[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by tooloud10

What if you go hiking and lose your key fob out in the vast wilderness?

The percentage of owners that go hiking in the wilderness is far less than owners that may have the main car battery go dead. I would hope that if you're hiking alone, that you'd be smart enough to not lose your key fob. Or if you're hiking with a partner/buddy, that both of you have a key fob in case of emergency (like one falls off a cliff or gets snatched and hauled off by a bear as a trail snack).

My curiosity is not to be funny or sarcastic...I'm truly curious as to what happens if the car battery dies when you don't have the fob. I have older F chassis BMWs that don't have the new digital keys. I don't even have the newer Comfort Access w/proximity feature...I just have the old CA system where you actually have to touch the door handles to lock/unlock the vehicle. Or use the metal key blade inside the fob if the car battery dies...you can still unlock the driver's door, pop the hood, and connect jumper cables to hopefully get the vehicle home or to a shop etc.

What happens if you don't have the metal keyblade and you only have the digital keys. Are you stuck until someone shows up with the old key fob with the metal keyblade inside? Or is the driver's door lock designed with the capability to be unlocked through induction (similar to being able to start the car if the battery in the remote dies...you can hold the remote fob next to the Ring Antenna located in the steering column...and even with a dead key fob battery, the car will start).

[crabman]

I forgot about that one, the dead battery scenario. Seems to me like the most likely among the what-ifs posted in terms of stopping you from being able to get the car going.

I plan on taking my fob with me when I'm not in the local area because at that point the potential consequences of not having a fob have caught up with my willingness to accept risk.

If I am in the local area on the other hand, my kids can go get a fob, come pick me up, I can take an uber home, my neighbors have a key to my house and can bring me a fob, etc.

It's something that hasn't been talked about; the consequences. When your engine dies in a car versus a plane you've experienced a similar event, but they differ greatly in their potential for adverse outcomes, and the level of adversity those outcomes may take.

If death was a possible outcome of my car not starting when I walked up to it, I'd probably bring both my fobs, follow a regular maintenance checklist for the battery and other systems, on and on.

But were not talking life and death, were talking about a minor inconvenience that is almost certainly not going to happen. Even if I fall in that pool with my phone at a party, I still have the key card, it can get wet.

I do concede the possibility that you may get hit by a bus breaking your keycard, that the force of that blow may throw you into a swimming pool ruining your phone, and after that, also walk up to your car and find that it has a dead battery. I mean it's a possible scenario that could happen, but what are the probabilities?

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by crabman

..the possibility that you may get hit by a bus breaking your keycard, that the force of that blow may throw you into a swimming pool ruining your phone, and after that, also walk up to your car and find that it has a dead battery. I mean it's a possible scenario that could happen, but what are the probabilities?

OMG...I would call that a really bad day!

[Marty in NY]

I thank bandersen for creating this thread, poll or no poll, as its been good to read about all the pro's and con's of each device that can be used to lock, unlock and start/drive our cars. It causes us to think and consider the options and possible outcomes of each. You only get this type of banter and education on forums, they are worth their weight in gold.

[aaaaaaaaaz]

Originally Posted by crabman

Good heads up on needing the fob with you for service.

Not exactly, I went to dealership once and forgot to bring my fob (I do have the key card on me). I was expecting to drive home and get the fob, but the service dept was able to do a “remote read”, whatever that mean. Don’t recommend not bring the fob to service appointments though, YMMV.

[bandersen]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

I thank bandersen for creating this thread, poll or no poll, as its been good to read about all the pro's and con's of each device that can be used to lock, unlock and start/drive our cars. It causes us to think and consider the options and possible outcomes of each. You only get this type of banter and education on forums, they are worth their weight in gold.

Next, perhaps I should create ‘has your sunroof leaked poll’!!

These threads are a good read. I’ll start to try the key card thingy! But only when I’m not camping.

[TX Laker]

Originally Posted by thereef510

I have a pre-LCI x5; I have the fob in my backpack which I take to work every day, I love that it locks and unlocks the car as soon as im in the proximity.

But if i'm going out at night to meet friends or something, I'll just take my wallet which has the keycard in it. it almost always works perfectly even through my wallet so I just tap that against the door handle and leave it in the charging tray and drive off. One less thing I have to carry and as much as I love the key fob's design, it does weigh a bit so I dont worry about not having it in my pants when im out.

I a new 2024 owner (coming from a 2010 535) so the newer tech is a bit foggy for me. Been searching for a purposeful reason to carry the card around with me. Thanks thereef510. Yours seems to hit home. I can recall a few occasions where the fob was one less thing I wanted to carry. Question: in this scenario, you'd leave the fob in the car? (Is it safe to do so?)

[tooloud10]

Originally Posted by TX Laker

Question: in this scenario, you'd leave the fob in the car? (Is it safe to do so?)

I often leave the fob in the locked car and have never had a problem, whether with my X5 or any other vehicle I’ve owned.

There’s lots of FUD being spread in this thread when the problem is the same for every method of entry—the device activating the vehicle could become lost or damaged and not work. In that regard, there’s no difference in any of them.

[Kgerry59]

I keep a fob in the inside pocket of whatever coat i'm wearing. I never press the buttons on it just use it as a prox key so i can lock and unlock at the door handle.
I keep the key card in my front pocket wallet with my drivers license as a back up and i also have the digital key on my iPhone and apple watch as triple back ups, but have never needed as the fob in my coat pockets works fine.