Expert reveals ingenious way to start your car with a dead key fob: ‘And just like that, your car is back on’
A BMW employee in Elmhurst showed a driver how to start his car with a faulty key, giving a helpful demonstration to his social media followers.
Sam Herrera showed TikTok users how to lock a BMW with a dead key in a video this month.
Herrera attached the key fob to the steering wheel, pressed the key icon, placed his foot on the brake and pressed the vehicle’s start button.
He noted that it is worth remembering this method not only if the key is broken, but also if the vehicle cannot read the battery.
The Illinois car dealer’s viral video has been viewed nearly 400,000 times, quickly becoming the most-viewed TikTok video.
Elmhurst BMW employee Sam Herrera showed TikTok users in a video this month how to properly start a BMW with a blank key
Key fobs are electronic devices that allow a person to drive a car without needing the keys.
These small devices are increasingly used in modern vehicles.
Edmunds’ Jessica Caldwell said in 2019 that the key fob trend was “clearly here to stay,” as 91 percent of available vehicles that year had a keyless start feature, according to CNBC.
“Chances are, most consumers who buy a new car, or even those who recently bought a used car, will use some type of push-button keyless entry system,” Caldwell said.
Nowadays, BMWs usually come with two keys and some offer a digital key, which allows someone to unlock the car with a phone.
The Illinois car dealership’s viral video has been viewed nearly 400,000 times, quickly becoming the most-viewed TikTok post
BMWs usually come with two key fobs and some offer a digital key, which allows someone to unlock their car with a phone
A regular key fob typically lasts four to six years, while smart key fobs typically last two to three years.
Factors such as poor signal strength, delays in locking and unlocking a vehicle, and the need for multiple clicks are things to look out for when checking your key fob battery.
BMW drivers looking to save money can replace their key battery at home.
To replace the battery in a BMW key fob, the driver must hold the button on the bottom and slide out the internal key blade.
Next, they need to find a hole near the edge of the key fob and use that to remove the back plate.
Depending on the size of the key fob, vehicle owners will need a CR2450 or CR2032 battery to operate the key.
Once the new battery is installed and the back plate and internal key blade are back in place, the BMW driver key fob should work perfectly again.
Drivers with a key have the option to replace the battery at home instead of taking it to a car dealer
Some TikTok users were grateful for Herrera’s tip, but several commenters indicated it wouldn’t work.
“I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee. When the battery dies, the door won’t open,” wrote one commenter.
Another person wrote: ‘The sensor is located in different places on many cars. However, this does not help with a dead battery.’
Other TikTokers spoke negatively about keychains and were happy to be driving a car without a keychain.
“This is just another example of manufacturers adding too much electronic junk to vehicles. I have no problem inserting a key,” one person wrote.