We had a nice time in Cape Cod last week but I was in a bit of panic the first day. My Cape routine is a predawn visit to the beach to watch the sunrise. I arrived just in time.
Sunrise – July 31st
I live in the hilly terrain of New Hampshire and it is treat to be in a place where I can actually see the first light of day. Each sunrise is different. The most dramatic ones occur when clouds are present. I took this photo at Coast Guard beach on July 31, 2023 at 05:29:23 seconds before the sun peaked over the horizon.
Panic
When I returned to the parking lot I was surprised that I couldn’t get into my car. I have the habit of approaching other white SUVs since they all look alike, so I checked. This was definitely my car. I could see my phone and other personal items inside.
Thankfully I had read enough of the owner’s manual to remember that the fob had a slot for a key. Once I got into the car, I was distressed to find that I couldn’t start the car. The console had the helpful message about placing the fob near the start button. When I did that I received the helpful message that the battery was low. In spite of decades of working with electronics I found myself in a parking lot at the beach with a dead remote. Thankfully there were just enough electrons left in the lithium to start the engine.
YouTube
On the drive back to the rental house, I ran through my options. This was my first experience with these fob devices. It looked like a sealed device and I thought I would spend my vacation week looking for a Toyota dealer. However there was no reason to panic. In five minutes my son found a YouTube video that showed me how to replace the battery. I gave it a “thumbs up”.
Lessons Learned
If you need to do repair something, check out YouTube. Also carry a spare CR2450, you never know when you may need it.
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Also, when pumping gas have your fob in your pocket. My Silverado locked itself while I pumped gas.
Once I had the fob in a backpack in the car and tried to lock the car. It beeped at me and wouldn’t let me do it. I was impressed with that bit of engineering. I have a plug-in hybrid and often try to drive away with it still plugged in. It won’t let me. Still I never had an issue with a keyed ignition, but remote controls and mobile phones are black magic.