Hide-a-Key for SHO IA Key

[AmherstGuy]

FYI... In my old Ford 500, I always kept a spare key in the trunk in case I lost my key and became stranded. It worked fine with the old key format. I tried hiding the IA key in the trunk, the trunk remained locked but the SHO would recognize that a key was present and start. My solution was an Altoids mint box. By storing it in the Altoids box it is hidden to the car electronics. Now if I lose my keys, I can open with the door keypad and get the spare key to drive home.

 

[TRBOSHO]

FYI... In my old Ford 500, I always kept a spare key in the trunk in case I lost my key and became stranded. It worked fine with the old key format. I tried hiding the IA key in the trunk, the trunk remained locked but the SHO would recognize that a key was present and start. My solution was an Altoids mint box. By storing it in the Altoids box it is hidden to the car electronics. Now if I lose my keys, I can open with the door keypad and get the spare key to drive home.

Yeah if you close the trunk with the key in the car it pops it back open.....My wife left her purse in the car with the key in it and I couldn't close the trunk....It would just keep popping it back open until I took her key out.

 

[SHOrod]

You can also just put the keyfob in the receptacle in the console that is intended for the key and it will work just like your key in the Altoids tin. You will be able to use the keypad to get in the car and start it all without needing to carry a second key. This is described in the Owner's Manual.

You will however want to have a spare key in your house or somewhere outside the car in the event the car battery goes dead you can't use the keypad.

-Rod

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

You can also just put the keyfob in the receptacle in the console that is intended for the key and it will work just like your key in the Altoids tin. You will be able to use the keypad to get in the car and start it all without needing to carry a second key. This is described in the Owner's Manual.

You will however want to have a spare key in your house or somewhere outside the car in the event the car battery goes dead you can't use the keypad.

-Rod

a brick should suffice for this.

 

[SHOstopper1992]

Another smart feature from our friends at ford...

 

[SHOrod]

The key fob has a mechanical key in it that you can use in the event the car's battery dies, and the recepticle in the console should still allow the car to detect the intelligent key even if the fob battery dies, so I would say, yes, smart designs. Other manufacturers also have the mechanical key "hidden" in the fob and the recepticle in the car, but few add the convenience of the door keypad. Nissan offered it for awhile, but for some reason seem to have abandoned it. I love the feature, especially the finger swipe to unlock the car when the fob is not stored inside.

-Rod

 

[itguy08]

You can also just put the keyfob in the receptacle in the console that is intended for the key and it will work just like your key in the Altoids tin. You will be able to use the keypad to get in the car and start it all without needing to carry a second key. This is described in the Owner's Manual.

I don't know if I would do that. If someone breaks into your car (I wonder if the swipe to open works with the key in that spot) they can simply press the button to start and drive off with your car. Or if they are rooting around and hit the start button and see "Press brake to start" and try it. Off they go with your SHO.

And since the key was present, insurance won't pay. Or they will give you a huge hassle about it.

IMHO not worth it when you can call roadside assistance or AAA/CAA.

 

[SHOrod]

The swipe to unlock doesn't work when the key is in the receptacle according to the manual.

-Rod

 

[Billm0066]

I would never put my key in that thing. It's not hard to break and window and drive off with the car.

 

[OldSalt]

I would never put my key in that thing. It's not hard to break and window and drive off with the car.

That would result in the alarm going off, and disabling your car completely unless the thief knows that you keep the fob in that location of course then he could use it to reset the alarm and drive away.