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As the holidays approach, it seems there is an increasing amount of chores and errands to attend to. As SWMBO doesn’t drive, I agreed to run the errands while she tackled some of the chores.
At the end of the second stop, what got picked up went in the trunk and I took out what was needed for the next stop to place in the back seat to save some time.
Closed the trunk, went to open the back door, noticed it was locked and reached for my keys. The keys that must have slipped out of my gloved hand just before closing the trunk.
Oh fiddle (or words to that effect)…
I’ll just open the trunk with the badge button to retrieve them.
Oh fiddle (or words to that effect)…
No problem, I think, I’ll just call the Alberta Motor Association then I see my phone sitting in the middle of the driver’s seat.
Oh fiddle (or words to that effect)…
The staff at Chapters/Indigo (which was stop number two) were kind enough to let me call AMA. Wait time just under 2 1/2 hours…
AMA driver manages to gain entry in just slightly less time than Gone In 60 Seconds but of course that does set the alarm off. In - and apparently after - an alarm, the trunk release button reverts to valet mode and won’t open the trunk.
Oh fiddle (or words to that effect)…
Call SWMBO - who is still at home - to see if she can send the spare key and fob over by taxi (which I might have done earlier if the phone was where it should have been instead of where it was). I’ve never used the spare fob so I’m hoping the battery is good and it’s paired to the car but if not the valet key will at least get me mobile and save me from the tow which has now been ordered as a backup of last resort.
The taxi arrives in a touch over 20 minutes and passes over the spare fob and valet key after being paid. I point the fob at the XJR and press the trunk release and hear a welcome “click” in return and then press the unlock button twice to see the marker lights flash and hear the doors unlock and - presumably - clear the alarm condition even though the alarm was not active.
i open the trunk and my regular fob and key are sitting exactly where I thought they would be. Walk to the driver’s door, get in. Insert the key in the ignition and hear that lovely V8 start up as soon as it’s turned.
I thank the AMA driver for his assistance and for waiting patiently to see if I would need anything further or not and he was off to his next call while I finished off the rest my errands.
Moral(s) of the story?
Buying that second “full” key from Jaguar doesn’t look nearly as expensive as not having one could prove to be.
Making sure the battery in a spare fob is tested and/or replaced regularly is probably good practice.
When unlocking the trunk with a fob, it’s a good idea to unlock the car at the same time “just in case”. Who knew that closing it with the car locked meant the trunk would now be locked as well?
Last edited by Ken Cantor; 12-09-2023 at 08:48 PM.
You could always have a spare key cut without a transponder in it and stash it under the rear bumper somewhere. It will mechanically unlock the doors and boot, but won’t start the car.
On my first XJ it came with only one key and I managed to lock myself out with the engine running whilst defrosting it one winter’s day. Immediately after my breakdown service got me back in the car I immediately went to the locksmiths and had a second and third key cut.
My current XJR only came with one key and fob which is disappointing, but easy to resolve in this day and age. The beauty of my Volvo’s keyless entry and start system is I never have to take it out my pocket and if I leave the car with the key whilst it’s running the dashboard sets off with audible and visual warnings. It’s also clever enough not to allow itself to lock with the outside door handle switches if it knows the key is still inside the car.
Ken: a thoroughly frustrating turn of events thankfully resolved, but annoying in the extreme. I went through it with one of my Volvos years back and had to take a cab home, get my wife to unlock the front door so I could get in and grab my second set of keys, then have the cab take me back to the car.
At my house: Resolved: check spare Jag key fob status on a regular basis, replace batteries on a regular basis, switch out keys on a regular basis, and keep valet key, second fob and taxi company number where my non-driving, housebound spouse can find them. And, since I just got a "fob battery low" message on my Prius and replaced that battery, go ahead and use the spare I bought to replace the power in the second fob!
At least now you can finish your holiday shopping. And I await direction on when my next Costco trip will be!
regardless of whether you celebrate christmas, chanukah, kwanzaa, the winter solstice, new years or festivus, anything else or nothing at all in particular, i would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a healthy, happy and prosperous 2024.
It was nice enough today to easily do some errands even though woe had a skiff of snow overnight. Good thing to because next week’s forecast is showing some -30C temperatures.
Last edited by Ken Cantor; 01-05-2024 at 09:43 PM.
I love that you have the heated front windscreen, a rare option. Does it work well?
I’ve had heated screens on a few of my cars both Jaguar and non Jaguar. They are simply amazing, I don’t know why more manufacturers don’t offer them. However they also have a tendency to wear out, the elements are extremely thin and after a number years they just stop working. This can be rectified with a new screen, but it’s an expensive way to keep a button operating.
My current XJR has the heated screen but it is totally dead, I may get it replaced in the future.
Minus 29! We cancel everything when it gets to zero!
I'd be turning on the passenger seat heating to add every little bit of heat 😉
This morning it was -38 with a wind chill of -46.
I was going to cancel everything but my bride says we need to pick up a few things later and after 51 plus years I simply do as I'm told when I'm told (for the most part). Both heat seaters will put to good use.
My current XJR has the heated screen but it is totally dead, I may get it replaced in the future.
Same as mine then. I've proved it's the screen as there's power out of the relays.
My plan is wait for the stone chip in the screen to get a bit worse & then claim a screen on the insurance. It'll be a shame to lose the little sticker in the corner saying where it was serviced 15ish years ago though.
It’s warmed up 30C to sit at -7C this afternoon with clear blue skies. We had some snow over the last week or so as it started to warm up and I’ve managed to keep the driveways and sidewalks reasonably clear. The city is starting you clear residential streets this morning and arterials are pretty clear and not yet really sloppy.
Most of the private lots have also managed to stay on top of their snow clearing.
For those in warmer climates, Oatmeal isn’t just the name Jaguar gave to one of their interior options.
In this climate, oatmeal refers to that mixture of sand and snow that has the colour and consistency of oatmeal. It exists in that interlude between freshly sanded new snow and the slush that warmer temperatures and sunshine will soon impose on us.
It was our oldest grandson’s 7th birthday yesterday so we took him and his younger brother and his parents to dinner and then back to their house for cake before returning home.
We park the car in the garage and on the way into the house SWMBO says “Your car’s pretty dusty”. As that will never do - it is after all the ultimate insult when your Jag gets referred to as “a car” - today was a “get rid of the dust and replace it with a quick coat of wax” day.
Under the dust the paint still looks pretty good!
Unfortunately under the dust the windshield doesn’t as we came home with this as well.
Will have to read the policy tomorrow and contact the insurance broker and see about putting this off until the spring and seeing if an OE windshield can be sourced in the meantime. Perhaps an opportunity to get the headliner done at the same time…
Last edited by Ken Cantor; 02-04-2024 at 06:23 PM.
12-06-2023, 06:54 AM
