Flip-key fob thread
 

I know some of y'all have probably already done this but I recently bought a nissan flip-key fob and I love it so far. Nice modern touch to my 7 year old car.

If anyone else has the flip key or someother different fob, please show it off.

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._8255856_n.jpg

For those interested in doing it themselves you can buy the fob off ebay and I just followed these instructions.

http://my350z.com/forum/audio-video-...-flip-key.html

IMO, gay

Why would you post this? :confused: If you don't like it so be it.

OP, how does it feel? I hope not too light and creaks every time you use it. I'd be interested in getting one too :D

is it water proof after you done that?

Because I can. It's looks all nice, but it sucks when it breaks because it sticks out like 4-5 inches.

i wanna see somebody do the push-button conversion :D

That's tight! it's really original for a Nissan/Infiniti product. I like it. Thanks for sharing.

i've been driving a couple mazda 6's with these type of keys and they're nice. I'll look into getting one in a few weeks prob. Thanks


Also, I like this idea because you can buy the ones without the panic button. I hate accidentally hitting that and flashing my HID's. woohoo!

Sticks out 4-5 inches? You are aware it is a "flip" key therefore the key "flips" out just like the volkswagon/audi keys? This combines your key and fob into one integrated unit that is only a bit bigger than the stock fob. I don't see any point where the fob could be vulnerable enough to break



Jasonmax-This fob is prolly as waterproof as your stock fob, or even more waterproof.

n3985- IMO this is one of the nicer flip-fobs on ebay. It's got a good feel to it and it does not feel any lighter than it should feel. Install is pretty simple. PM me if you are seriously interested and need some tips on putting it all together.

I had a rental mazda 6.. the key and the fact it had independent rear suspension..(?)

Decent car.. but it was slow :P

KP Electronics is still working on one. They have one that's plug/play for our cars, but a key is still required to turn the ignition cylinder. Once they find a way to bypass that, I'm in. (I've wanted to get one of the vent pieces with the extra hazard button and use it as a hidden start button. I bet there's a way to even stick an orange and green LED behind it so it blinks like the start button would.)

hey OP..wife got me the same FOB for christmas. my oem one is shot. i havent transferred the guts over yet-waiting to get the key cut but i like it. Even has the nissan hamburger in chrome on the back.

hows it feel in the ignition?

I really like that. My friend has a GTI and I always end up stealing her keyfob and playing with it, haha. I'll be ordering one soon.

So what you're telling me is that if you happen to lock your key in the car, you've also managed to lock your "backup" means of letting yourself back in on the wrong side of the doors as well. Now what?

That's exactly why I now intentionally keep my fobs on a separate ring from the keys. Not all new cars come with a valet key that you could keep on a separate ring as an alternative.


I guess it's enough "different" or has the "right image" to attract those who seek out high-tech solutions for their own sake and will do so in spite any obvious shortcomings.


Norm

It is almost impossible to lock your keys in your car when you are using the key fob to lock your doors. you would seriously have to be trying intentionally to do it. You can also get a spare key cut at any hardware store for like $2 that will open the doors/trunk but not start the car.

Most people have a spare set of keys they can do this with... then their main set of keys is their Backup. and who keeps their keyfobs on a seperate keyring as your keys?

Nice, thanks for the post. Definitely going to try this out.

Not everybody uses the fob as the 'normal' means of locking/unlocking the doors or trunk, and sometimes any one of us can get sufficiently distracted to screw something like this up. This may depend on previously ingrained habit as much as anything, but it still happens.

So you go ahead and get a second key to do what a separately ringed fob can already do.

Now you've got to carry one more thing around in your pocket (trust me, I know people who absolutely balk at doing that even while having done so would occasionally have saved them a AAA road service or locksmith call - and I'm not making this up).

Or you have to hope that it always happens at home (and that your house key isn't also locked inside the car).

