Nissan North America has a warning for customers: placing your electronic key too close to your cellphone could leave you stranded.
The automaker is asking customers driving new models of two of its flagship sedans to keep their car keys and cellphones at least an inch apart to avoid disabling the “intelligent keys.”
The problem has occurred on the 2007 Nissan Altima and Infiniti G35 sedans — two of their top-selling models, the company said on Thursday.
“We discovered that if the I-Key touches a cellphone, outgoing or incoming calls have the potential to alter the electronic code inside the I-Key,” Nissan spokesman Kyle Bazemore said. “The car won’t start and the I-Key cannot be reprogrammed,” he added.
Nissan is going to fix the problem with the keys – this coming autumn.
The keyless entry system of the Toyota Prius doesn’t have this problem.
// shameless plug being first poster
Keyless system must have been designed by Sony.
Since we are on the subject has anyone seen that the new Volvo S80 has a system that will tell you if there is a heart beat in your car if the alarm has been activated.
Have we really gotten that paranoid? I guess we have.
http://tinyurl.com/2gnt37
[pls.use tinyurl.com – ed.]
I just got an Acura RDX. It uses a solar sensor and the GPS to determine if the driver or the passenger are in the sun and adjusts that climate accordingly.
Now that’s cool!
So if you’re one of those über patriots who still think Ford and GM is 100% american made, ask you buddy who owns a “foreign” Nissan for the keys and when he’s not seeing rub your cellphone against it.
gimme an old fashioned metal key & mechanical lock every time
I really like the keyless concept. My Lexus GS450h turns on an exterior light at night when I approach it. The door unlocks when I put my hand on the handle and the steering wheel, seat and side mirrors automatically adjust. To start, I just push a button. It’s great not to have to fool with keys.
Sounds related to the urban legend about using a cell phone to open your car door.
snopes
The I-Key? Did Apple ok that name?
>“The car won’t start and the I-Key cannot be reprogrammed,”
Evidently, it can.
Ditto Tallwookie (#6).
My keys are bulky enough already, and I drive a 1991 car with a regular mechanical key and a fob for the alarm, which I almost never use. I think big car keys shoved into pockets are the wadded up kleenex of the new age.
Disables intelligent keys? This is clear proof that cell phones damage intelligence.
I have to agree with #7. When people see my car the wow wee always comes from the key less ignition and the power button. The lights coming on as I approach the car is also a nice touch.
It is also totally immune from accidental lock your keys in your car accidents. Which it actually needs, because if I am not wearing cargo pants, the keys go into the center console area.
A new side effect of the key less ignition however is… I have accidentally left my car on a couple of times…
“…outgoing or incoming calls have the potential to alter the electronic code…”
Aren’t our thoughts just electronic code?
I love the keyless feature on my ’07 Altima. I am a rep visiting auto dealers all day long. I get in and out of my car at least a 12 to 16 times a day. It may sound dumb to some people, but this keyless system and push button start is a huge time saver. I don’t have to dig in my pants to get out my keys so I can push a button to unlock the doors and I don’t have to put a key in the ignition. It seems so simple yet it is such a great feature as the nissan bumper that I hope I never have to go back to the old ways. Oh, and thank you blogger for taking up on the issue.