I guess most people don’t do this because they keep keys on their key fob. The point of a smart key is that you can keep it with you and not have to fiddle with it to operate your vehicle. If you keep it in the car then you still have to grab it when you get out somewhere and put it back when you get home.

Why not just grab it when you are leaving home rather than grab it when you are leaving the car? If you forget your key at home then your car won’t start. If you forget your key when you are out and about then your car is not only unlocked but ready to drive. I’m sure your insurance company would have some questions come claim time.


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I have a 2019 Highlander 2019 XLE and love the ride.
I realize that the advice given is not to leave the smart key in the car.
However, over the years I find just leaving the car keys inside the car when it is at home inside my own garage to be much easier.
Fewer things to remember are at my stage is a real positive.
I would be interested in the real downside of leaving the smart keys in the car overnight each day.
I usually use the car for some purpose every day.
How much does it really drain the battery? If it’s only loose change for a replacement battery every year or so, that might be worth it for me.
Might not even be that much.
Any thoughts on this or is there a serious issue that I have not considered?
Thanks.

Some people on some cars have reported problems with rapid battery failure when leaving the keyfob in the car. This could affect the keyfob battery or the car battery, but don't know specifically about whether this is a problem with Toyotas.

If you try it, let us know in a year what happened.

 

Friend with new Mazda...battery was always going dead. We live on a ferry-only island where nothing much happens & not a worry about keys in cars, theft-wise. I live in the woods after a half-mile lane, so I worry even less. I like to leave the key in the car, so if I come out in my work pants, no need to grab the key. However, I have an RFID pouch (couple bucks on Amazon). I always put it in there when leaving it in the car--no communication key to car. Test by touching the lock lines on the door handle.

If I go out, I have one of those camera wrist straps things on my belt. Has a clip on the end. Three seconds to clip it on, then I never have to worry about it falling out of my pocket when out and about. It's in my pocket, but secure on the strap. Back home, unclip, put in pouch, leave in car.

 

Also:

 

I have a 2019 Highlander 2019 XLE and love the ride.
I realize that the advice given is not to leave the smart key in the car.
However, over the years I find just leaving the car keys inside the car when it is at home inside my own garage to be much easier.
Fewer things to remember are at my stage is a real positive.
I would be interested in the real downside of leaving the smart keys in the car overnight each day.
I usually use the car for some purpose every day.
How much does it really drain the battery? If it’s only loose change for a replacement battery every year or so, that might be worth it for me.
Might not even be that much.
Any thoughts on this or is there a serious issue that I have not considered?
Thanks.

What's your address, because when I read this, I thought "Hey, Free Highlander!" Do you leave the front door on your house unlocked at night because you'll get the mail in the morning? Above everything, it's a security issue that is easily avoidable by making that simple extra step to avoid theft.

 

Back in the "insert a key to drive" days I always left the key in the ignition in my garage. Now with smart keys its more of a pain to leave the key in the car. I put it in the same drawer in my kitchen every day so I can find it every time. My wife on the other hand :smh: I have to look all though the house and through 5 diff coats purses etc. to find the key to either vehicle after she drives them lol..I also live in the woods, and have left the key in the car outside overnight a few times by accident..half my house doors are unlocked most of the time as well..but like I said, I'm in the woods and not many people even know my house exists.. plus, locks only keep honest people out.. If they want in, they will get in. My bro had someone BREAK though his unlocked man door once...yes, they didn't even check if it was locked before breaking though it..

 

I have a 2019 Highlander 2019 XLE and love the ride.
I realize that the advice given is not to leave the smart key in the car.
However, over the years I find just leaving the car keys inside the car when it is at home inside my own garage to be much easier.
Fewer things to remember are at my stage is a real positive.
I would be interested in the real downside of leaving the smart keys in the car overnight each day.
I usually use the car for some purpose every day.
How much does it really drain the battery? If it’s only loose change for a replacement battery every year or so, that might be worth it for me.
Might not even be that much.
Any thoughts on this or is there a serious issue that I have not considered?
Thanks.

Wife leaves keys inside her everyday bag when we park inside our garage at night. Never had issues in 6 years we've lived here.

 

Dear Rualnys:
Thank you.
That was just the kind of response I was interested in.
I also some data on Faraday pouches/wallets from a company called Silent Pocket, and I am going to do some research on this item.
Once again, thanks.

 

Leaving keys in your car, in the garage, puts it at risk of theft. That happened in our community a few years ago. Someone broke into a garage and stole the car, because they could.

 

My wife has left her keys inside of her BMW X5 overnight to find that the car wouldn't start in the morning. This is because her car sends power to the electronics as soon as the key is detected which in turn puts a small but significant load on the electrical system. Having said that I don't think our highlanders do this. The only thing I know gets powered based on proximity with the car off is the puddle lights on the mirrors. I have a platinum so I'm not even sure if other trims have these lights.

 

For me this falls into the category of just because you can doesn't mean you should. Keeping the key/fob away from the vehicle when it's not in use is a common sense security measure.

Easy process as well, when I leave the house I put the fob in my pocket, when I get back home I take it out. Not a lot to remember.

 

Even nice neighborhoods get robbed like this. Friend of mine was staying at his parents house over the weekend while they were out of town since he was doing some contractor work in that area...
Long story short he woke up at 3 am or so with a group of young men rifling through his car which he had left unlocked.

Luckily he didn't leave the key inside but they did grab the keys to his fathers minivan and who knows what else. Be smart lock your stuff or don't complain when someone that one unlikely time DOES decide to make you a victim.

He's lucky they ran away when they realized someone was at home.

 

Why not do what I did and make yourself a wallet key? I used to keep the key in my wallet and I never left it in the car. It was always with me.

I am looking at a new highlander and will do the same with that one

 

I have a 2019 Highlander 2019 XLE and love the ride.
I realize that the advice given is not to leave the smart key in the car.
However, over the years I find just leaving the car keys inside the car when it is at home inside my own garage to be much easier.
Fewer things to remember are at my stage is a real positive.
I would be interested in the real downside of leaving the smart keys in the car overnight each day.
I usually use the car for some purpose every day.
How much does it really drain the battery? If it’s only loose change for a replacement battery every year or so, that might be worth it for me.
Might not even be that much.
Any thoughts on this or is there a serious issue that I have not considered?
Thanks.

We have a 2013 Sienna and had a recurring problem of the vehicle battery being dead. Toyota replaced the battery but the problem continued. It turned out my wife hung her purse containing the smart key in our mudroom you enter from the garage. We moved her purse (and the key) to the front hall closet and the dead battery problem was solved. Keeping the smart key in the vehicle could result in a depleted or dead battery.

 

Thanks for that insight-- I appreciate it!

 

There is also a section in our owner's manual called "Key Battery Depletion" shows things not to do to avoid premature deterioration such as keeping our key/fob at lease 3-ft away of a cell phone or cordless phone charger and etc...

 

I second the "Credit Card Smart Key" Refereed to as the wallet key here.

I love being able to go anywhere i need just having phone in one pocket and a Nomatic minimalis wallet with any cards i need and the credit card shape key wedged behind everything since you never need to take it out.

There's plenty of info on here on this forum on buying an unregistered lexus credit card smart key and pair it.

Worth every penny!!!