Old fashioned Keys?

[IceRaven]

1- We know "starting" (turning on) the car uses a button and I cant see a lock on the doors and hatchback in photos of the Leaf, so are there hard to see locks for old keys or are there no keys; you just use the remote to unlock the door and remotely open the hatchback door?

 

[garygid]

The RF fob (and remote Lock/Unlock) for the 2010 Prius has a pull-out "key" that will unlock the driver's door so that you can pull the handle to open the door, for use when the battery in the fob has "died".

Then, the dead-battery fob can be held (apparently) right on the car's "start" button, to start the car. However, I have not tried that function.

The LEAF could easily be similar, so do not expect traditional "keys".

 

[hill]

The RF fob (and remote Lock/Unlock) for the 2010 Prius has a pull-out "key" that will unlock the driver's door so that you can pull the handle to open the door, for use when the battery in the fob has "died".

Then, the dead-battery fob can be held (apparently) right on the car's "start" button, to start the car. However, I have not tried that function.

The LEAF could easily be similar, so do not expect traditional "keys".

Actually, you insert the FOB into the FOB slot if/when the battery is dead.

 

[garygid]

Where is this "fob slot" on the LEAF?

On the 2010 Prius one "touches" the "dead" fob to the Start button ... no slot.

 

[Bicster]

On the 2010 Prius one "touches" the "dead" fob to the Start button ... no slot.

Same on the 2011 Sienna I saw the other day...

 

[ShahulX]

Generally NIssan's have a small slot for the key fobs loaced to the left or right below the steering wheel...my Nissan GTR has it...

 

[mwalsh]

1- We know "starting" (turning on) the car uses a button and I cant see a lock on the doors and hatchback in photos of the Leaf

There is a keyhole in the driver door handle of the Leaf:

 

[LEAFer]

And what is the small oblong button in the door handle for (slightly larger than the keyhole) ? Looks like one on the Lexus doorhandles

to lock the car from the outside while the fob is in your pocket/purse. Same here for the LEAF ?

 

[Boomer23]

And what is the small oblong button in the door handle for (slightly larger than the keyhole) ? Looks like one on the Lexus doorhandles

to lock the car from the outside while the fob is in your pocket/purse. Same here for the LEAF ?

Yes, to lock OR unlock the LEAF. With the LEAF key on your person, you push the oblong button to unlock the door, then pull the handle to open it. On the Toyotas (And Lexus, I assume) they have a proximity sensor inside the handle that unlocks the door as you pull the handle, a more elegant solution, IMHO.

 

[Randy]

Unless there is a problem with your fob, you never need to use the key that is built in.

You can press the button shown on the door handle once to unlock that door and then once more to unlock all the doors. The drivers door and the front passenger door have that button.

The rear hatchback also has a hidden button under the handle and it can be opened when the car is locked by putting your hand in the slot and lifting the handle to open the door (the button will be pressed by your hand when you lift).

All 3 of the above doors can be used to lock all doors as you walk away by pressing the button once.

If your fob battery dies, you can take out the key and open the drivers door. Then you would hold the fob right up against the power button and the car will sense the fob is there and "turn on" the car by going into "Ready" mode....

Pretty simple system and it works well...

 

[wsbca]

Unless there is a problem with your fob, you never need to use the key that is built in.

Yes - to clarify, there IS a key in the fob that you can pull out. In SoCal the hardware key can come in handy if you don't want to destroy the electronics in the fob by carrying it in they key pocket in your wetsuit when you go surfing - you can lock the fob in the car using the removable key. Now all we need is for the Yakima/Thule rack adapters to be released and we're ready for Big Wednesday.

 

[wwhitney]

the hardware key can come in handy if you don't want to destroy the electronics in the fob by carrying it in they key pocket in your wetsuit when you go surfing - you can lock the fob in the car using the removable key.

Just to clarify--if you do this, then someone could break into the car and drive it away using the fob? Or does removing the mechanical key somehow disable the fob?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Search for Jogging. There was a mammoth thread on this earlier -- the whole what-to-do-with-the-gigantic-enormous-fob while being athletic.


