Dislike the 2016 Key Fob Design?

[DubbsFaris]

I don't know if the 2016 fob is any different than previous model years but here is a 4 page thread on key fob covers;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=314052&highlight=key+fob+covers

BTW, I wear jeans 99% of the time and carry the fob in the small 'watch pocket' and have never triggered any of the buttons accidently. The fob is kept there all the time. You could also be triggering the other buttons but only the alarm will give you an audible notice.

Peter

I don't know why the OP is getting any grief here. He is right. In 2 years I never set off the 2013 I had, and in 1 week of ownership, I've set this one off twice. It's a small gripe, but worth noting. The new fob design is the same as the mustang. This is the difference:

 

[TheOtherEric]

I don't know why the OP is getting any grief here. He is right. In 2 years I never set off the 2013 I had, and in 1 week of ownership, I've set this one off twice. It's a small gripe, but worth noting. The new fob design is the same as the mustang. This is the difference:

+1. This key fob sucks. I've never in my life set off the panic in any key fob, but in my 6th day of EX Sport ownership, I somehow set the panic button off. I'm going to have to disable it somehow.

 

[peterk9]

I don't know why the OP is getting any grief here. He is right. In 2 years I never set off the 2013 I had, and in 1 week of ownership, I've set this one off twice. It's a small gripe, but worth noting. The new fob design is the same as the mustang. This is the difference:

As I mentioned in a subsequent post to the one quoted above, after having seen the new fob the new design is much more prone to being triggered accidently because of the change to not only the design of the fob but also the buttons themselves.

Peter

 

[peterk9]

+1. This key fob sucks. I've never in my life set off the panic in any key fob, but in my 6th day of EX Sport ownership, I somehow set the panic button off. I'm going to have to disable it somehow.

The panic alarm you can hear. My biggest worry would be that after locking the vehicle you may accidently unlock it while walking away and not noticing it.

Peter

 

[TheOtherEric]

The panic alarm you can hear. My biggest worry would be that after locking the vehicle you may accidently unlock it while walking away and not noticing it.

Peter

Great, thanks for giving me something else to fret over!

 

[scoutexplorer]

The 2016 FOB's are the same as what I had with my 2013 Fusion. I never set any alarms off with either one and I carry the FOB in my pants pocket without any other keys attached to it. I actually like the FOB design.

Exactly what I decided to do and have had zero instances of inadvertent button activations (alarm, unlocking, locking, etc) since changing to this mode. I like it's shape and fit in my hand.

 

[gatzdon]

I have two of the earlier design in my pocket. The panic mode was getting set off all the time until I put some tape over the contacts inside the key.

Best part was, it was a 50/50 chance of either turning off the panic mode, or setting off the panic mode on the other vehicle.

I am ready to control my vehicle with my smart phone. I have Bluetooth, wifi, and Near Field Communication. I am fine with any one of those being used to unlock and start the vehicle.

Ideally, wifi connected to the home network would be the ideal communication mode, but I understand their hesitancy to open her up like that.

Security wise, NFC probably has the best chance at easy implementation, but not all smart phones have NFC.

 

[BrianT]

I set the panic alarm off, nearly every day with the 2016 key fob
I never set it off with the 2013 key fob.
I normally carry the fob in my right hand jean pocket.

Brian

 

[peterk9]

I set the panic alarm off, nearly every day with the 2016 key fob
I never set it off with the 2013 key fob.
I normally carry the fob in my right hand jean pocket.

Brian

That's what I'm afraid may happen in my case should that same fob be available with my next vehicle. I carry the current one in my jean's little 'watch' pocket and there isn't much wiggle room in there.
I wonder if it is possible to program one of the current older ones to work with the 2016 model?

Peter

 

[omar302]

That's what I'm afraid may happen in my case should that same fob be available with my next vehicle. I carry the current one in my jean's little 'watch' pocket and there isn't much wiggle room in there.
I wonder if it is possible to program one of the current older ones to work with the 2016 model?

Peter

Probably not. The new fob has 2 batteries & is 2-ways. There is a LED that indicates if the vehicle started successfully or not (green or red steady or flashing).

