Electronic Car Keys (And "Fobs")
 

Does anyone know whether or not "electronic" car keys are banned?

The New York Times reported on Friday, August 11 (See Graphic Accompanying This Article) that British airports had banned carrying on "electronic key fobs."

My car, a Mercedes Benz, has an electronic key which consists of a chip that starts the ignition and four buttons to open and close the doors and trunk and sound the alarm. Although in previous model years there was a non-electronic substitute for this (it didn't have the remote functions), that has been discontinued.

I know that the Cadillac STS, for example, has a key ring "fob" which is used for the keyless ignition.

Are items such as these banned from US flag carriers? If so, it will make it extremely difficult for people like me to drive to the airport if travelling with only a briefcase (e.g. flying LGA-DCA-LGA via the DL Shuttle for a meeting) as I won't be able to take my car key with me.

The TSA Website is not at all clear on this question.

All replies appreciated.

Electronic devices of all sorts are allowed on US domestic flights, such as the LGA-DCA-LGA flights you described. There was someone who had their folding key confiscated at DFW last year (a FTer who made the news over that one, IIRC--search this forum and I'm sure you'll find it), but that was an idiot screener and his idiot supervisor backing his idiotic decision that it could be a weapon, and not TSA policy.

Dude, you need this gadget :D

I followed that one quite closely. It was started by MSY-MSP and can be found HERE

Thanks. I nearly believed it until I read the disclaimer. :) I e-mailed it to the service head at my dealership.

Wow! I just started that thread and it's incredible. If anyone thinks a metal car key is "like" a switchblade knife, let him take one into the nastiest part of town, stop some mean looking dude, point it at him and go, "give me your money." Maybe he'll let you live after he stops laughing.

By the way, a lot of these electronic keys are very expensive. I am sure mine is over $100. Not only that, but no one (including dealers) can make them. It used to be that had to be DHL'd in from Germany but now the factory has one office in the U.S. to do them.

I'll have to make sure, the next time I am in front of a bank teller, that I am not holding my car key lest she think I am displaying a "deadly weapon."

The inmates are running the asylum. :mad:

Hmmm... this is/was only a UK issue. I am familiar with the Mercedes key. The Renault "key" is even more radical; it's a card that you insert and you press a start button.

More conventional key systems (e.g. Honda) usually offer a "valet key" that has no fob and prevents access to the trunk.

Luckily my dream car was discontinued in 1995, so I don't have this problem.

I had a "valet key" with my 2001 Benz but by the 2004 model they had been discontinued. Dealership general manager's secretary called me yesterday to say there's nothing they can do (he's on vacation). I asked that he take this up with MBUSA and even Daimler Chrysler AG if necessary.

I have a valet key for my '92 Lexus coupe which is not electric. The newer models don't have this 'benefit'. I wonder if car makers will start producing non-electric valet keys again?

My new BMW has a key "fob" that acts as a transponder when you want to open doors, start engine, etc. I don't plan to check it as they are quite expensive to replace (not to mention the issue of what to do when you arrive at your home airport and your luggage does not). I would imagine that many people in Washington also have vehicles that use similar keys, so I seriously doubt that the US will be adopting this idiotic rule. It makes no sense unless you ban all electronics (which is also nonsensical) as most bombs in the middle east are set off by cellphones, not keyfobs.

While I know what you are trying to say, I'd like to point out that most bombs in the middle east are activated by sophisticated electronic components after they are released from state-of-the-art aircraft or fired from offshore destroyers.

Brown radical muslims are not the only ones exploding bombs.

They once tried to take away one of our similar folding keys. Fortuntely we were able to convince them it was really a car key.

Thanks for digging that one up. I had tried to put that bad memory out of my mind, though I didn't suceed. The solution, at least for me if such a ban would come into effect is to use a valet key if I had one. Otherwise, you can buy locking lock boxes to put your key in and attach to a part of your car. Not the most convinient, but it will work in a pinch.

Fortunately, my Honda doesn't have a folding key, just a smart key (with remote).

I don't park it at the airport (heck, I don't drive to the airport), for many reasons. I refuse to give DEN my parking business because of their ridiculous rates, plus it's my little way that I have deprived DEN thousands of dollars in parking fees and food money becuase of the TSA shenanigans.

Or make the bypass codes readily available to owners. Sepending on the car, you can use a regular non-electronic key along with a series of button pushes, parking brake pulls and/or brake pedal pushes to start a vehicle without having the electronic key.