As for the button thing, I have to say it's two notches below what you get from Toyota. Toyota, you just stick your hand in the door handle and ALL the doors unlock. Quietly. Sweet. I usually just stick a finger in as I walk past the tailgate and everyone's door is open.

This two-button-push thing will take some getting used to.

Not complaining.. it's still a great leap from having to fish out a key to open or start the car.

 

[garygid]

On the 2010 Prius, removing the key from the RFID does not appear to change anything.

What happens in the LEAF?

 

[malloryk]

I knew it was bound to happen and this morning it did--I locked my keys in the car. As I was rushing out of my car to make it to an 8am spin class, I grabbed my gym bag, locked the door from the inside and jumped out of the car. Luckily, it alerted me right away by beeping steadily until I pushed that little metal button on the handle and the door opened. That's probably a standard feature on push-button start cars but I didn't know that. I was so relieved!

 

[DarkStar]

I knew it was bound to happen and this morning it did--I locked my keys in the car. As I was rushing out of my car to make it to an 8am spin class, I grabbed my gym bag, locked the door from the inside and jumped out of the car. Luckily, it alerted me right away by beeping steadily until I pushed that little metal button on the handle and the door opened. That's probably a standard feature on push-button start cars but I didn't know that. I was so relieved!

Yep, my wife and I have a strict policy now. Only lock the doors using the remote, nothing else!

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

actually i can verify that removing the mechanical key does not in any way disable the fob so therefore removing the mechanical key and leaving the electronic key in the car, will render the car unable to lock and ready to run.

BUT

there is one thing the Leaf will do and that is allow you to lock the fob in the car, IF you have the other fob outside the car. the Prius will not allow that.

BUT the Prius is nice in that it allows you to program the unlock options that the Leaf does not... at least no one has figured out how.

on the Leaf, i can unlock the back hatch, load groceries, close it and the doors will still be locked. On the Prius, i unlock the back hatch, the doors unlock

 

[TomT]

The BMW is nice that way in that it will not allow you to lock the driver's side door in that way. You have to either use the key or the Fob. You can't lock it and then close it. That has saved my bacon on at least one occasion. The Acura, on the other hand, is super easy to lock yourself out of.

I knew it was bound to happen and this morning it did--I locked my keys in the car. As I was rushing out of my car to make it to an 8am spin class, I grabbed my gym bag, locked the door from the inside and jumped out of the car. Luckily, it alerted me right away by beeping steadily until I pushed that little metal button on the handle and the door opened. That's probably a standard feature on push-button start cars but I didn't know that. I was so relieved!

Yep, my wife and I have a strict policy now. Only lock the doors using the remote, nothing else!

 

[LEAFguy]

I knew it was bound to happen and this morning it did--I locked my keys in the car. As I was rushing out of my car to make it to an 8am spin class, I grabbed my gym bag, locked the door from the inside and jumped out of the car. Luckily, it alerted me right away by beeping steadily until I pushed that little metal button on the handle and the door opened. That's probably a standard feature on push-button start cars but I didn't know that. I was so relieved!

Mallory, you didn't need to push the button, the intelligent key will not allow itself to be locked in the car (unless separated from the mechanical key). The audible alert that you heard was to warn you that you had left your keys in the car.

To confirm this, try the following:

1. Roll driver's (or passenger's) door window down (for your peace of mind).
2. Place i-key on seat, cup holder, whatever.
3. Attempt to lock door as you did (or using exterior door button).
4. Car will beep, doors will lock and unlock.
(5.) If doors lock and don't unlock, reach in through open window and reclaim your key and schedule a trip to the service dept.

 

[LEAFguy]

As for the button thing, I have to say it's two notches below what you get from Toyota. Toyota, you just stick your hand in the door handle and ALL the doors unlock. Quietly. Sweet. I usually just stick a finger in as I walk past the tailgate and everyone's door is open.

GroudLoop, Nissan gives you either option - driver's door only, or all doors.

1. Press "Settings" on the Nav screen.
2. Touch "Comfort and Convenience"
3. Touch "Intelligent Key Lock/Unlock"

When On, driver's door only unlocks with one press, two presses unlock all
When Off, all doors unlock with one press (you can unlock all doors from either side, or the hatch)

Hope that helps.