lexusman08

Still deciding on an 08/09 ES 350.

Thought I would get some feedback on lockout prevention.
Although it happens rarely, I have locked myself out of my car. On previous cars, I added a spare key to combination vault that I bolted into my wheel well, which also helped when I needed a friend to retreive my car in a $16/day airport parking lot on an extended trip.
With the purchase of a new ES350, I thought I would brainstorm some new ideas

I am aware that the ES350 has a mechanical key to get into the vehicle.
Perhaps its small enough to fit in a wallet where I can they keep the rest of the fob hidden in the trunk or interior of the vehicle with the battery removed with a small screwdriver for connecting the battery and reassembling the unit.

If that isnt feasible or to provide a way to allow authorized people to have access to my car in an emergency,
I will go back to the key vault idea, which is merely a heavy steel key compartment that requires a 4-digit code entry to realease the contents.
http://www.nokey.com/sambutmounto.html
I would add the mechanical key to the vault, leaving the rest of the fob (without battery) hidden in the vehicle (as described above). Rather than mounting inside the wheel well, I would consider bolting the vault to the frame underneath and close to the drivers or passangers door to make it easy to access. I could even duct tape a tiny LED flashlight flush with the rubber housing on the vault.

Please share your strategy in preventing lockout.

jkayca

The key is kind of funny shaped. It isn't flat so the wallet idea is out. Unless you have a really big wallet!

The vault idea would certainly work. I wouldn't go with the flash light though. You want to make the vault as inconspicuous as possible and I doubt the duct tape would hold for long anway.

Dave Mac

Well, I guess your solution would work but that is quite an effort. You will find the mechanical key is way to big for a wallet but would fit into a key vault. It has always been my understanding that even most amateur car theives can thwart the key vaults. Locking your keys in the car is virtually impossible so I wouldn't be concerned with that aspect but the idea of having someone retrieve your car would require something like you are contemplating. Or if this is a regular occurance maybe just leave an extra smartkey with a friend.

Dave Mac

iKenn

iTrader: (1)

The car wont lock if the key is in inside. Even in the trunk.

jkayca

It's not the key, its the fob that controls the lockout prevention. The OP plans to remove the battery from the fob so his plan should work.

garsarno

My wife has locked herself out of our ES350 - she locked the doors and opened the trunk with the remote. Put her keys into her purse, laid the purse in the trunk, retrieved the books she needed and closed the trunk lid, forgetting the purse was there also Car locked / trunk locked. I was home and met her / opended the trunk.

Dave Mac

That - locking your smartkey in the trunk - is not suppose to be possible although I suspect under the perfect conditions it could be done. Maybe with a weak battery, a metallic purse, a lot of golf clubs in the trunk etc. it could happen but I can't make it happen on my car.

My wife has a regular Wed. morning routine where she locks her purse in the trunk and I always worried about this happening. She did call me one day to say that she had done it and only because I thought it could not happen I suggested that she may just be assuming that she couldn't open the trunk and had her try it again. After letting me know what she thought of that idea she tried it and it opened. Only then did she recall hearing the tone when she shut the trunk. We never discussed it again.

Again it should not happen but I certainly don't believe it is impossible.

Dave Mac

static

I had a similar thing happen, my key was in my softball bag, threw it in the trunk and closed it, walked around to open the door and couldn't. So everything was locked and the key was in the trunk.

I went back to the trunk, pushed the button and it opened right up. No problem.

MARINE

What happened to me is I went to a board meeting and my wife was with me. I drove home first and let her out. She had the fob in her purse and I went to the meeting. Shut the car off and when i went to get in the car a few hours later NO FOB lol. She had to rescue me with the spare. I still get crap about that lol.

Sometimes it tough to have two of the same type car. it gets confusing what fob is what. Yeah I know label them Hmm that reminds me....

samathews

All this reminded me of the BlondStar commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBc4C5gNSwE


pretty funny parody...