Can I Drive My Truck With No Key?

[USMCsilver]

Long story short, my truck is one place, my key is in another. (Currently, I'm no where near either.)

I know I can start my truck with my phone, but I can I actually finish the "start" cycle without the keyfob inside the truck? (In my '22 Elandtra, I can place the phone in "the spot" and it acts as a digital key.) I don't have wireless charging in my truck, so if that's needed, it won't work for me.

Thanks for any answers!

 

[AXE]

Well, I'm not "most people."

Yes, you are correct, but that's not what the OP was asking. He stated that he didn't have the key fob at all and wanted to start the truck with his phone and drive it. That is what I said is not possible.

Read, my friend, and you will understand.

The title says "can I drive my truck with no key?" The answer is yes, as I described. Then I said, you can also start it without the key fob. You said "no you can't, why would you be able to do that".

I then said hold my beer, walked out in my driveway, started truck, drove to the end of the block with the key fob left at my house, shut it off, took a few Polaroids, restarted it, and drove back.

Now everyone knows that if your ol' lady runs off with the keys or you drop them in a snowbank on the side of the road while taking a piss after pounding a 6 pack coming home from ice fishing, you can still run your rig so long as you understand the limitations.

 

[KLA]

The title says "can I drive my truck with no key?" The answer is yes, as I described. Then I said, you can also start it without the key fob. You said "no you can't, why would you be able to do that".

I then said hold my beer, walked out in my driveway, started truck, drove to the end of the block with the key fob left at my house, shut it off, took a few Polaroids, restarted it, and drove back.

Now everyone knows that if your ol' lady runs off with the keys or you drop them in a snowbank on the side of the road while taking a piss after pounding a 6 pack coming home from ice fishing, you can still run your rig so long as you understand the limitations.

Well, then your key fob must have been close enough for the truck to start, cause if you have absolutely no key fob, you will not be able to start the truck.

If what you are trying to imply is true, then I would be able to walk onto the dealer lot and start and drive away any truck that I wanted to without a key fob. Sorry, but it ain't gonna happen.

 

[Busa Dave]

Well, then your key fob must have been close enough for the truck to start, cause if you have absolutely no key fob, you will not be able to start the truck.

If what you are trying to imply is true, then I would be able to walk onto the dealer lot and start and drive away any truck that I wanted to without a key fob. Sorry, but it ain't gonna happen.

You are correct in that you cannot drive the truck without the fob. It is a safety/anti-theft feature. You can start the truck using the app but you cannot put in drive without the fob .

 

[JJHAWKS]

Long story short, my truck is one place, my key is in another. (Currently, I'm no where near either.)

I know I can start my truck with my phone, but I can I actually finish the "start" cycle without the keyfob inside the truck? (In my '22 Elandtra, I can place the phone in "the spot" and it acts as a digital key.) I don't have wireless charging in my truck, so if that's needed, it won't work for me.

Thanks for any answers!

Ok my turn to chime in…. If applicable.
After chasing down my wife’s new dog for 2 miles in my truck he finally tired enough for me to foot pursue him ( or so I thought). I hopped out when I thought I was near enough to grab the tard, put the truck in park and left to grab him, I was wrong and he still had a mile or two in him. Any way after foot pursuit across a 50 acre orchard I finally grabbed him. My wife whom was trying to head him off was on the other side of the orchard ( on foot) hopped in my truck and drove to me and my best guesstimate nearly 1/2 mile away while the key fob was still in my pocket

 

[KLA]

You are correct in that you cannot drive the truck without the fob. It is a safety/anti-theft feature. You can start the truck using the app but you cannot put in drive without the fob .

Yeah, you're old buddy is arguing that you can start and drive your truck once without the key fob until you get a message from the DIC.

 

[AXE]

Well, then your key fob must have been close enough for the truck to start, cause if you have absolutely no key fob, you will not be able to start the truck.

If what you are trying to imply is true, then I would be able to walk onto the dealer lot and start and drive away any truck that I wanted to without a key fob. Sorry, but it ain't gonna happen.

No, just follow what I wrote. It ain't that hard to figure out. It'll take you about 2 minutes to test it out. In the time it's taken you to debate this after I posted the exact recipe, you could have completed the test and confirmed it.

 

[AXE]

Yeah, you're old buddy is arguing that you can start and drive your truck once without the key fob until you get a message from the DIC.

I can't imagine how hard life is for two guys that that can't follow a simple process or even put forth enough effort to test it for themselves. Just intellectually lazy, I guess..

Dave blocked me cause he literally stated he couldn't complete an oil change without his wife's permission cause he makes a mess in the driveway........LMFAO.

 

[Busa Dave]

Yeah, you're old buddy is arguing that you can start and drive your truck once without the key fob until you get a message from the DIC.

LOL is he really? I do not ever see his posts; you might do the same. Will make for a better experience for you.

