On occasions where I drive somewhere where I part company with my street clothes (e.g. running training in a forest; swimming in a gravel pit) a problem is having to take along a car key (running: sports clothing manufacturers apparently don’t put any thought into pockets where keys can be stored really, really safely and not be drenched in sweat; swimming: unlike public pools, no lockers available, plus you cannot take a car key with electronics into the water).
One obvious solution would be a keypad for access and starter control - you cannot lose or damage a password. But I never heard of keypads being used in cars.
So, does any manufacturer offer keypad user authorization? Or did any offer keypads but customers demurred?
My wife has keypad entry in her 2006 Ford 500. My lovely missus is the kind of gal who routinely forgets her purse or locks her keys in the car, so the keypad entry has saved her ass more than once.
A friend of mine had one and it kept dying on him. It ws a pretty awful experience and he’ll talk for an hour if you ask him about it. He would most definitely NOT recommend it!
His experience was over ten years ago, and although he’s still traumatized by it (to the point that I am driven to pass it on to you . . . huh.) I would venture to say that the technology may have imporved int hat time.
My dad’s Ford F-250 has it. For some reason, the code wasn’t included when he bought it, and we’ve never bothered to figure out how to reset it. I don’t know why.
Lincoln MKS has an entry pad as well as keyless ignition. You do have to have the proper fob nearby for either to work, such as in your purse or pocket.
I’ve noticed them mostly on Ford/Lincoln vehicles too.
I have a Nissan with the InteliKey and I just wrap it in plastic wrap before storing it in a zippered pocket or wrist pouch when working out. That doesn’t help if you’re swimming, though.
Keypads were on Fords for a while, but I think technology had advanced. Besides, imagine trying to enter your number on a very hot door or when the car is encrusted with ice and snow. Even with the keypad, you could only open the door. You still needed to take your keys out of your pocket to start the car. That made using keypads seem sort of silly. Why use a keypad when you have to take your keys out anyway?
With more advanced key fobs (like on the Prius), you don’t even have to unlock the door. Just having the key fob in your possession while you open the door is enough to unlock it. Plus, many cars now start without even inserting the key into the ignition. The key (or the key fob since there is no real key) never leaves your pocket.
The GM EV1 had no key, just a keypad. I remember this because I was working as a valet at a swanky Scottsdale location during college when the EV1 came out. A local car dealer pulled up in one but had to park it himself because he didn’t want to give out the code.
This also makes it virtually impossible to lock the keys in the car (at least, it does in our Audi). The door won’t lock if the key is inside the car. It’s pretty great.
Generally, you can get a key that is a plain metal key for the vehicle. That will open the doors & start the car, but none of the other fancy features. Such a key can easily be kept with you when running, swimming, etc., on a lanyard around your neck is a common location.
Had one on my 1990 Ford Taurus. Loved it. Impossible to lock the keys in the car. Could quickly lock all the doors after exiting or open the trunk. Great when you didn’t want to dig your keys out of your pocket. Never failed on us.