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The only thing the battery in the fob does is extend the range(so it can stay in your pocket). If it dies you can still start it by holding the fob to the start button or steering column depending on model.
The hidden backup mechanical key is just for the door.
The only thing the battery in the fob does is extend the range(so it can stay in your pocket). If it dies you can still start it by holding the fob to the start button or steering column depending on model.
The hidden backup mechanical key is just for the door.
Thank you for the Information. I knew it it had to be a system that worked consistently.
Mechanical keys, only on the basis that in nearly 25 years of motoring I've never had a failure, ever.
If you could promise me that electronic keys would never, ever, let me down, I'd vastly prefer it. Frankly, I'd rather the car just never shut off, run on bird farts, and just follow me around everywhere like a dog until I decide I need to use it. That's only if teleportation is off the list...
I've had several problems with mechanical keys not wanting to turn which caused problems with fixing it and wondering how much it would cost or if it was even fixable, but the only probelm with keyless is when the batteries run low after a few years, in which case it's an easy few dollar fix.
A dead keyfob isn’t a dire situation in most cases as they typcially have a key built in and the keyfob battery doesn’t need to work to start the car
Good point. I'm not sure if that's true for all cars with keyless ignitions. I know my mom's 2015 Mazda6 transponder battery warns you when it's getting low and that a physical key can slide out of the transponder, but I'm not sure if that's true for all other makes. It's very important to know the ins and outs of your car, especially as technology and design changes. These are very tangental but I just think these circumstances would not have risen back when cars were consistently more mechanical, sometimes I think these changes do more harm than good:
The end of this article speculates that the occupants on the recent Tesla Model S wreck in Ft. Lauderdale were alive after the crash and were trapped inside the burning car because the electronic doors were not functioning. Tesla Crash
I suppose you could cite all the GM accidents and injuries related to their detent spring defects in their keyed ignition systems. I still feel safer in a vehicle that allows me more control and it's always good to have an intuitive plan B. I should also say that the Corvette instance was a freak occurrence (anecdotal) and that it's not happening en masse, but they could have designed something better and safer.
I don't see a huge difference. In the end, it's just two different ways of doing the same thing. It would not be a deal breaker for me in my purchase decision.
That said - if the car I wanted had both options and I had to pick - I'd likely go keyless. And taking it one step further, hopefully in the near future - you'd be able to use something like a certificate installed on your phone. So it would be keyless and fobless.
I know my mom's 2015 Mazda6 transponder battery warns you when it's getting low and that a physical key can slide out of the transponder, but I'm not sure if that's true for all other makes.
With my Ford F-150, there is a physical key inside the fob that can be used to unlock the door. To start the truck with a dead fob battery, there is a hidden spot inside the center console, you lay the fob inside the cutout in the console and it reads the chip within the key allowing you to start the truck.
The upside I find of not fishing keys out or waiting for my wife to do the same far outweighs the cost to replace the key fob.
Is it really that taxing to reach in your pocket and grab a set of keys?
I’ve replaced two ignition switches in my life. On a 30 year old truck and one on a 14 year old truck. I could tell both were starting to wear because you had to jiggle the keys.
Definitely the mechanical key and ignition switch.
I would never want to drive a car with a computerized ignition activation, that can disobey my command to shut down (even at speed when I think it's necessary) or ignore my command to keep running (ditto).
Who on Earth would drive a car that can overrule its driver like that???
I’ve owned 4 cars with keyless ignition. I think pretty much all of them have a low key fob battery warning in the dash just as a heads up a new battery will soon be needed. It’s the same battery that you would have on a keyless entry remote anyway.
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Thank you for the Information.
