How to carry a backup car key when travelling

sudheendrasp · 16th August 2022, 10:38

I was a duster owner(for 9years) and always carried my backup key inside the car, the reason being in case my main key doesnt work for any reasons like getting wet etc., wanted to be ready with my backup key whichever part of the country I am.

I upgrade to compass a week back and it has a keyless entry which makes me wonder how to do the same? If I carry my backup key in the car, its not gonna lock or unlock as the same is in the proximity.
Any ways to avoid the same happening ?

AdityaDeane · 16th August 2022, 16:38

What will be the use of the spare key fob inside the car? It should be on your person, to be taken out when the main key fob battery is dying or the key is lost!

On the other hand, I had the same issue with the spare key card of my Triber RXZ! I had to take the battery out and stick it on with a paper tape, and we used to keep it in my wife's purse for emergency need. Helped with the car locking when I walked away, and as the battery was out of the card, it lasted longer compared to having it installed and emitting constant signals.

Hope it helps!

condor · 16th August 2022, 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

It should be on your person, to be taken out when the main key fob battery is dying or the key is lost!

While I am still on the older type of keys (not keyless entry), Aditya's post gives an idea - a key fob without the battery in it ? Will this work ?

haisaikat · 16th August 2022, 17:21

A faraday pouch should be used to store a keyfob and block all its signal beacons when the accidental use or misuse is to be prevented. But the best place to store is on person as bags etc can still be left or forgotten inside, imagine if someday they become small like a ring or watch or a pendant.

Dr.AD · 16th August 2022, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudheendrasp

I was a duster owner(for 9years) and always carried my backup key inside the car, the reason being in case my main key doesnt work for any reasons like getting wet etc., wanted to be ready with my backup key whichever part of the country I am.

Well, carrying the spare key inside the car, when the car is locked is pointless. The spare key has no value unless you take it out with you every single time you lock the car and step out of the car. And that is often not practical anyways.

Coming to your specific question, I do not think it is a problem to keep your spare key inside the locked car. I have tried that experiment and the car gets locked properly (if you use the lock button on the other key that you take out with you) with the spare key still inside. However, apart from academic experiment, I find no value in this since the spare key locked in the car has no utility to me. So why carry the spare key?

If you are worried about the main key not working due to battery or any other issues, remember that it has a mechanical key included that you can use to open the car in the emergencies. I find that as a good enough "Plan B", and I carry only one key with me in all my travels. I keep the spare key safely at home.

I do not know specifically about Jeep Compass, but most keyless key fobs have a small mechanical key blade that you can pull out of the key fob and use as a manual door opening key in emergencies. That is what I am talking about as a safe Plan B without carrying a spare key.

attinder · 16th August 2022, 19:21

Wife has the spare key in her handbag. Out city trips are almost always with family and she never leave her purse in the car.

sudheendrasp · 16th August 2022, 19:23

Because of engine immobilizer, there is a chance that key can be used to open the car but engine won't start. So, in those cases carrying backup key in the car will make sense.

Coming to compass, it does have a mechanical key but will end up with the same problem if chip in the key is damaged.

itwasntme · 16th August 2022, 19:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by attinder

Wife has the spare key in her handbag. Out city trips are almost always with family and she never leave her purse in the car.

Same with us. She always has the handbag/clutch with her at all times. Never faced any interference on our Cruze, Creta, Polo, Octavia or 330i.

Aiel · 16th August 2022, 19:41

When travelling, the car's spare keyfob is always in my wife's handbag, which she always carries with her.

AdityaDeane · 16th August 2022, 20:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

On the other hand, I had the same issue with the spare key card of my Triber RXZ! I had to take the battery out and stick it on with a paper tape, and we used to keep it in my wife's purse for emergency need. Helped with the car locking when I walked away, and as the battery was out of the card, it lasted longer compared to having it installed and emitting constant signals.

Hope it helps!

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor

While I am still on the older type of keys (not keyless entry), Aditya's post gives an idea - a key fob without the battery in it ? Will this work ?

This is how it was in my Triber, I am sure all these high end cars with true keyless entry will have such a touch point inside the cabin where the card needs to be kept and then the car can be started even with the battery out of the key fob.

And yes, the Triber also had a physical metal key inside the card to unlock manually!

https://youtu.be/FjC3D0w7M9I

GTO · 17th August 2022, 11:04

The better half's handbag is the best option

.

If there are 2 (or more) cars travelling, you can keep the duplicate in each other's car.

KrisTvpm · 17th August 2022, 12:00

Like most pointed out, while on long-distance travel I have one key on my person + other is with the missus - in something she calls "clutch bag" (pretty un-intuitive for me! why would a clutch need a bag, it's supposed to be stepped upon!) which she always carries around in her hand!

Both key-fobs being keyless entry type for my Ecosport, what I do is - I also keep one physical key (pried open the fob & extracted out of it) within my wallet. So just in case battery dies out, I can open the car and still start it even with a dead key-fob as described neatly here (Ford EcoSport DIY: Replacing the Smartkey's Battery).

chinkara · 17th August 2022, 14:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Same with us. She always has the handbag/clutch with her at all times. Never faced any interference on our Cruze, Creta, Polo, Octavia or 330i.

