If I wanted to stash my spare FOB in my cab what would be the better option?: Remove the battery from the FOB, or, put the FOB in a Faraday bag? Perhaps both? I appreciate any advice from someone with first hand experience with this issue. Many thanks...

 

Isn't there some button-push sequence that puts the remote to sleep? Trying to remember if that is Ford or Toyota.

 

I use a Lavazza espresso can as a faraday cage, seems to be the best. Oddly, a can of Hunt's tomato paste did not work. I used a smooth edge can opener so that I could re-use the lid and it does a good job. Nobody is going to suspect a can of ground espresso.

That's one thing I missed the most while owning a Chevy, it did not come with the keypad. A lot of times, I leave it at the airport while I am traveling somewhere. I hate the idea of losing my car keys whilst overseas.

Be forewarned: if you leave it for more than two weeks, it goes in a deep sleep mode and I do NOT know if the keypad still works. Maybe others have done it before?

 

If the question is how to make the truck lock with a fob in the cab: Simply close all doors and then push the bottom-two buttons on the driver's door keypad simultaneously (the truck will lock with an active fob inside).

If the object of the exercise is to have a long-term rarely used backup in the cab I'd pull the battery and stash the battery / fob in different places (just for 'better' security and to reduce battery discharge over time).

Remember, the truck can always be push-button started and driven even with a 'battery-less' fob by using the 'dead-fob-battery' socket as described in your Owner's Manual, so any fob left and found in the vehicle presents some increased theft risk if a window is broken, etc. (all bad-actors are stupid but they may knowledgeable about the workings of an F150).

 

I use a faraday bag that i hide somewhere in the truck when I am at softball tournaments and leave key in truck.. seems to work for me...

 

Thanks for all the advice! Another question if you don't mind: If I were to take the battery out of the FOB and store both the battery and FOB long-term somewhere on/in the vehicle, will a reboot or reprogramming be required for the FOB when I put its battery back in? Or, will the FOB begin working again like nothing happened?
Thanks again for the help. This new technology can be challenging!

 

^ This ^ (install the battery and it will work fine)

FYI the fob contains an RFID chip with the operational data in a non-volatile state (no power required to maintain the data); the battery is to power a tiny transmitter to give it some short 'range' for normal use, but is not necessary for the chip to be powered at all to do it's job when in very close proximity to a proper 'reading device' (that's why the fob will work when placed in the 'dead-fob-battery-socket').
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Sure, I 'lock my active fob' in my truck whenever I want to not carry the fob and I feel the truck is secure.

IMO the only reason to mess with battery removal is if you're talking about stashing a 'spare' key for long term that would be rarely (if ever) used (e.g when the daily-use fob in my pocket is lost) and that only because the battery is being depleted whenever installed in a fob.

Personally, I can't think of any scenario where I'd need a faraday bag since the truck can be told to 'ignore' any active fob with a simple button-push.

 

You are making it too complicated

I don't want to school you because I know you already know... but if you plan to leave the key in the vehicle permanently you are at higher risk of a theft. Without batteries, you have to unwrap the fob from the faraday bag or retried it even if just hidden then put the key in the slot meant to start the vehicle when the FOB battery has died.

Just leave the batteries in and get a faraday bag.

Use the touch pad with your favorite code to lock/unlock the doors when you leave and approach.

No need to continually pry open the shell to add the batteries each time you want to drive you truck and keeping it without batteries and forcing yourself to use the 'secret spot'. Also, don't think the thieves (that are after an F150) don't know how to start your truck if they find the FOB.

There have been two threads that I can recall that ended up in a stolen vehicle story because the OP has omitted to not wanting the hassle of carrying a FOB.
I have locked my FOB inside a number of times, but I haven't allowed myself to just leave the FOB in the $60,000 vehicle full time.

 

Once again...I appreciate and will utilize all the advice. Thank you.
Fiver, your responses are especially detailed and educational. A special thanks to you.
I don't want to drag this on, but I value the education, so please teach me this:
You mentioned above that "the truck can be told to 'ignore' any active fob with a simple button-push."
How do I do that? What button do I push?
Please let me know and thanks again...

 

I do that because I want the car to still ignore the key until it's retrieved, not when the car is opened.