I’m starting to miss metallic keys…

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Fyrefox

Well-known Member
I recently bought a used car that has electronic key ignition, no good old metal key but just an electronic key fob that your car “recognizes” and allows you to enter and press a button to start the vehicle. I like the car but this feature will take my “old school” brain time to get used to…

For one thing, my used car was delivered with only one such “key” available, meaning that I had to seek out a “key guy” who operated like some kind of wizard out of a large van to get a spare key made. I get anxious if I don’t have a spare car key around in the event of key loss. No more getting spare keys ground out at the hardware store, though. Electronic keys are specialized and can be expensive.

I’m not sure that I fully trust them, either. I’ve already been locked out of a motel room by a balky electronic key. How about you? Do you have much experience with electronic keys, and are you comfortable with them? 🤔
 

I did a test drive on a Jeep that had the same kind of key you mentioned. No way! I ended up buying a Subaru with a regular metal key which has buttons to unlock remotely from a few feet away. If the remote part dies, I can still use the key.
 
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I had to rent a car once with the mysterious fob. I was very uncomfortable with it.

Why not just push a button and enter your password? Everything else in today's world requires a password. Oh that's right, we don't remember passwords at our age. But then we might forget where we left our fob.
 

I appreciate my keyless control. My fob is in my purse with my few other keys. No need to remove them from it except when I go to the mailbox.

There’s a physical key inside the fob that can be used in case of a problem. It’s been 7 years since we bought the car and I don’t remember those instructions.
 
Fyrefox said:
I’m not sure that I fully trust them, either. I’ve already been locked out of a motel room by a balky electronic key. How about you? Do you have much experience with electronic keys, and are you comfortable with them? 🤔
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Same kind of car here... and after two years it's still not unheard of to try to "put a key in the ignition" due to decades of habit. :giggle: I trust it, yes... and one of the reasons is that the car door has a pad to punch in a code if the e-key *is* lost. Don't try to get out when it's running, though... these kinds of cars are very insecure when the driver gets out while the car is still running. Beep Beep... come BACK here! Don't abandon me! 🚗🚘
 
CallMeKate said:
Same kind of car here... and after two years it's still not unheard of to try to "put a key in the ignition" due to decades of habit. :giggle: I trust it, yes... and one of the reasons is that the car door has a pad to punch in a code if the e-key *is* lost. Don't try to get out when it's running, though... these kinds of cars are very insecure when the driver gets out while the car is still running. Beep Beep... come BACK here! Don't abandon me! 🚗🚘
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I love the way you drew us in, and told this story, the way you did! (y):LOL::D

And I'll try to remember that, and smile, instead of feel terribly annoyed;
the next time I hear one sadly and desperately calling its person,
who is heartlessly walking away!:sneaky::giggle::ROFLMAO:
 
With keyless key fobs and self-driving cars, I figure it’s just a matter of time before we wind up as folks did in Stephen King’s story Maximum Overdrive, where people are imprisoned in a diner and only let out to re-fuel circling vehicles that are artificially intelligent and autonomous… 🙀

IMG_1793.jpeg
 
Once you quit habitually reaching for that key that used to unlock and start the car, it is kind of nice to just get in an push a big button. I like that part. Mostly, I trust that key will work. It has so far. Is it worth the extra $300-$400 for the convenience? No, I'd rather pocket the extra cost and use a $1.00 key, have several made, one for my wallet, one in a cigar box in a drawer. That would make dealing with a failure a lot easier, and a lot less expensive too.
 
I have two cars and one has the keyless ignition, and I'm always switching back and forth between cars. Sometimes I get mixed up and sit there stumped for a moment wondering where to put the key or going to push a button that isn't there.
 
I have a lot of stories about keys being lost, broken, missing, stolen, etc. Here’s one of my favorite stories.

I was on patrol when an older woman waved me down in front of a large mall in Pittsburgh. After she told me her story that she had her keys, but the car was gone and probably stolen. I asked her all the routine questions and she was sure it was stolen. Usually, in these types of cases, I would call the local PD and let them handle it, but I thought this case would be easy enough to resolve, so I would just handle it.

