Why Does My Vehicle Say Key Not Detected?
The car cannot see the smart key. Most often that is a flat key battery, the key being shielded by a phone, a wallet or metal, interference nearby, or a fault in one of the vehicle's antennas. Many cars have a backup position — often against the start button or in a marked slot — that will let you start once.
Try this first
- Hold the key directly against the start button and press
- Take the key out of a wallet or away from a phone
- Fit a new battery of the correct type
- Try a second key if one exists
If it keeps happening
Intermittent detection often means a tired battery contact inside the key or a failing antenna on the vehicle. It is worth diagnosing before it strands you somewhere inconvenient.
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