My 2011 XK car battery was drained a few nights ago and I had to charge it back up. Understandably, it wanted me to insert the key to start the car back up. BUT, when I remove the key after the car is powered down and in park, I open the door and an error pops on the display saying "Remove Smart Key". I can put it back in and pull it out and it doesn't do anything different and then to start the car again next time I go to drive it, it asks for me to put the key back in. Also, since it doesn't register the key being removed, it won't let me lock the car.

So a few questions -

• anyone seen this issue before or have any suggestions?
• the manual seems to state that, to remove the key - you push down on it and it ejects up a bit. mine doesn't do this, it doesn't push down anymore - you just have to pull it out. I got the car not too long ago so I'm not familiar enough with it.
• My thoughts
  • I'll start by replacing the battery in the key (i'm not getting a low battery warning and the other buttons work on it but i know this kind of stuff can be finicky.
  • Could also be a faulty Start Control Module (the thing you put the key in) but before I replace that, is there a reset I can do on the key that may help? Any gotchas there that I need to be aware of?

Thanks!!
Matt

 

I suspect that you did not fully charge your main battery (in the trunk). What did you use to charge it back up, and how do you know it's fully charged? Do you know if it's it the original battery, or when it was replaced? Have you had it load tested?

Before you start thinking about replacing modules or any other parts, including the CR2032 battery in your Smartkey, make sure that you have a good battery.

 

I have a 25 amp stanley car battery charger. pulled the car leads off and charged until it was 100%, took about 3-4 hours which is reasonable and the fact it registered 100% is good. also the charger checks can check the alternator with and without load and all checks out. I've not had to charge the main battery since it was done. it's a jab battery but the date on it is 2014 so it looks like it was replace once.

 

Does the little door-deallie where the smart key goes pop back up when the SK is removed? May just be a gummed up switch or something. (going from memory about the door deallie)

 

Extracted form the workshop manual - see sticky at top of this forum "How-To" quick links - post #3 to access manual How-to Sticky
The start control module is located in the floor console, at the rear of the arm rest. The start control module is used if the keyless vehicle module is unable to authorize the smart key. If the keyless vehicle module is unable to identify the smart key for any reason, for example if the smart key battery voltage is low or there is local RF interference, the transponder within the smart key can be read in the conventional manner. The driver will be alerted to this by a chime and the message SMART KEY NOT FOUND, PLEASE INSERT IN SLOT in the instrument cluster message center. The smart key can be inserted into the start control module. To insert the smart key, lift the arm rest on the floor console and slide back the spring loaded access cover on the start control module. Insert the smart key, with the key fob loop uppermost, into the slot. The start control module is motorized and will draw the smart key into the slot once inserted. The start control module will then read the transponder within the smart key and, if the transponder identification is valid, pass authorization to the instrument cluster on the LIN (local interconnect network) bus. A message REMOVE SMART KEY will be displayed if the smart key is still in the start control module and the driver's door is opened. The smart key can be removed by pushing downwards on the key fob loop and releasing. The start control unit motor will then drive the smart key out of the slot.

 

 

It's a good idea to fully charge the new battery before installing it. Very few are fully charged just sitting on the shelf.

 

My '07 has never wanted the key in the console after pulling the battery. I have had the fob not sync to the car before. Locking the doors from the fob while sitting in the seat wakes the system back up.

 

If the vehicle battery is now fully charged try resetting the car by removing the battery terminal connectors and touching the positive connector to the negative connector. This will reset the car by drawing any residual current away from the modules and grounding it to earth. Then reconnect the terminal connectors back onto the battery and hopefully this may reset your key problem. You probably need to reset the windows by holding the switch down for 5 seconds and also up for 5 seconds.
My car is a 08 4.2 model and the key fob never stays down in the start control module but it still registers the fobs if I push them in. I've got used to it and it doesn't seem to make any difference to the running of the car.

Good Luck

 

My FOB goes into the center arm rest slot and then pops right out a second later on my 07 XK..... Is that normal then ?? I thought it's supposed to stay inserted in the slot, instead it just goes in and then ejects out... Haven't had to use it for a dead/weak FOB battery though - I was just testing it to see what would happen when inserting.

 

Alright, so it's fixed. Problem is I can't definitively say exactly what did it.

• I replaced the key battery, I know this didn't fix it.
• I tried locking and unlocking...etc while sitting in the car. This didn't fix it either

The only clues I have is it started when my battery was drained and resolved when I replace the battery. Now that may seem like a definitive - the car battery replacement fixed it.... BUT, it didn't resolve right away after replacing the battery. The exact same behavior was still happening. I left the car with the new battery for about an hour and went back and tried again....... after screwing around starting and stopping the car and inserting/removing the key; bam it started working as expected and didn't ask for the key anymore to be in the dock. So whether it was the car battery, some strange combination of my fumbling or my left nut dropped a bit and magically fixed it --- I have no freakin' clue.

I'll be leaving the new battery in the car, I do know the old one was on it's way out and may have to replace the control module in the center console at some point. It's working and I'm happy so we'll see.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!!!

- M

 

I'm sure it's not normal and it should stay down

 

Has anything new happened over the last week?

As of yesterday, my 2007 XK does not recognize the Smart key so it has to be inserted into the center console receptacle. I replaced the fob battery last night, the old one measured 3.0V while the new one measured 3.3V. This morning, I left the Smart key on the driver's seat and closed the door. The car locked itself, so I had to call AAA for roadside assistance. The good news is that the tow truck driver took about 3 minutes to insert a long wire past the window and pull the lock/unlock lever out.

Also as of yesterday, the ABS light came on and the center display (where the clock appears) indicated that the parking brake had a problem. After I stopped the car, I set the parking brake, and then released it, and the message went away. It did not return.

My 12V battery is two years old. It measured 12.4V as of last night and I have it on a charger now.

I have the Autool X50 OBDII gauge, and it shows the charging voltage as high as 14.6V when I am driving. (I had previously calibrated the gauge by using my Fluke 87 DMM, measuring voltage at the cigarette lighter socket.)

I'm just wondering whether anyone who previously faced this Smart key problem needed to take action besides replacing the 12V battery, to resolve the problem.

 

Hi Patrick, you say the car locked itself? I don't think it can do that. Fords of the day had that nasty quirk but I don't think auto lock was carried over into the JLR vehicles. If I leave the fob in the vehicle and attempt to lock it with the door button, the alarm sounder blares and the car remains unlocked. When my fob battery failed a couple of weeks ago, I could not lock the car with the fob in my hand or with the door button. Dashboard message indicated the fob battery was low, so I replaced it and all went back to normal.