 

[AXE]

Ok my turn to chime in…. If applicable.
After chasing down my wife’s new dog for 2 miles in my truck he finally tired enough for me to foot pursue him ( or so I thought). I hopped out when I thought I was near enough to grab the tard, put the truck in park and left to grab him, I was wrong and he still had a mile or two in him. Any way after foot pursuit across a 50 acre orchard I finally grabbed him. My wife whom was trying to head him off was on the other side of the orchard ( on foot) hopped in my truck and drove to me and my best guesstimate nearly 1/2 mile away while the key fob was still in my pocket

That is correct, I don't think the truck cares anything about the key fob once it's been running. The reason I know this is that I have seen it unfold several times with my wife exiting her Tahoe with the keys in her purse. I proceed to drive it while I find a place to park after dropping her off.

I also believe you can let the truck run at least one hour while it is in park with no key fob present. That 1 hour clock will also reset if the truck is shfted again. I believe if the truck is in neutral, the truck can run until its out of gas. That's at least possible on some GM models known as the "camping" feature. I've never tested this on the ZR2, so you'd have to confirm it.

 

[AXE]

You are correct in that you cannot drive the truck without the fob. It is a safety/anti-theft feature. You can start the truck using the app but you cannot put in drive without the fob .

Bullshit! Busa Dave doesn't even know he had a grill cover to prevent freeze up on his diesel when driving in inclimate weather. It's rare for him to be right about anything, so proceed with caution when he speaks.

 

[AXE]

Since schools back in session for the day and I enjoy educating the remedial ZR2 team (you know them cause they have their hands raised again today), I'll offer up one more hack that I've heard others say will work. Again, I have not tested this on the ZR2, so you'd have to prove it to be sure, but the mechanics are in place to theoretically make it work.

If you have an extra key fob programmed for your truck, you can remove the battery and leave it as a spare inside the cab. Because there is no power it will not be capable of sending an RF signal to operate the vehicle and the computer will not recognize it. However, if you lost your other operable fob, you can get into the truck by contacting OnStar, My Chevy App, or perhaps a key you have stored secretly on the outside of the truck. When you retrieve the fob with no battery, place it in the designated transmitter pocket spot in the center console, so the truck computer can recognize it. Voila, you now have an active fob and you can start the truck and move about your day.

Here's a picture from the manual showing the location of the designated key fob "transmitter pocket". This is done in the event you had a bad battery or the RF system wasn't functioning normally. This is why your DIC will also tell you to check the owners manual when it doesn't recognize the fob. It wants you to know about this emergency feature.

Class dismissed KLA and Busa, please remain in the classroom to clean the chalkboard and erasers!

 

[AXE]

LOL is he really? I do not ever see his posts; you might do the same. Will make for a better experience for you.

Bullshit, you always turn them back on, so you can get the answers you need......quit pretending.

 

[KLA]

I can't imagine how hard life is for two guys that that can't follow a simple process or even put forth enough effort to test it for themselves. Just intellectually lazy, I guess..

Dave blocked me cause he literally stated he couldn't complete an oil change without his wife's permission cause he makes a mess in the driveway........LMFAO.

You know what man, you're one of those people who thinks he knows everything and always has to have the last word. I never insulted you or disrespected you but if you wanna insult me and/or someone else then you can go fuck yourself. You're such a douchebag sometimes.

 

[AXE]

You know what man, you're one of those people who thinks he knows everything and always has to have the last word. I never insulted you or disrespected you but if you wanna insult me and/or someone else then you can go fuck yourself. You're such a douchebag sometimes.

Did you try it yet or you just sticking with bad data?

My ol' man always said "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". Anyway, sorry to hear about your feelings.

At least everyone else now knows that there are a few ways to get yourself out of a jam with the key fob, should the situation arise. Please let Dave know about them, so he's not running blind for the rest of his life.

 

[KLA]

^^^ You See ^^^ He just has to have the last word. Can't just let it go.

 

[Busa Dave]

You know what man, you're one of those people who thinks he knows everything and always has to have the last word. I never insulted you or disrespected you but if you wanna insult me and/or someone else then you can go fuck yourself. You're such a douchebag sometimes.

I do not know what he posted but the answer is simple. You will never be bothered again.

 

[KLA]

I do not know what he posted but the answer is simple. You will never be bothered again.

You know how he is. He is either disrespecting someone or he is bitching about how shitty his truck is. I don't know about you, but if I wasn't happy with the truck I bought, I sure as hell wouldn't spend my hard earned money on another one. But I guess he is too dumb to figure that one out.

 

[KLA]

Well, I left my key fob in the house, went out to my truck, put my foot on the brake, pressed the start button and guess what happened......nothing!!!!! Imagine that! The truck will not start without the key fob present. I can start it with my phone app, but it won't go into drive without the key fob.

 

[AXE]

^^^ You See ^^^ He just has to have the last word. Can't just let it go.

Have you contributed any information in this thread that will actually help someone? Because I have contributed exactly 3 specific actions that can be taken if you become separated from your key fob. If you've got nothing of value to share, quit wasting everyone's time.

 

[AXE]

You know how he is. He is either disrespecting someone or he is bitching about how shitty his truck is. I don't know about you, but if I wasn't happy with the truck I bought, I sure as hell wouldn't spend my hard earned money on another one. But I guess he is too dumb to figure that one out.

I bought three of them, might buy several more.