 

[Halwg]

Is that a FOB in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

 

[peterk9]

Probably not. The new fob has 2 batteries & is 2-ways. There is a LED that indicates if the vehicle started successfully or not (green or red steady or flashing).

Thanks for that info. I thought I saw something that looked like a small hole on one of the buttons. I guess that may have been the indicator you mentioned.

Peter

 

[TXOkie]

I dislike the 2016 key FOB owing to the daily occurrence of inadvertently pressing the panic button. The design of the button (shape, size, location) is such that it sets off th alarm easily. I never had that issue with my 2014 Ford Escape or other cars FOBS before the Explorer. It's not about pressing it with fingers; it goes off in my pocket when other items are next to it and the same when I extract it from the storage bin in front of the shifter. If the button was more recessed and located further from the bottom edge it would decrease this from happening.

The current design is a royal PITA.

Well I haven't set my alarm off With mine yet but I do find the FOB to Be to large and bulky in my pocket.

 

[omar302]

Thanks for that info. I thought I saw something that looked like a small hole on one of the buttons. I guess that may have been the indicator you mentioned.

Peter

You can see the LED at 0:30 in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ1j9UJroHE

 

[Ellocovg]

Smart keys are awesome I'll never complain about having one. My earlier gripe about it not having an integrated key thinking about it is probably because we have that key pad entry thing that I've yet to try, but say I drain my battery I have no way of getting into the car to give it a boost unless if I put that little key on my key ring I suppose. Gripe 2 compared to Toyota/Lexus/Acura/Mitsubishi which like i said before they have all had an emergency key in the smart key like the Taurus do this one is significantly longer and thicker. Also like I said before one month and 3000 miles later I have yet to hit any button by mistake in my pocket.

 

[peterk9]

Smart keys are awesome I'll never complain about having one. My earlier gripe about it not having an integrated key thinking about it is probably because we have that key pad entry thing that I've yet to try, but say I drain my battery I have no way of getting into the car to give it a boost unless if I put that little key on my key ring I suppose. Gripe 2 compared to Toyota/Lexus/Acura/Mitsubishi which like i said before they have all had an emergency key in the smart key like the Taurus do this one is significantly longer and thicker. Also like I said before one month and 3000 miles later I have yet to hit any button by mistake in my pocket.

I don't understand your statement about not having an integrated/emergency key. It's inside the fob and obviously you have found it as you talk about adding it to your key chain. I think it is best left where it is so anyone using that fob has access to it.
BTW, that "keypad entry thing" is called a SECURICODE™ Keyless Entry Keypad. Enjoy the ride.

Peter

 

[Ellocovg]

I don't understand your statement about not having an integrated/emergency key. It's inside the fob and obviously you have found it as you talk about adding it to your key chain. I think it is best left where it is so anyone using that fob has access to it.
BTW, that "keypad entry thing" is called a SECURICODE™ Keyless Entry Keypad. Enjoy the ride.

Peter

Unless if I'm mistaken there isn't a key in the remote. The salesman gave me two remotes and a loose key that's a spare no chip inside key. I'll look to see if there's a way to put it inside the remote but there is no slot in the remote. Every other one I've had the key is attached to the key ring u press a release button on the back and the key ring pulls out with a key attached. I could be wrong as I don't know Ford but I'll check it out when I get home.

 

[peterk9]

Unless if I'm mistaken there isn't a key in the remote. The salesman gave me two remotes and a loose key that's a spare no chip inside key. I'll look to see if there's a way to put it inside the remote but there is no slot in the remote. Every other one I've had the key is attached to the key ring u press a release button on the back and the key ring pulls out with a key attached. I could be wrong as I don't know Ford but I'll check it out when I get home.

Check out post 22.

Peter

 

[Sweersa]

Is that a FOB in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

Hahaha no kidding!

When the use of a panic button is warranted, I have a slightly different method to deter/stop criminals.

Thank you, Heckler & Koch

 

[TinMan4154]

Check out post 22.

Peter

This. Both remotes have a tiny key in them.