My wife's car has keyless entry. This is fine. As long as you have the key in your hand or pocket etc.., the doors will unlock and you can start the engine. If the key is out of range, it won't work.
Today we stopped to tank up with petrol and having done that the conversation went, OK, who has the key? You must. No I don't. You must have it because we're in the car. No, I don't have it. Well someone must because I can start the engine..... etc.
We agreed that the key must be somewhere in the car, and as we were off to visit our daughter, we'd rusk it.
It took us ages to find the key which must have been dropped and made its way under the passenger seat. I'm quite surprised the car started as it often objects to other objects like mobile phones in the vavinity of the key.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Similar to our campervan tracker. Van won't start unless the tracker fob is close by. In the kitchen it is just in range. I set off in the van with the fob in the house. Of course when I got to my destination & tried to restart the van it was way out of range. Fortunately Im able to set up my phone as a fob via my app based account so was able to get home
That's very scary sb. Our car has those keys but the 'van has normal ones.
When the keys are in the house they are kept in a Faraday wallet to prevent the signal leaving the house so hopefully would only work with the key in the pocket. I drop the key into a pocket under the dashboard, but OH, who is a pain with keys, will sometimes drop it into a bag in the boot.
What I do find amusing is that on the occasions we travel to the local sports centre in the 2 vehicles, my car steals his music from the van.
Our car has key-less entry too and it won't start if the key is still in the house. I can't get in either as the key is out of range and the button on the door won't work. If I leave the key inside the car when I get out, I can't lock it as it won't lock if there's a key inside it.
A friend of mine returning from holiday dropped his wife at home then continued to town to get milk and bread. When he reached the shop he could not lock the car because his wife had the key and he could not restart the car to drive back home.
My car has keyless entry/start too. Because of the 'risks' of the car being 'functional' when the keys are in the general vicinity of the car, I make it a point to keep them in my trouser pocket, and a particular pocket at that, at all times I'm out and about with the car, there really is no need to have 'hands on' them as you would with 'mechanical' keys. That way I'm fairly assured I haven't put them down or dropped them somewhere in the car but have no idea where!
It's a self discipline thing to get used to doing by habit, but it pays off. I seem to misplace my 'keyless' keys far less than I did with old style 'mechanical' keys which I'd frequently use then put down and forget where! - the hunt for the keys was often frustrating, delaying, and accompanied by 'choice' language not for sensitive ears!
I've also got a tracking tag linked to a phone app on my car keys, it's far too inaccurate to pinpoint where in the car they may be (but may confirm they are in the car as opposed to anywhere else!), BUT I can make it beep from the phone app, so can track them down audibly.
Closest I've got to 'losing' them is the odd occasion I've parked the fob in the dash receptacle (mainly when taking car to a garage, so I don't walk away with the keys and leave the garage up the creak!), then got out of the car and can't fathom why the doors won't lock on the touch sensors on the door handle! Much rummaging through pockets, ever more volatile attitude and cursing of failed technology .... then 'ping' - I remember!
Funnily enough Monty I do exactly the same. My car fob is always in my trouser pocket for the very same reason. It also has a clip on it so that I can attach it to one of my belt loops if I need to.
I'm not sure whether it is by design or just because my car/fob is old, but the fob needs to be fairly close to the car for it to work. More than about 3 or 4 feet and it's useless. I've never had a car with key-less start before, or that I could open by pressing a button on the door, and all the cars with fobs that I've had before I've had to open by pressing buttons on the fob itself. All the previous cars I could open from my front door, but I have to be much closer with this one.
I often mislaid my car keys/fobs before but by keeping this one in my pocket at all times, I very rarely mislay it. Even when I have done it has been easy to find. It's usually in the pocket of the trousers I changed out of earlier.
My army father taught us: “a place for everything & everything in its place”. So the car fobs always go away in the Faraday box at home, always drop into a specific space in the car. Ditto house keys, same drawer always.
OH, however, comes from a family where anything could be anywhere (screwdriver in the cutlery drawer?) This means that when we’re away in the MH - which is not keyless entry - he will “tidy away” my set of keys… anywhere. This caused much angst / anger when I had to retrace my steps on an hour’s dog walk, obviously no joy, because he’d put them into the drawer with the dog food without telling me. I’m now particular about where I hang them up on site, or they go in the glove locker when we’re driving. Doesn’t stop him misplacing his own keys though…
Once I go on a car journey I never take the fob out of my pocket. I can't get in without it so I know straight away whether or not I have it on me. I don't actually need to use it in the car, so why take it out of my pocket? Knowing me, if I did I would leave it in the car when I got out, and I don't trust the car's "safety device" that is supposed to prevent the car locking from the outside with the fob inside. With my luck one day it would, and I would then be stuck with the fob inside the car and no way to get back in myself.
