IMPORTANT if you keep a spare key fob in your car! (1 Viewer)

[r2m]

I just made an important discovery with my key fobs!
As many of you have read on my post (Lost (GX) key fob away from home DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/lost-gx-key-fob-away-from-home-dont-let-this-happen-to-you.1129099/#post-13431918 ), I keep a spare "physical" key hidden on my vehicle, outside and a spare "remote fob" inside my vehicle in a Faraday pouch.
This is done so the car's receiver will only pick up the key fob in my pocket for locking/unlocking/starting etc.
As I'm preparing our rig for going up north for our ski trip, I just thought I'd check my spare keys.
The physical key worked just fine, especially since there should be no reason it shouldn't, but the little OCD I have in me just had to check anyways.
Then I checked the key fob hidden inside my vehicle: No-Go!
What???
I used my mulitmeter and it read 0.3 VDC. So, my new battery that I've had in there a little over a year was dead?? What the???

So this is the tip of the day:
I now keep the battery OUTSIDE of the key fob. I keep them both in the Faraday pouch together, but I don't have the battery inserted into the key fob.
If or when that day ever happens that I lose my key fob and need to use my spare, it's easy enough to split open the key fob case in insert the battery when needed and then I'll know for sure there's nothing draining the battery.

I'm thinking that maybe something was pushing down on a button, because the spare key fob I have in the house has been sitting there just as long and it worked fine! The only reason I could see for a battery drain.

So just a heads up my friends!

 

[Acrad]

Looks like this Key Cancel function can possibly be used to lock a FOB in the vehicle

 

[onemanarmy]

man....one MORE reason old vehicles without all this annoying tech are way better.
It's so easy to insert a key and twist a lock a few degrees.

 

[Acrad]

You can always use physical key in the FOB to get in the driver's door and FOB placed against the START button (even with a dead FOB battery) will start vehicle.

I have one of these Smart Cards programmed for mine and it just sits in my wallet like a credit card.

 

[r2m]

Looks like this Key Cancel function can possibly be used to lock a FOB in the vehicle

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Oh my gosh! I think I'd be easier to do the Hoky Pokey dance!
This is similar to how I had to program the keys for my 100 series Landcruiser.
I know from experience that I'll be sitting in my car for half an hour trying to get that sequence steps right, much less ever remembering it!
With all due respect Acrad and truly appreciating the info, I'll just keep the battery out of the fob. Actually doing that, one doesn't even need the Faraday case either!

 

[Acrad]

Agree... that would have to be one special situation for me to try that myself. I though the ritual to get OEM RES (Remote Start) was something... this is another level.

 

[Tex68w]

You can always use physical key in the FOB to get in the driver's door and FOB placed against the START button (even with a dead FOB battery) will start vehicle.

This is my suggestion, helped my buddy with this very issue last week when he called asking how to start his GX with a dead key fob battery. Too easy really.