Best place for spare key is... in the car?

[Fission]

Hey all, forgive the frequent posts and new threads... Fusion is new to me, and I am full of questions!

 

I have the Titanium with a 5-button key fob and push button start. My wife virtually never drives the car, so she doesn't want to carry a key around with her. Instead of keeping the 2nd key fob in our house, it seems to me best place for it is in the glove compartment. For the last few weeks, I have kept it there and am not seeing a downside.

- with the 1st key fob in my pocket, I can lock the car just like if the 2nd key was not there

- I always lock the car when I am out and about

- if I were ever to lose key # 1, I could just use the keypad to unlock the car. That would be way more convenient than having someone get the spare from my house and deliver it to who knows where

- if my wife or anyone for that matter ever needed to use the car, she could use the keypad as well

- I leave the car unlocked In my attached garage at night, but I have no concerns with anyone coming in and stealing it... we live in an area with literally zero crime

 

So my question is, does anyone see a problem with keeping the 2nd key in the car? Am I missing a scenario where that is a bad idea?

[Texasota]

Seems like you will make life easier for the car thief that smashes a window to get in. Now he also has a key/fob.

[Waldo]

Seems like you will make life easier for the car thief that smashes a window to get in. Now he also has a key/fob.

 

So what? The fob is deactivated and useless to the thief. Don't believe it? Try it yourself, but leave the window open to avoid the smashing!

[ceilidhdog]

 

So what? The fob is deactivated and useless to the thief. Don't believe it? Try it yourself, but leave the window open to avoid the smashing!

 

I'm obviously dense. Please explain why the fob is deactivated. Thanks in advance.

[Texasota]

 

So what? The fob is deactivated and useless to the thief. Don't believe it? Try it yourself, but leave the window open to avoid the smashing!

Is the FOB deactivated because the security system detected intrusion? I was not aware that the FOB would be deactivated.

[Cobra348]

 

So what? The fob is deactivated and useless to the thief. Don't believe it? Try it yourself, but leave the window open to avoid the smashing!

Fob would have a battery in it. fob would be within sensing range of the car, thus starting is possible. If starting is possible and fob is in the car, then it stands to reason it can be driven away.

 

Sooo, could you clarify how it would not work?

[Waldo]

I thought that was all in the owner's manual.

 

But basically if the fob is detected inside the car when the car is locked by a valid method - like using the other fob or the buttons on the keypad - then it will recognize that fob inside the car as "inactive" until it is reactivated by either unlocking the car with the other fob or using the keypad entry code.

 

Ford has used this strategy on all keyless vehicles since the first one in 2009.

[Cobra348]

ahhh! thanks! Altho I do read the manual, there are sections I go "ummmm, don't need to know" and I think this was one of them.

Edited September 26, 2017 by Cobra348

[Texasota]

I looked in my owner's manual for information on this FOB behavior and could not find anything but I could have missed it.

 

Sometimes I lock my co-pilot in the car (to keep her safe) when I go inside a gas station or convenience store. I assume that means her FOB becomes deactivated until I return and unlock the doors with my FOB? I was not aware of this behavior and will have to try it next time we are in the car together. In this situation it would seem she could unlock the doors and exit only by using the power lock switch on the door panel (her FOB would not work).

[Waldo]

I looked in my owner's manual for information on this FOB behavior and could not find anything but I could have missed it.

 

Sometimes I lock my co-pilot in the car (to keep her safe) when I go inside a gas station or convenience store. I assume that means her FOB becomes deactivated until I return and unlock the doors with my FOB? I was not aware of this behavior and will have to try it next time we are in the car together. In this situation it would seem she could unlock the doors and exit only by using the power lock switch on the door panel (her FOB would not work).

Or just pull the door handle.

[Fission]

The spare key is not totally deactivated in my car:

- With key #1 in my pocket, I put key #2 in the storage area under the arm rest, opened the window, exited and locked the door by touching the top of the driver's door handle.

- I walked 20 yards away and put key #1 on the ground. I came back and tried to open the car by touching the inside of the door handle. As expected, it did not unlock.

- I reached in the open window and hit the unlock button on the door. It did not unlock, and a message came up on the left dash screen, "Switches Inhibited, Security Mode." But... when I reached in the open window and pushed the start button, the car came to life and said ready to drive.

 

I repeated this a few times, except

- First, I literally crawled in the open window. I pushed the button and drove the car away with key #1 still 20 yards away.

- Next I set it all up again, reached in the open window and pulled the door latch. The door opened, and a warning chime sounded, with a message on the dash, "Vehicle Alarm. To Stop Alarm, Start Vehicle." I pushed the start button. The chime stopped, the message went away, and the car was ready to drive.

- I did the above again, but this time with the key fob in the trunk next to the 12v battery. Same exact result - alarm, warning, etc. The car said ready to drive, even though the spare key was in the trunk, and key #1 20 yards away.

- Finally I set it all up again except I left the window shut, locked a passenger in the back seat (or the driver's seat, it made no difference). I had her sit there for 5 minutes, and then try to start the car. Although the car was never unlocked, she could start the car and drive away, key #1 nowhere in sight.

- I also discovered she thinks I am a little obsessive and insane, but hey, she married me.

 

So while a key locked in the car is deactivated for unlocking the door, it will still start the car (at least my car). Meaning a thief could smash the window, reach in, pull the latch and drive away. Hmm, maybe I will leave the spare key in the house after all.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Fission

[murphy]

You put the spare key right beside the sensor that can read a key that has a dead or missing battery. I'm talking about the slot in the driver side front of the console storage area.

[Fission]

I understand what you are saying about the sensor. I tried 3 places - the sensor pocket, the tray in front of the shift knob (in front of the 12 volt outlet) and the trunk. Makes no difference where the spare key is, the car will turn on.