"Slim" key fob? Phone App?

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TheSplash

New member
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
4
This is my keys:
mMas5Q3m.jpg


Now that it's summer, I don't want to keep that giant blob of keys in my shorts pocket. All I need daily is the Nissan Leaf key fob, so I'd like to figure out if there's a way to slim it down so it fits in my phone case or wallet. I don't even need the "valet" physical key, just the RFID part that allows the car to turn on and off. I don't mind locking it using the handles so I don't need the buttons either.

I tried taking the fob apart but its designed so the battery doesn't power the system unless both top and bottom are connected. Does Nissan sell a slimmer version of the fob? Or has anyone managed to reduce or slim down the existing fob?

Thanks!
 
The only option I can think of is to carry the small key and lock the FOB in the car, in a tin or tinfoil-lined box. We do this to our Prius when going to the beach. Sure someone could break into your car and drive off with it but for that reason we kind of tuck the box in an inconspicuous area. I believe you need to put the FOB in a metal box because if the car detects the FOB it won't let you lock the doors, I believe thats the case, oh and you'd need to use the key to lock the door, IOW the outside or inside button couldn't be used to lock the doors.
I don't really care for Ford vehicles but they did get this right with their keypad you can lock the doors with, very handy for a day at the beach.
 
You may never need the physical key, but I strongly recommend you carry it. If the 12-volt battery fails or becomes discharged, you need the key to unlock the driver door so you can release the hood latch and connect a booster battery to start the Leaf.
 
Thank you for the suggestions. Keeping the physical key and putting the fob in a tin box sounds interesting, but it means I'd have to take a physical "thing" out every time I wanted to get into the Leaf and then put it back where I stashed it (probably in my wallet). I was hoping for a solution where I could just walk up to it and it unlocks, or allows me to unlock it.

I have a 3D printer so maybe I'll experiment with printing out a new plastic enclosure for the electronics in the fob. I'll bet I can get the fob thin enough to fit in my wallet.
 
TheSplash said:
I have a 3D printer so maybe I'll experiment with printing out a new plastic enclosure for the electronics in the fob. I'll bet I can get the fob thin enough to fit in my wallet.

I was thinking about this as well. If/when you take it apart again can you take some pictures of the circuit board? You'd just have to solder some wires to the circuit board and connect them up to a 3V battery (probably just the same one) and since you don't need the buttons or the key you should be able to make it super slim. Print a thin enclosure and you can keep it that way indefinitely.
 
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