Who has the smart key on their TCH? Mine is coming with one and I want to know all about it. It sounds so strange and sci-fi. I can't wait for mine to actually come and play with it. Can anyone tell me about how it works, if you like it, yadda yadda. I wanna know everything!

 

Everyone has the key. It is a std feature of all TCH's.

Just keep it in your pocket. Touch the door handle and the door unlocks. Same with the trunk(button under the trunk lid).

And to start car, just put foot on brake and push start button. Key fob never leaves your pocket.

Vey handy little bit of technology. I like it.

 

At first I thought it was a gimick, but I've gotten very used to it. First of all you just keep it in your pocket (or purse, for the ladies). When you walk up to your car you just touch the driver or passenger door handle and the doors unlock. You can program which doors unlock. Once you get in the car you start the car by putting your foot on the brake and hitting the power button. Doing the same without your foot on the brake puts you in accessory mode, so you can listen to the radio. Upon exiting you push a button on the door handle to lock the doors. If you accidentally leave your key in the car it won't allow you to lock the doors. Pushing a button on the trunk will unlock it.

Also, if the battery in your remote dies there's a key hidden inside you can use on the doors and trunk. You can still start your car by holding the remote to the power button.

 

Another bit of fun with the smart key. If you walk near the car, the interior lights will come on without even touching the door handle (if the dome lamp is in the "Door" position)..

 

Allow me to blaspheme for a moment. I was considering getting a non-hybrid TC. It was taking too long to get my TCH and I almost went and bought an SE or a XLEV6. Blasphemy, I know. LOL. I think that's why I thought that not all of them came with a smart key. I was unintentionally comparing TCH's to the nons. Sorry!

That smart key sounds amazing though! Does that mean there aren't other buttons on the remote? Buttons for popping the trunk from far away, unlocking all the doors, etc.? I didn't have a chance to get a good look at the key when I test drove a TCH. I was too excited to get in and zip cleanly around Columbus!

Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

Yea, the smart key is also a fully functional normal remote with buttons and also a normal key hidden inside. "Yawn", I don't think I've even tried it. Oh yes, I did when I was reprogramming the touch sensor on the driver's door handle to unlock all doors instead of just the drivers door.

 

I am so way beyond excited now!!! My TCH arrived in Atlanta this morning. Now, there's going to be a little back and forth of paperwork between there and here, Columbus, and then, it'll be delivered hopefully by the end of the week! I'm going nuts. I'm going to be reading that manual religiously for the next week or so.

 

I'm a manual reader too, so I spent a lot of time going over every little feature. Took me a couple of reads to understand the meaning of all the different warning tones though. You forgot your key, your passenger just took off with your key, you left your key in the car, you left your key in the trunk, your wife wants to stop to buy shoes, etc.

 

I didn't know that. I'll have to try it tonight.

 

I'm away on business so I can't check the manual so I apologize if its in there. Are the instructions to reprogram in the manual or did you find it somewhere else?