Keyless car starter

[kymom99]

For my car, if the fob battery is dead, there is a small fob pocket, specifying for the fob to be inserted into. Once inserted, start as normal, push the start button on the dash.

Same with our Nissan. Not sure about my Camry. I’ll have to check.

I love push button start. I don’t have to fish the keys out of my purse when my hands are full.

 

[tvguy]

Same with our Nissan. Not sure about my Camry. I’ll have to check.

I love push button start. I don’t have to fish the keys out of my purse when my hands are full.

I have a 2020 Camry and it tells you when the FOB battery is starting to get low so you can replace it before it died. I think my wife went two weeks with that warning before she told me so I could replace the battery so you shouldn't ever had a dead FOB. But if you do let it die, just put the key FOB on the start button and you can start the car.

 

[_19disnA]

For my car, if the fob battery is dead, there is a small fob pocket, specifying for the fob to be inserted into. Once inserted, start as normal, push the start button on the dash.

Yes, mine the same way. After you unlock the door as I mentioned earlier, there is a place on the center console to place the key fob so you can start the vehicle. It varies by brand, so best to check your owner's manual for the exact method applicable to your specific vehicle.

 

[EACarlson]

That generally works to get you in the car. But to start it the fob needs to be pressed against the start button or placed in a certain location. There is not a place to insert the key to start the car in a push button start car.

There are some manufacturers that have you put that back up key in a slot that then allows the push button start to be used just as if the fob was active.

 

[kdonnel]

There are some manufacturers that have you put that back up key in a slot that then allows the push button start to be used just as if the fob was active.

Interesting.

I have only seen the key used to enter the car since the fob is what has the electronics needed to start the car.

My car does not have an exterior keyhole let alone an interior one.

 

[kymom99]

I have a 2020 Camry and it tells you when the FOB battery is starting to get low so you can replace it before it died. I think my wife went two weeks with that warning before she told me so I could replace the battery so you shouldn't ever had a dead FOB. But if you do let it die, just put the key FOB on the start button and you can start the car.

Thanks, I googled it a little bit ago, and you are correct. Also, it’s been my experience too, that you get plenty warning before the battery actually dies.

 

[maxaroni]

Interesting.

I have only seen the key used to enter the car since the fob is what has the electronics needed to start the car.

My car does not have an exterior keyhole let alone an interior one.

The exterior keyhole is usually hidden, at least on our Ford Edge and Bronco. It’s underneath the drivers door handle, obscure but useful in an emergency.

 

[kdonnel]

The exterior keyhole is usually hidden, at least on our Ford Edge and Bronco. It’s underneath the drivers door handle, obscure but useful in an emergency.

My car truly does not have a keyhole. The removable key is uncut as a result. The only ways in are with a fob, entering the door pillar code, phone as a key, or use the app to unlock.

 

[maxaroni]

My car truly does not have a keyhole. The removable key is uncut as a result. The only ways in are with a fob, entering the door pillar code, phone as a key, or use the app to unlock.

I think some (me included) have used the word “key” but it isn’t a typical key, at least in my experience. It is an uncut piece of metal. Similar to this:

 

[Dan Murphy]

The exterior keyhole is usually hidden, at least on our Ford Edge and Bronco. It’s underneath the drivers door handle, obscure but useful in an emergency.

I have that also. A cap has to be moved slightly to make it visible.

 

[kdonnel]

I think some (me included) have used the word “key” but it isn’t a typical key, at least in my experience. It is an uncut piece of metal. Similar to this:

View attachment 840834

That is what I am talking about.

Mine is not cut at all. Just a metal rectangle since there is no where to use it. It’s just there because it is the standard Ford key fob.

You can see the key is cut in the excerpt from a manual you posted. It’s not cut like a traditional key but is nonetheless cut.

Edited to add a pic:

Here is the key to my car on the top and my wife's car on the bottom. Mine is not cut in anyway because there is no key slot in the exterior or interior of the car.

 

[wenrob]

Everyone has pretty much covered what I was going to say. My fob lives in my purse and only comes out to unlock the doors. When I get gas I take the fob with me just like I would regular keys. Get out, open the gas tank door, lock the vehicle, put the fob in my pocket. My DH is infinitely irritated by the technology and I think he’s driven it maybe three times. He uses the spare fob and like I said mine is always in my purse so this particular situation is unlikely to happen.

 

[mikehn]

On vacation once and came out of a restaurant late night to my rental car to find the fob would not work. At that time of night, not much help will be available. Learn how to start your vehicle. Google search if needed.

 

[MrsPete]

I hate ours. Exactly what problem were we trying to solve by going from key to push-button? More electronic and computerized features are just more things to go wrong. I've had a battery die on me and had to get a family member to run me out the other fob. What a huge pain.

I think a lot of "upgrades" these days are solutions in search of a problem, but I do think the keyless fob is a good idea: It means I don't have to pull out my keys if it's raining or my hands are full. So it's faster.

I keep an extra battery with my owner's manual, etc. in the glove compartment.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

It is pretty handy to have, but it definitely has caused me to develop bad key handling habits. I remember driving somewhere and realizing that I didn't even know where the key was. Somehow it found its way into the trunk. I keep an "airtag" on my keys because I am that bad about losing them.

Regarding the batteries going down, I guess I have had this car for 6 years and I have replaced the keyfob battery probably 4 times. Usually I see it coming when the battery is going bad because I get some sort of key not recognized or key not found error light when I try to start the car. The most recent, last fall, was one night when I couldn't seem to get the doors unlocked to get in. You can slide out an actual little key to manually unlock the door if all else fails.