The 4 Biggest Mistakes You Make With Your Car’s Key Fob
Car fobs make our lives unquestionably easier. Locking and unlocking our car doors with the push of a few buttons is much more convenient than doing it manually, providing us with instant access without any problems.
This is a great advantage in many situations. From carrying too many groceries to a young child and their stroller, sometimes our hands are full, and we need a simple way to unlock our car doors!
Also, many car fobs have a sensor that will automatically lock the door and trunk when it gets too far away, which is a lifesaver for anyone that forgets to lock their car – you don’t get this with manual keys.
However, car fob keys do require some proper care and maintenance to make sure they last, while there are some safety measures you need to take that not everyone is aware of.
Here are 4 of biggest makes to make with your car’s fob key – avoid these to make sure you don’t have any problems!
Not Protecting it From Keyless Theft
There is quite a big security risk when you leave your car’s key fob lying around the house that many are unfamiliar with. Known as keyless car theft, many thieves use special devices to pick up the signal from your fob when its inside your house and use it unlock the car from a remote location.
The process requires two devices – a relay amplifier and a relay transmitter. These tools can be used to determine whether a car uses a keyless system and to source the fob signal to unlock the car remotely.
One person uses the transmitter close to your car while the other will stand by your home with the amplifier. Should your fob be close enough to the amplifier – such as hanging on a hook at your front door – then the device picks up the signal, amplifies it, then sends it to the transmitter.
If the signal can be relayed to the transmitter, it can then unlock the car by mimicking the signal from the fob, essentially tricking the car into thinking they have the key.
This can all be done in around a minute and you may have no idea what is going on before it’s too late! One way to avoid this issue is to turn off the fob when you get inside – not all fobs have this function so check with the manufacturer guide.
Another option is to purchase a blocking pouch, which is essentially a small pouch lined with special materials that block amplifiers accessing your fob signal.
In either case, take an extra precaution to protect the fob from keyless theft – it’s a very real problem that has resulted in countless car thefts around the world!
Leave it Too Close to Your Car
Leaving a fob close to a car may seem harmless, especially if you’ve locked the car tight and the fob is sitting inside your house. Yet if you leave the fob too close to the car it will still connect with the car’s sensor system, inadvertently draining the battery much quicker.
Forget to Replace the Battery
Car key fobs have internal batteries that last for up to five years in most cases. As mentioned, these batteries can drain quicker if you leave them too close to the car, while their charge is going to eventually run out even with proper maintenance.
Make sure you’re always aware that the battery will die and need to be replaced. Many car owners don’t realize this and end up paying for a costly fob replacement when they could easily buy a new battery for a few bucks and replace it themselves!
Try to Reprogram it Yourself
Like any small electronic devices, car fob keys are prone to deterioration over time, whether it’s the internal battery or small components that have corroded. When this happens, the fob may not work at all or have certain functions not working properly, causing all kinds of hassle for car owners.
It’s possible to reprogram car fobs to fix this problem, although it requires a bit of knowledge and some unique tools most of which you won’t have. There are many online guides showing you how to reprogram your fob and it may seem like a cheap fix – don’t make this mistake!
Car fobs are very intricate devices and reprogramming them is much tougher than you’d expect. You’re likely to cause more damage than it’s worth, so always call a certified locksmith capable of reprogramming rather than trying to fix it yourself.
Dib’s Safe & Lock Service in San Bernardino is a locally-owned, family run business with over 90 years experience proudly offering lock, safe, and key, services to residential and business customers in San Bernardino County, Riverside, and the surrounding areas in Inland Empire. If you have questions changing door locks, or lock and key service of any type, give Dib’s a call today at (909) 885-0452.