I asked her if she would ride along with me and we would cruise the huge parking lot just to make sure she didn’t misplace her car, which was known to happen quite often. She got in the back seat and began asking questions about all the equipment I carried. I asked her to please just look out the windows and see if she can spot her car. We drove around that lot for almost an hour when she says “Oh, wait a minute. I just remembered I didn’t drive here. My husband dropped me off in front of Dillard’s in his pickup.”

We drove over to Dillards and there he was standing in front of the store pacing. I pulled up to the curb where she got out of my car and he yells at her, “Where the hell have you been?” She told him she was riding along with me looking for him. He said, “You forgot you didn’t drive again, didn’t you?”
 
I read a true story (maybe here?) of a woman whose husband dropped her off at the grocery store. He planned to hit the gas station while she shopped, then pick her up. All went well until he tried to restart the car after filling the tank. The fob was in her purse so he couldn't restart the car.

Fortunately, the gas station was only a mile or so from the store. Don't know if he walked or Ubered to get the fob, but the car was stuck in front of the pumps until he got the fob.

Since getting my keyless car in Feb 2020, I've kept that in mind. When I'm driving and DH is the passenger, if I get out of the car and he stays in it, I leave the fob. Just in case.

I prefer real keys to fobs.
 
I went from a 2001 PT Cruiser with an old style key in the ignition, to a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with push button to start the car. I keep the key fob in my pocket, so the car can start. There was a learning curve, I must admit.
 
Outside of cars, electronic ”keys” that resemble credit cards seem increasingly to be used to gain entry to motel rooms. Sturdy steel keys were fail safe, but the electronic keys seem more delicate and temperamental. I’ve had to summon a desk clerk on more than one occasion when an electronic room key wouldn’t work. You also have to follow an exact sequence with them, such as insert the key, wait for a green light to glow, then quickly depress a door lever and push inwards. If you don’t do all that promptly, the door will latch itself again, keeping you out!

Technology and progress aren’t always synonymous, or it must be a sign of my age that I prefer the “tried and true” simple system methods… 😩
 
Fyrefox said:
Outside of cars, electronic ”keys” that resemble credit cards seem increasingly to be used to gain entry to motel rooms. Sturdy steel keys were fail safe, but the electronic keys seem more delicate and temperamental. I’ve had to summon a desk clerk on more than one occasion when an electronic room key wouldn’t work. You also have to follow an exact sequence with them, such as insert the key, wait for a green light to glow, then quickly depress a door lever and push inwards. If you don’t do all that promptly, the door will latch itself again, keeping you out!

Technology and progress aren’t always synonymous, or it must be a sign of my age that I prefer the “tried and true” simple system methods… 😩
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And, don't put them next to your phone, like in a purse or pocket.
 
I have a 2019 Hyundai with a key fob ignition. The key fob has a metal key nestled somewhere inside the key fob. This is an industry standard. The metal key is needed to enter a vehicle if the battery is dead in either the fob or the car. If you'd prefer to start the car with a metal key, you can.
Check the maker's website to find how to get the key out. It's not obvious. The keys are well hidden.
 
Fyrefox said:
I recently bought a used car that has electronic key ignition, no good old metal key but just an electronic key fob that your car “recognizes” and allows you to enter and press a button to start the vehicle. I like the car but this feature will take my “old school” brain time to get used to…

For one thing, my used car was delivered with only one such “key” available, meaning that I had to seek out a “key guy” who operated like some kind of wizard out of a large van to get a spare key made. I get anxious if I don’t have a spare car key around in the event of key loss. No more getting spare keys ground out at the hardware store, though. Electronic keys are specialized and can be expensive.

I’m not sure that I fully trust them, either. I’ve already been locked out of a motel room by a balky electronic key. How about you? Do you have much experience with electronic keys, and are you comfortable with them? 🤔
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No I don't love them and it is hard and more expensive to get extra "keys" made which I always do because I'm not comfortable unless I have three keys on me. That's just me. :confused:
 
Fyrefox said:
I’m not sure that I fully trust them, either. I’ve already been locked out of a motel room by a balky electronic key. How about you? Do you have much experience with electronic keys, and are you comfortable with them? 🤔
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No, I'm not. I've had many problems with them in hotels and motels. Also, who will be entitled to shut down your electronic car key for misbehavior? The dealership? Government?
 
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