New to Forum - Have a Question

[railroadRN]

I have a 2012 Limited. I have searched online as well as in the owner's manual and cannot figure this question out. I have push-button start. The key fob has an actual key "hidden" inside that can be used if the push button start ever fails. But WHERE is the key hole inside of the vehicle to crank it, should I ever need to crank the car manually?

 

[Quatre Coureur]

Welcome to the forum... Maybe the side of the steering column? IDK. Swing by the dealer if all else fails. FWIW:shrug:

 

[stevec5000]

Did you really check the owners manual? The button won't fail and require a key but you still need the key to open the door and it has to be inside because it has the chip in it to make it possible to start the vehicle.

 

[railroadRN]

Well, I didn't exactly pour over it line for line, but I did check it. Thanks for your help. When I bought it, I asked someone at the dealership where the key went and they said they didn't know, so it led me to believe it manually cranked the vehicle somewhere. Now I know! Thanks again.

 

[stevec5000]

You know that on a vehicle that doesn't have a steering lock or have to be started with a key it's easy for a thief to break the window and plug a laptop into the OBDII port to program it for a new key then take off in just a couple of minutes, right?
I wouldn't buy a vehicle that doesn't need an actual key to unlock the steering and if I did I'd put a Club on the steering wheel all the time to lock it. While the Club isn't much of a deterrent either since it can be cut off easily with bolt cutters it's red and easy to see so it acts as a visual deterrent they can see before breaking the window. If they don't happen to have bolt cutters with them then they will probably just go on to the next vehicle.