I'm afraid that I can't see much functional benefit here, certainly nothing that would outweigh the potential downside. Then again, I'm an engineer and the idea of allowing a single failure (haste, habit, or carelessness, in this case) take out both the primary and the backup sounds a bit silly.


Norm

My maxima came with 2 regular keys w/ fobs and a valet key. Now if I use the chip out of the valet key and use 1 of the fobs, that still leaves me with...... 2 regular keys and 1 fob?

I even have pictures to show you..

These are how many working keys I have (Note the 1 normal key w/o fob)
http://i45.tinypic.com/s3d6bk.jpg

And this was all that was used to make the fob
http://i47.tinypic.com/9u97h2.jpg

Yes, I lose my valet key... but alternatively the 1 normal key w/o fob could theoretically become my 'valet key', but so far I have yet to use my valet key even when I valet my car. So far, it doesn't look like I have a shortage of keys to use. :goofy:

ok..got mine cut tonite-$3. works fine. cant test the actual keyless functionality yet as i have not put the new batt in the max :(. should work tho-this was a shell on ebay(i think-was in my stocking) so i had to swap my internals into it but fit is good.

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs234...._2424124_n.jpg

Well I guess it's a good thing I
-always use the fob to lock/unlock
-always leave my extra keys at home
-I never drive my parents around, therefore I would not lock someone out of my car that would not have access to my spare keys
-always ring my fob and my key together.....
-have yet to lock myself out of the car *knock on wood* Thank god the maxima is not one of those cars whose doorlocks auto-locks on their own.

therefore I deduct that I would be able to efficiently use this key...

but what do I know? Compared to your "Engineer" status... I'm just a "dumb" college kid.. right?

Awesome, I used the rubber buttons on the new one to give my buttons that new oem look since mine were worn out like yours, but I transferred the rest of the internals. As long as you put the transponder chip from one of your keys in there you'll be fine.

I've worked with some dumb engineers.....so...........

OK. Question. Can a place like Lowes or Home Depot cut the keys that are built onto the fob? Seems like waste of time and $20 if they F it up, too.

(Those all have the Nissan logo on the back, too, don't they. I can't find one with an infiniti logo.)

Let me guess . . . you aren't married or are under any pressure from somebody else to have separate, full key access to your car, are you? Trust me, being married changes a lot of things and this is just one of the little ones. Actually, that makes me wonder how the opinions on this topic are split with respect to being single vs married.

You will eventually lock yourself out of your car, your apartment/house, pretty much anything that can be locked up. When I was 18, I probably had the same confidence that you have now about not locking myself out of any of those places. 44 years later I know better, and I know I haven't seen the last incident where I've had to go to the backup yet. You can either take the benefit of my experiences, or take maybe 44 years of your own time to find out for yourself. Your choice.


Before anybody gets the idea that I'm anti-technology or anything, I'm not. As long as it makes sense. I actually do consider the fob itself as a pretty good idea. No scratches in the paint when you miss the keyslot (cars don't seem to come with those little protective rings around the keyslots any more). And you can start your car, lock it up with the (separate, obviously) fob and for a minute or two do a couple of last-minute things in the house while it's warming up. 50 mph or more on a dead-cold engine is not part of the recipe for your car having a long, trouble-free, low oil use life.



VQ - it may be dumb to lock yourself out of places (and you'll use that exact same word on yourself, along with some much more colorful language, when you do). But it's not dumb to anticipate the possibility of it happening and making sure that you do still have a backup. Seems a bit dumb not to . . .


Norm

I, too, bought this flip key from ebay and emailed ther seller when I received it b/c it has a Nissan logo. He said to mail it back if not happy with it b/c he doesn't have the Inifiniti logo. Mine is different than the OP's b/c it's for a 2001, I can't figure out how to transfer the electronics w/o modifying the inside of the new fob. I plan to try but haven't gotten around to it yet.

