recommendations regarding Smart Keys:
- Familiarize yourself with the keys’ capabilities and know what to do in an emergency.
- Become comfortable with smart-key features in a safe environment.
- To avoid keyless-entry or smart-key failure, replace the battery every two years or when recommended by the manufacturer or in-car battery warning system.
- Don’t expose fobs or smart keys to harsh elements, especially water.
- Get a spare key and store it in a safe location for emergency use only.
All true. And we would add the following.
- Replace the batteries in all the SPARE keys when replacing the battery in the primary key. The battery in any spare key will also become depleted over time making it nearly useless as a replacement.
- Do not use the manual door lock when exiting the car. Using it overrides the Smart Key system in some models and if the key is left inside, you will be locked out.
AAA noted that lock out incidents have not gone down with the advent of smart key technology. They helped 4 million drivers alone in 2012. This could be due to some confusion over what constitutes ‘locked.’
Locked or Unlocked?
With a Smart Key in hand (or pocket, purse, etc), only a touch is needed to open or ‘unlock’ a vehicle. This is true of the trunk as well. Service departments handle any number of calls from drivers who have closed the trunk with the keys inside thinking they are now locked in. They are not. A simple touch on the pad or sensor will open the trunk because the key can be sensed from inside. Thus the trunk isn’t actually locked, it is closed. It is true however, that once the key is removed from the car’s location, no one else will be able to open the trunk or any door, and the vehicle is now ‘locked’ with no further action taken.
However, a manual lock exists inside the passenger compartment that overrides the Smart Key system. We have all been sitting inside our cars and locked the doors because of some activity nearby that made us uncomfortable, and many drivers routinely lock the car when driving. All the doors are then locked and cannot be opened from the outside whether a Smart Key is detected or not.
Thus tripping the manual lock when exiting the car also overrides the Smart Key system. The unlock button on the Key Fob will be needed to get back in. But if the keys have been left inside, you are now officially locked out.
Any driver in the habit of tripping the manual lock will at some point leave the key inside. Carrying a spare mechanical key will get you back in, but they are pricey.
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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
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.
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.
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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