I recently joined a new club that has limited parking. As such, your supposed to leave your car unlocked with the keys in the car in case your blocking another member and your car needs to be moved when you're not around.

My wife found out the hard way not to leave the intelligent key either in or around the car as it will drain the battery.

So my question is, how can I leave the keys in the car so it can be moved without killing the battery?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Doug L.

 

are you talking about the key battery or car battery? The car battery should not drain due to this.

 

Leaning the key inside the car should not kill the intelligent key battery. What exactly was your wife's experience where you think this happened?

 

Once my wife left the key inside the car for about an hour and when she came back the car would not start until it was jumped.

Another time she left the key outside the car behind the wheel and the same thing happened.

I just called the dealer and they said the only way to stop this from happening was to remove the battery from the fob. As this is not much of an option, unless anyone else has an idea, I'll just make sure I never take the G to the club.

 

I'm sorry, but I believe your dealer is clueless or lied to you. I have left the key inside my car (parked inside my garage) for over a week. Fired right up. I do it on a regular basis whenever I am detailing or working on it. Hours at a time. There isn't any draw on the car's battery by simply having the intelligent key inside or in proximity to the car. Think about it, this would be crazy. Standing around at a car meet leaned up against your car for a couple of hours with the key in your pocket. Time to leave and your battery is dead. Sitting in the car on a beautiful day with the windows down doing some work on your laptop or just taking a nap. Get ready to leave and the battery is dead. This isn't right. Presuming your wife didn't inadvertently leave the ignition in the ON or ACC position and not running (that'll drain the battery for sure), something else is the issue. Not leaving the key inside the car. If that is the case, something is very wrong.

 

It seems a little odd to me too, but its happened twice. Does pulling the actual key out of the fob have anything to do with it?

 

Nope it shouldn't. Has it ever failed to start in any other circumstances? Maybe the key being inside or near the car isn't the X factor. Is it an 08 that had the VCV issue?

 

Its never happened any other time. Its an 09 G37X sedan. I did forget to mention that it also has a dealer installed remote start, the operation of which is spotty at best. Its supposed to work from 600 feet but the real world distance is closer to 100 feet.

So BB,

You're telling me that I should be able to leave the un-intelligent key inside the vehicle indefinitely, correct? That would be great if thats the case. I did just read the club's by-laws and it also says the keys can be left with the front desk. Maybe I'll just do that as I'd hate to either block someone in or have a problem starting the car when it may be burried 3 cars deep.

Personally, I've always hated the intelligent key. I'd rather just have a regular key. Its really the only thing I dislike about the car other than not being able to disable the traction control.

 

Yes, you should be able to leave it inside the car anytime without draining the battery. Leaving it at the front desk is probably a better and safer choice, at least this way you can lock the car.

I personally love the intelligent key other than the the battery in it seems to wear down too quickly (in the key, not the car). Consider taking it to have the starting/charging system checked out.

 

Like Chi Chi Rodriques said, "That's why they make wallpaper."

Thanks for the help.

 

Might be caused by your remote starter. Leaving the key inside the car definitely should not drain the battery.

 

I suspect you may be right.