Same with us. One with me, one with wife. Pocket, handbag, whatever.

robby0707 · 17th August 2022, 16:02

As I understand from your question, you want to carry the spare key inside the car while travelling. The only problem with that is that if you lose your key, then the spare key is useless. So the best option is to have your co-driver carry it. If you don’t have one and have to keep the key inside, what i do is to keep the battery out of the keyfob and keep it in my luggage. I got this idea as i found that the car will not lock let you lock it if the spare key is inside the car. And as i do long distance tripping from my home town to workplace and the car stays there for long, i have to get the spare key too.

BoneCollector · 17th August 2022, 16:46

If I'm traveling out station, I carry both the key fobs with me (for keyless entry). If I'm alone, both key fobs are with me on person, and if wife is traveling along with me, the 2nd key fob is always in her handbag.

Carrying both the key fobs on person is not actually difficult if you're not using bulky key rings.

16th August 2022, 10:38	#1
sudheendrasp Newbie Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: bangalore Posts: 3 Thanked: 12 Times	How to carry a backup car key when travelling I was a duster owner(for 9years) and always carried my backup key inside the car, the reason being in case my main key doesnt work for any reasons like getting wet etc., wanted to be ready with my backup key whichever part of the country I am. I upgrade to compass a week back and it has a keyless entry which makes me wonder how to do the same? If I carry my backup key in the car, its not gonna lock or unlock as the same is in the proximity. Any ways to avoid the same happening ?
	(11) Thanks

16th August 2022, 16:38	#2
AdityaDeane Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Manali Dehradun Posts: 1,294 Thanked: 4,064 Times	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling What will be the use of the spare key fob inside the car? It should be on your person, to be taken out when the main key fob battery is dying or the key is lost! On the other hand, I had the same issue with the spare key card of my Triber RXZ! I had to take the battery out and stick it on with a paper tape, and we used to keep it in my wife's purse for emergency need. Helped with the car locking when I walked away, and as the battery was out of the card, it lasted longer compared to having it installed and emitting constant signals. Hope it helps!
	(10) Thanks

16th August 2022, 17:21	#4
haisaikat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,076 Thanked: 5,486 Times View My Garage	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling A faraday pouch should be used to store a keyfob and block all its signal beacons when the accidental use or misuse is to be prevented. But the best place to store is on person as bags etc can still be left or forgotten inside, imagine if someday they become small like a ring or watch or a pendant.
	(4) Thanks

16th August 2022, 19:21	#6
attinder BHPian Join Date: May 2022 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 179 Thanked: 328 Times	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling Wife has the spare key in her handbag. Out city trips are almost always with family and she never leave her purse in the car. Last edited by attinder : 16th August 2022 at 19:23.
	(15) Thanks

16th August 2022, 19:23	#7
sudheendrasp Newbie Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: bangalore Posts: 3 Thanked: 12 Times	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling Because of engine immobilizer, there is a chance that key can be used to open the car but engine won't start. So, in those cases carrying backup key in the car will make sense. Coming to compass, it does have a mechanical key but will end up with the same problem if chip in the key is damaged.
	() Thanks

16th August 2022, 19:41	#9
Aiel BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bangalore/Bombay Posts: 325 Thanked: 598 Times View My Garage	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling When travelling, the car's spare keyfob is always in my wife's handbag, which she always carries with her.
	(2) Thanks

17th August 2022, 11:04	#11
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,786 Thanked: 320,945 Times View My Garage	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling The better half's handbag is the best option . If there are 2 (or more) cars travelling, you can keep the duplicate in each other's car.
	(22) Thanks

17th August 2022, 12:00	#12
KrisTvpm BHPian Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 202 Thanked: 712 Times	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling Like most pointed out, while on long-distance travel I have one key on my person + other is with the missus - in something she calls "clutch bag" (pretty un-intuitive for me! why would a clutch need a bag, it's supposed to be stepped upon!) which she always carries around in her hand! Both key-fobs being keyless entry type for my Ecosport, what I do is - I also keep one physical key (pried open the fob & extracted out of it) within my wallet. So just in case battery dies out, I can open the car and still start it even with a dead key-fob as described neatly here (Ford EcoSport DIY: Replacing the Smartkey's Battery).
	(2) Thanks

17th August 2022, 16:02	#14
robby0707 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Kannur Posts: 108 Thanked: 320 Times	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling As I understand from your question, you want to carry the spare key inside the car while travelling. The only problem with that is that if you lose your key, then the spare key is useless. So the best option is to have your co-driver carry it. If you don’t have one and have to keep the key inside, what i do is to keep the battery out of the keyfob and keep it in my luggage. I got this idea as i found that the car will not lock let you lock it if the spare key is inside the car. And as i do long distance tripping from my home town to workplace and the car stays there for long, i have to get the spare key too.
	() Thanks

17th August 2022, 16:46	#15
BoneCollector Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: ..... Posts: 3,324 Thanked: 11,352 Times View My Garage	Re: How to carry a backup car key when travelling If I'm traveling out station, I carry both the key fobs with me (for keyless entry). If I'm alone, both key fobs are with me on person, and if wife is traveling along with me, the 2nd key fob is always in her handbag. Carrying both the key fobs on person is not actually difficult if you're not using bulky key rings.
	(3) Thanks