There is a company on ebay near the Jersey shore that can cut and program the key they sell. Final cost is about $110.

You have to take apart the fob and just take the actual "key" part out and get it cut. I took mine to a local locksmith and they typically do it for free if you just get it cut since they didn't sell you anything. I personally went to Home Depot to ask them to cut it and they told me they couldn't, but other people have told me that home depot was able to cut it for them.

I didn't lose my backup key though. I started with 3 keys and 2 fobs, and resulted in 3 keys and 2 fobs. The only thing is that 1 key and 1 fob have become the same unit. I really don't understand your logic since I have the same amount of keys as before and the same amount of fobs as before, I have lost nothing and only gained convenience. Many auto manufacturers today use a integrated key/fob i.e. Lexus, Volkswagon, Honda, Acura, etc...

Was yours a 3 button fob or a 4 button fob? My stock nissan fob was a 4-button so therefore I looked for the same 4-button fob on ebay that way I can just transfer the electrical board from the old fob to the new fob w/o having to program anything. You have to take the fob apart in order to make it work. You take it apart to 1) transfer the fob internals and 2) transfer the transponder chip......so that you don't have to spend alot of money getting it programmed.

yea i was thinking about getting another but whats this about the chip? im probably wrong but i swear somebody told me it was a moot point with these-how the hell do i swap the chip?

As long as you carry both the valet/fob combination and one of the primary keys with you, you're fine backup-wise. What's not clear is whether everybody has shown (or will exhibit) the same amount of foresight.

IIRC, some mfrs have recommended not hanging too many keys off the ring containing the ignition key. Apparently, there is some concern regarding durability of either the ignition lock or the key itself when there is a larger bending moment applied to the key than you'd normally have with the OE arrangement. The longer the lever arm from the keyslot to the ring, the fewer keys you should hang on that ring. Just a thought.


That doesn't mean that it's the best way to go, only that the right person/people got sold on the idea for whatever reason. Presenting an "upmarket image" would be my guess. Nonfunctional criteria drives design of item that only needs to function properly - what a concept (not).


But thanks for the heads-up.


Norm

roggeezy, I bought the remote for a 2001 Infiniti/Maxima, which is different than the OP's:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Foldi...m3ef62f8c65QQi
temZ270418283621QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ 5fAccessories

The battery fits as does this electrical board but the metal part with the prongs does not fit, w/o this piece the remote will not work. I may be able to modify the new fob so all the pieces fit. I emailed the seller and at his request sent photos of the problem. His response was to send it back for a refund. For $20 I'd rather try to make it work than send back to Hong Kong. I guess the 5.5 gen fob internals are different and easier to swap. Thanks for the help though.

Looks good but how long do they last? I wouldn't want to get stranded out in the middle of no where because of a bad chip. I wouldn't mind it though, less pocket weight.

Nothing like the older cars where I could break into the car in 5 seconds with a coat hanger, no need for a spare key(my old car is like this, I always kept a coat hanger strapped around the frame).

In your actual key there is a transponder chip, the car won't turn on w/o it. You just have to slice open your original key -> take out the chip -> and just superglue in the new one...they have a designated spot in the new fob for it.

I don't really see you getting stranded with it if you use the oem transponder chip.

It looks nice but I think I'd be pressing the lock or unlock buttons all the time while I was twisting the key to start the car.:confused:

ok, so got my new batt in and was able to test the fob-none of the buttons work. not sure the deal but ive got to buy another regular fob for now.

hi whats the ebay item number

i am in fact too lazy to read this entire post and see if this little gem has been brought to your attention: magnetic hide-a-keys! they are wonderful. ya hide em somewhere real weird under yer car and when you lock ur keys in your car, like everyone does at least once in their life no way around it, presto! key! i however keep a flat spare in my wallet an extra key at home and i can break into my car like nothin anyway.

real interesting i know

and i want a flip key fob deally but i want it to be brushed steel thatd look real nice. oh well