Our 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander has a feature I really like: the smart key. Keep this "key" in your pocket or purse and simply pull on the door handle to open 'er up and twist the starter knob to fire up the engine. What could be simpler?
But a recent trip to valet parking the other day left me feeling like an idiot.
Forgetting the electronic "key" in my pocket, I left the engine running, got out of the car and walked to the party...
Three hours later at the valet desk, I got the eye-roll from the attendant as he reminded me that he first needed to get the key before they could bring my car around. Huh? Oh crap. Here it is - still in my pocket.
At least they hadn't double-parked it in front of someones else's car, otherwise they'd have been hunting me down in the party.
It's a great feature, but since there is never a key jammed into the steering column, it's easy to overlook. Running or not, one has to make a concerted effort to remove the easy-to-forget "key" from one's pocket or purse and leave it behind for the car wash attendant or a valet.
Sorry guys.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 17,159 miles
penboy says:
12:41 AM, 12/12/07
It's good to know that I'm not the only one that did this; the first time I went to a car wash after buying my car, they had to push it across the parking lot to where they were going to dry it off. I haven't done it since then, though. *knocks on wood*
altimadude00 says:
01:13 AM, 12/12/07
Has this happened to the Versa? I wonder if the Versa's more substantial keyless fob makes you feel it in your pocket more than the wafer of the Mitsubishi.
By the way, the Nissan's fob looks better than the Mitsu's. This one reminds me of my mom's old Buick entry fob. Three buttons and all black and boring.
roar02ram says:
06:28 AM, 12/12/07
Does the Mitsu honk or beep or something when you walk off with the key? I know the Altima does, albeit perhaps a bit too softly to have prevented this situation.
2002blksle says:
07:34 AM, 12/12/07
On my camry the car beeps three times if you get out with the engine running with the smart key in hand. In addition, you can not put the car in drive if it is running and there is no smart key. I like that feature from a security perspective if I am warming up the car, etc but it also makes me nervous if the battery fails on the smartkey or if I need to get the car towed and I am not there. I know there is a workaround and I guess I will resort to the dreaded owners manual if that ever occurs.
dodo2 says:
08:54 AM, 12/12/07
For those of you concerned with the size and look of the key fob, Mitsu changed it for the 08MY to a much smaller and better-looking one (similar to Nissan).
jriz says:
09:43 AM, 12/12/07
"I wonder if the Versa's more substantial keyless fob makes you feel it in your pocket more than the wafer of the Mitsubishi."
It's actually the exact opposite. The Mitsu's is absolutely huge in comparison, and is one of the bigger keyless-go-style fobs around. Even the Lancer's is smaller. The Versa and other Nissan/Infinitis arguably have the best design. It's tiny and judging by how many of our staffers forget to take the keys out of their pocket, it's a very unobtrusive design.
autoboy16 says:
01:21 PM, 12/12/07
I like Mazda's smart key! It small like Mitsu's, but much nicer IMO than the one in this picture! Its not as nice as toyota's or Nissan/infiniti, but its great for someone like me.
-Cj
penboy says:
05:07 PM, 12/12/07
I'd have to agree that Mazda's key gets my vote, since it's able to fit into my wallet. (it's shaped like a credit card, and is about the thickness of two cards.) It doesn't look as nice as Nissan's fob, but since I always need my wallet, I can't ever forget my key.
southbaydriver says:
06:42 PM, 12/12/07
Not only the Outlander shows a bright yellow "missing key" warning that takes over the entire LCD area, but it also beeps 16 times ( I counted!) and very loudly making it possible to easily notice as you step out of the car.
actualsize says:
10:04 PM, 12/12/07
No such warning here. Perhaps the valet heard it after I walked away. But if he did, he didn't attempt to flag me down.
bimmerjay says:
11:23 AM, 12/13/07
The Nissan/Infiniti fob looks kind of like a suppository.
daalen says:
01:43 PM, 12/15/07
One could of course "jam the key in the steering column" when valet parking.