By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
APRIL 23, 2019 — Many modern automobiles operate without what we have known previously as a “key.” Instead, today’s new vehicles now have “keyless entry,” using a key fob which can automatically start the car simply by the push of a dashboard button, as long as you have the fob with you.
You never have to bother to get your key out of your pocket or purse. It’s a new “benefit” in operating a modern car.
Except.
Read on. It might save you a problem.
If your “key fob” is two years old or more, you may find it malfunctioning. That happened to me last week. I had driven my wife’s car to the office. The car door unlocked OK when I was leaving the house. However, when touching the button on the dash to start the engine, nothing happened. Finally, by putting the key fob against the button, the engine started.
The problem began when I tried to return home at lunch. The car door would not open. I tried both front doors. I could not get into the car. As a last resort, I called my wife at home come get me (in my regular vehicle), then drove to the car dealers to see about the key fob.
“Go down the hall to the retail parts department,” I was instructed. There, one of counter persons, Terrance Calloway, who has been at the dealership for 16 years and 25 with Toyota, and who has seen many like me needing a fob battery, said he could replace the battery for $6. So far, so good, and not expensive!
This got Terrance to talking as he replaced the battery. I had told him that my wife had earlier had problems with the fob, having to place it against the starter button to engage the car.
Terrance said: “Whenever that happens, you should get the fob battery replaced immediately, for the fob battery is dying.” So if it happens to you, hightail it to your car dealer. It’ll save problems later.
Then he also told something new to me about the fob: “Your key fob has a button on the side you can push, which allows a key to slip out of the fob. You can use the key to open the car door, and the fob battery might still have enough power to start the car if you touch the fob to the starter button.” Wish I had known about that earlier.
Then there’s the myth that says you cannot lock your doors to your car if you somehow happen to leave the key fob inside the car when you get out. That generally is the rule, and protects drivers often! But there’s a way to leave a key fob inside the car if you wish.
To do that, Terrance killed the myth by saying to get in your car in the back seat. Lock all the doors and leave the fob inside the car, then get out of the car by the right rear door. When you close the right rear door, it will lock also, even with the fob in the car. (You might want to leave the fob in the car since another person may have a second key fob, and need to pick up a car at a remote location.
Thanks, Terrance Calloway, for educating us all on key fobs.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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