The main problem I have experienced with key fobs; leave car, press button to lock it then put key fob in pocket to attend to another task. Sometime later, dashing around to finish outside work as it has started raining only to notice as I pass the car, there is a window wide open. Obviously, at some point while the key fob has been in my pocket a button has accidentally got pressed and opened a window.
Quote: Originally posted by Ancient Uncle on 17/3/2026
The main problem I have experienced with key fobs; leave car, press button to lock it then put key fob in pocket to attend to another task. Sometime later, dashing around to finish outside work as it has started raining only to notice as I pass the car, there is a window wide open. Obviously, at some point while the key fob has been in my pocket a button has accidentally got pressed and opened a window.
You can open windows with your fob? Never heard of that before, but then I'm usually 15 years behind most tech anyway.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 17/3/2026
You can open windows with your fob? Never heard of that before, but then I'm usually 15 years behind most tech anyway.
Many do. Press/hold unlock button to fully open windows. Press/hold lock button to fully close them.
In the case of my previous 18 plate VW Sharan, it did the same with the panoramic slidey roof thing too! 😀👍
Quote: Originally posted by Mucker1884 on 08/4/2026
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 17/3/2026
You can open windows with your fob? Never heard of that before, but then I'm usually 15 years behind most tech anyway.
Many do. Press/hold unlock button to fully open windows. Press/hold lock button to fully close them.
In the case of my previous 18 plate VW Sharan, it did the same with the panoramic slidey roof thing too! 😀👍
I'll have to try that. I don't remember ever actually using the buttons on my fob, I just make sure it's in my pocket before I go out then walk up to the car and push the button on the door handle. Once I'm in, foot on the brake and turn the ignition to start. I always close any windows from the buttons on my door, get out, shut the door and push the door button to lock it. I never use the buttons on the fob so I've never even thought of shutting the windows with it. Maybe the fob can do more than I give it credit for.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 08/4/2026
I'll have to try that. I don't remember ever actually using the buttons on my fob, I just make sure it's in my pocket before I go out then walk up to the car and push the button on the door handle. Once I'm in, foot on the brake and turn the ignition to start. I always close any windows from the buttons on my door, get out, shut the door and push the door button to lock it. I never use the buttons on the fob so I've never even thought of shutting the windows with it. Maybe the fob can do more than I give it credit for.
I'd expect nothing less, Colin! 😉
However, for those of us more prone to memory lapses, I guess the fob option is designed more as a last ditch option as you are walking away having forgotten to close them! It saves you having to get back in, ignition on, and doing it properly from the internal controls!
It might even be an option to open/close windows with an extended "press and hold" type approach, keeping your hand in place longer than just the quick lock/unlock hand gesture?
I Honestly can't remember whether mine did that, or only from the fob? I'm sure it did! 🤷♂️
Have a play, and report back when you try it. 👍
(I can't try it myself, as I've gone back in time to a 66 plate campervan... c/w ye olde turnkey ignition and unheated seats!) 🤣
Quote:
You can open windows with your fob? Never heard of that before, but then I'm usually 15 years behind most tech anyway.
Could do that with a 05 Volvo s40
Very handy in hot weather.
As for remote fobs. We keep two in a Faraday box but invariably my wife puts both in different handbags in the house. When I take the car. The fob goes in a zipped pocket so it is always on me.
Quote: Originally posted by Mucker1884 on 09/4/2026
However, for those of us more prone to memory lapses, I guess the fob option is designed more as a last ditch option as you are walking away having forgotten to close them! It saves you having to get back in, ignition on, and doing it properly from the internal controls!
It might even be an option to open/close windows with an extended "press and hold" type approach, keeping your hand in place longer than just the quick lock/unlock hand gesture?
I Honestly can't remember whether mine did that, or only from the fob? I'm sure it did! 🤷♂️
Have a play, and report back when you try it. 👍
(I can't try it myself, as I've gone back in time to a 66 plate campervan... c/w ye olde turnkey ignition and unheated seats!) 🤣
Prone to memory lapses.... I have to be reminded to open the door before I try to get in.
As for going back in time to a 66 plate, I won't get there for many years yet, my X Trail is a 57 (2008) plate! I don't know how you'd describe the ignition on mine, it has a key slot with a plastic surround. You can use a key in it but you don't have to as long as you have the fob. You just put your foot on the brake and turn the plastic surround. No fob, or no foot on brake and it won't turn.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Keyless entry..
via mobile 15/3/2026 at 5:32pm
