Found my second key that I never knew I had.

So how is it I was able to lock my car for months when there was a key sitting in the glove? Don't cars auto unlock when there is a key within the perimeter of the interior?

Can a particular key disable itself temporarily if it remains unused? And yes I tried the second key and the battery is strong and works perfectly.

I am confused.

 

I just had a play with mine (keyless entry too) over the last hour and a bit:

- I was able to lock the car with the key used to unlock it still inside the cabin and the second key out of range and unseen by the car during that "session".
- I was able to unlock the car using the handle button after returning half an hour later presumably because the key was inside the car.
- I was able to repeat the lock, leave for 30 minutes, then unlock with the second key in the cabin as well (but with the windows open just in case the car would not unlock - unsure if that changes anything, but the doors did lock and the mirrors retracted).

Therefore it would appear that you can lock the car with one or both keys inside it at least with the keyless option. That would make sense given how could the antenna in each door know which direction the signal comes from, except that on my XJ with keyless entry you need to remove the key by about 18 inches from the cabin before it will let you lock it, whether using the handle or the keyfob button, so the system is clearly clever enough to know where the key is from its proximity to the differerence sensors. Maybe as the F Type only has two doors and the trunk it is harder to triangulate the key position when it is at the front of the vehicle and not near to the trunk sensor? i'm not familiar with the locations on the F Type.

Given my result after the second test above could it be that your car was not actually locked (insofar as anyone could press the handle button to unlock it)? Had you ever tested walking up and pressing the button when the key you had was out of range and the car had enough time to enter a full shutdown?

 

If I try locking my key in the car (and I have unintentionally done this a couple times), the car beeps twice and the the car won't lock (handle will not retract into the door).

 

+1


Larry

 

Possibly the key in the glove compartment is shielded and does not register?
Lawrence

 

This evening I have tested my car again, and I can lock the key (or keys) in the car every single time without any chirping, flashing lights, or immediate unlocking. Completely at odds to what many of you are saying! The only way I can get it to not lock is if I try and lock the car when either the trunk or one of the doors is open, where it will lock and immediately unlock again and chirp. I even tested after starting and stopping the engine just in case it was linked, but it made no notable difference.

I have tested with my X351 XJ and the car will not lock with either key in the car, even if it was not the key used to unlock it. That is the behaviour I was expecting for my F Type.

After locking with both keys in the house key safe (a faraday cage, so no chance of transmission) I was unable to unlock the F Type, so the doors are definitely locking and not just the handles retracting.

I can't see anything on the IP menu for this, nor in the manual or on TOPIx. I think I need to raise this with my dealer to look into. I have ordered some new batteries online and will swap them out first just in case they are both weak enough to be causing problems? (Both keys are in use randomly.)

 

Can you lock the car without either key present (by pushing in on the handle)?

 

No, I just tested that and it immediately unlocks and chirps.

 

Perhaps the sensor for detecting the keys inside the cockpit has malfunctioned.

 

Quick update on my ability to lock my keys in the car - the keyless entry/exit module was replaced under warranty and the behaviour is now as expected. I don't know any more than that as I didn't get to speak to the technician who did the diagnosis or exchange, only the service manager.

 

I had a helluva time trying to pack my trunk a couple mornings ago. The trunk lid would go down on the stuffed trunk, beep twice and unlatch. No problem when I pulled the top duffle back out. Tried repacking the trunk a couple of times to get the lid to latch to no avail. Some of you have already guessed it: key fob was in the duffel...doh! Took 2 of us with a total of 4 college degrees about 15 minutes to figure this out.

 

LOL!!! You wouldn't believe how many times my Ph.D. has failed me.