Spare key?

Going to Pm an idea to you, but along a similar thread, i'm wondering what parts of the car are really magnetic? i've seen posts before about people trying to put magnetic decals on the car in various places and it not working - Is most of the car non-metalic, or at least only slightly so?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Oct 24 2006, 09:35 AM) [snapback]337271[/snapback]</div>

The inner fenders, hatch, rear bumper cover and such are plastic. Perhaps under the chassis is the only good place for one of these. Anyway, wouldn't you need to leave a fob in there, too? Doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

 

Leaving a fob on the car would be a VERY bad idea. The transponder would enable anyone to walk up to the car and open the doors just by touching the handle.

 

I have long used a key safe for a spare house key. It screws onto any convenient spot, like a door frame. It would not be hard to pry loose with a crowbar, but it would be far harder to open than to break into the house without a key. It uses a changeable combination.

They also make key safes that hang on the outside over a closed car window. Again, a thief could easily break the window to get the safe, but the safe is so hard to open that it would probably be easier to tow the car away.

Another possibility would be a key safe, loose, hidden inside the car, containing the fob (without a battery if the safe does not hide it from the car's computer) and keep the metal key in some location that you can reach from the outside. The metal key would let you into the car, but if a thief found it he still could not drive the car, without opening the key safe, which you would have hidden somewhere, and locked with the combination.

I don't like those magnetic key boxes. As you learned, they can fall off. Why not use duct tape to tape the metal key to some outside part? Again, with the fob in a key safe hidden inside the car you could drive the car but a thief could not.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Beryl Octet @ Oct 24 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]337279[/snapback]</div>

To unlock, all you need is the metal key.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Essayons @ Oct 24 2006, 06:54 AM) [snapback]337281[/snapback]</div>

I think they're talking about the metal key alone.

Another solution would be to use some strong double sided tape (instead of worrying about where to attach with a magnet) and put the key safe anywhere you want.

If you belong to AAA they make plastic keys that look like a credit card and fit into your wallet. It's not designed to replace a regular key in the ignition (in a non-Prius), but it is designed for unlocking a door in an emergency (although they do last for several uses).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Essayons @ Oct 24 2006, 08:54 AM) [snapback]337281[/snapback]</div>

Actually, thats not quite how it works... if a functioning fob is left in the car, the car will refuse to lock (i'm not sure, but i think you can still lock it with the metal key - have to check on that one). So yes, someone could get in the car fairly easily, since it won't be locked. However, you can take the battery out (not too difficult) or wrap it in foil to hide the signal - then the car will lock and have no idea a fob is there. even if the fob is later detected, the car knows where it is and won't unlock the doors for someone outside the car. Give it a test - roll down the window, lock the car, reach in and stick the fob somewhere (glove box, center consol, whatever) and then try the handle.

 

Just find a place for the key. Then keep a hidden fob in the car with battery removed.
It should still work in the slot without a battery.

 

Going off some of the above posts, the best bet might be to get a wallen key made that can let you into the car, and have the fob locked up in one of those hide-away key holders somewhere inside - i'd definately make sure it's secured in some manor so someone can't just bust a window, root around, find it and drive off...

 

I thought the whole purpose of the keyless technology (RF) was so that you would not have to do this. I have the fob hooked on a caribeaner that I clip to my jacket, pants, or whatever. I used to be so bad with locking me keys in the car or losing them that I had a hanger shoved in my bumper. Not anymore with the Prius.

 

The RF technology is simply there to make things easier. It really can't stop someone from losing their keys, which is what you would use this system for here. Of course, for normal cars it doubles as a safeguard against locking the keys in the car.

I've never lost my keys (knock on wood), but at the same time, i'm considering doing something similar to this, just because i would hate to be stuck somewhere (like on a road trip 500 miles from home).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Oct 24 2006, 02:26 PM) [snapback]337452[/snapback]</div>

If you put the fob inside a metal container (like an Altoids box) it will not be able to send or receive any radio signals. That is much easier than removing the battery.

If you want to leave your Prius locked but leave the fob somewhere on the car, I suggest you make a copy of the mechanical key, leave the fob inside the metal box in the car, and hide the mechanical key copy some where you can find it (like a hide-a-key or under a rock or whatever).

 

<_< Quote: " if a functioning fob is left in the car, the car will refuse to lock "

TRUE, and a great feature. Just yesterday, I exited my Prius with the fob in a cup holder and this feature saved me from locking myself out. A cab fare or walk home would have been inconvenient, to say the least.

Some Prius owners HAVE left a copy of the metal key concealed on the outside and have either removed the fob battery or encased it in heavy foil so they could leave it inside the car, one person as I recall left the extra fob in a small metal box and it worked for him.

 

i'm not sure people are quite getting it.

say you're at the grocery store and you lose your fob in the tomato bin while trying to find a good tomato. you have no idea where it is when you get out to your car with all sorts of yummy frozen foods that need to go in your freezer, and a gallon of milk and who knows what else. you've got no way to get into the car and you know you don't have your keys because the door won't unlock. and your frozen food is going to melt on you and the milk is going to taste funny because it warmed up.

wouldn't it be a lifesaver to have a spare copy of your metal key hidden somewhere so you could get into the car, and then a spare fob inside so you could start up the car and get home instead of being stranded?

there's no need to leave a fob on the outside of the car because you can use the tiny little metallic key to get in. and since you do need the fob to start the car, then you've got the one without battery in the car somewhere so it doesn't interfere with normal operation of your car day to day, but it's there in case of emergency to plug into the dash.

if it were me, i'd clean up an area somewhere underneath and use lots of duct tape since you're having a hard time finding a place that's safe for the magnetic key holder.

 

Do you order a copy of the metal key from the dealer or is there another/better way? Thanks.

 

Get the little key copied at any key making place. Put it in a hide-a-key box and put it in the "pocket" located in either rear wheel well behind the wheel. Do not hide a fob anywhere on the car.

 

I ordered a couple from the dealer, then drilled two holes in it and inserted rare-earth magnets. I covered the whole thing loosely in a shrink tube, and stick that to my secret metal spot. No box. Just a dirty black plastic thing that doesn't look like a key.

The first magnet with epoxy looks like this: