stanjohn12

I just wanted to know if our Key Fob's don't work for any reason ( e.g battery dies out or some electronic failure ) we can open the doors with the mechanical key that's inside the FOB. But is it possible to start the car ? I'm sure the mechanical key can not be used to start our IS. So what's the other alternative.

kentaro

iTrader: (5)

if the battery is low/dead on the key fob, you can start the car by pressing the start button with key fob near the start button.

Sango

iTrader: (10)

^

Yep, that is correct. Put the key fob, right up in front of the start button.

Check your car manuals, there should be a little insert which mentions this. I know when I got my car new it does since the little insert happens to be in the glove comparment which mentions it.

stanjohn12

Yeah I read the manual, it does say if we keep the key fob close to the start button with the Lexus symbol facing it and then press the start button. But what if the electronics in the key fob fails , how can we start the car mechanically or manually ?

Snubbles

iTrader: (2)

That is what the spare is for

edgeucated

iTrader: (4)

if the electronics fail, then your screwed haha. But thats like saying what happens if your regular key snaps in half...

In the 3 years of being on this forum, I haven't seen a single case documented case of a key fob ever failing (windows mysteriously rolling down doesn't count)

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Unless you have the spare nearby in this sitaution, your screwed.

But like edgeucated said, i've never seen or heard of this happening.

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Oh and if your wondering how to get INTO your car with a dead key:

Take the key out of the key fob, look under the door handle, you'll see a little slot. Put the key in there and pry off that cover to be able to unlock the car.

stanjohn12

But you don't carry the spare around always right. It'll be at home. And imagine your stuck somewhere far away from home on a vacation or trip.

stanjohn12

Me neither but I just thought of it suddenly. Lexus has the mechanical key to open the boot and doors. Why didn't they make a provision to start the car as well ?

What if I was far away on a long vacation somewhere and my spare key is at home. I drop the key accidentally and the electronics fail. I only have the mechanical key but that's just good enough to open the doors.

Bichon

The key has a passive RFID chip that is inductively powered when you hold it against the start button. It's pretty rugged including a rubber membrane for water resistance -- you are more likely to get stranded by losing the key on vacation than you are by damaging it.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Exactly.

Short of accidentally dropping the thing in a wood-chipper or something it's not going to stop working.


Even if it did, you just tow to a dealership and they add a new key.

I mean, I can list at least a dozen other, vastly more likely, ways your car won't be able to be driven, than a solid state electronic chip that can work without a battery just "stops working"

Tree falls on car.
Someone hits it while parked.
Someone hits it while moving.
Run over something and kill 2 tires.
Bad gasoline.
Hole in gas tank.
Hole in fuel line.
Dead car battery.
Dead alternator.
Serpentine belt fails.
Rat chews through important wiring under hood.
You LOSE the key (far far more likely than the chip ceasing to work, and you're just as screwed here with a mechanical start key as electronic).
and so on...

LDNN

Great topic, thanks for the information.

stanjohn12

Thanks for the info Bichon.

davidwhang

iTrader: (1)

You can start the car as mentioned above. This works even without a battery inside the fob.