Are our keys waterproof?

I’m going to be driving my new-to-me ’06 LGT down to the coast to do some surfing, and I’m trying to figure out what to do with my key. My wetsuit has one of those zipper pockets with webbing for car keys, so I would normally use that, but i know these keys have the anti-theft/engine immobilizer chip embedded in them. As such, is it safe to put these keys in saltwater? If not, what do you fellow surfers and ocean goers do with your keys when you're in the water? Thanks for any advice on this.

Cheers,

 

Brock

IMO no

 

But you can be the guinie pig. Let us know how it turns out.

 

Hint, if you have to ask, it's probably not a good idea.

 

I think some of us have washed our's but the salt water...think about it.

 

Don't you have a valay (sp) key?

IMO no

 

But you can be the guinie pig. Let us know how it turns out.

 

Hint, if you have to ask, it's probably not a good idea.

 

I think some of us have washed our's but the salt water...think about it.

 

Don't you have a valay (sp) key?

Exactly, take your valet key with you. It communicates with the immobilizer, but doesn't have all of the electronics in it that the keyless entry keys have.

 

If Subaru didn't cut every option and feature when they brought this car here, you could have just locked your keys in the car and used the keyless entry through the door handle, but they hate the US market, clearly.

Exactly, take your valet key with you. It communicates with the immobilizer, but doesn't have all of the electronics in it that the keyless entry keys have.

 

If Subaru didn't cut every option and feature when they brought this car here, you could have just locked your keys in the car and used the keyless entry through the door handle, but they hate the US market, clearly.

 

Ok, thanks guys. So here's perhaps a dumb question: if the valet key, which i do have, is still able to communicate with the immobilizer, would it not still have some sort of electronic part embedded in it and, as such, still be as susceptible to water damage as would the regular, non-valet key? FYI i'm not sure if my normal keys are the same as those for your 2008 spec.B, RJS5689, but i don't have any actual buttons on my keys, and instead have a separate remote fob for the keyless entry.

 

Thanks again,

 

Brock

if you can't find your valet key you could always just use a small ziplock bag to seal it and then place it in the wetsuit pocket.

 

or if you want, you can get those magnet boxes that you can put on your car with the key in it and carry nothing with you

mine is i accidently sebd it in the waser machie nd it cam out fine!

Leave them with the car...

 

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+accessories/exterior+accessories/hitch+safe.do

 

Kind of cool gadget (to me).

if you can't find your valet key you could always just use a small ziplock bag to seal it and then place it in the wetsuit pocket.

 

or if you want, you can get those magnet boxes that you can put on your car with the key in it and carry nothing with you

 

yup, I thought about the ziplock bag solution - only issue is that i can't then attach the key in the sealed bag to the webbing attached to my wetsuit. i've managed to convince myself that if the key is not firmly attached to my suit, a crazy 20' wave will magically materialize (note the waves i surf are rarely over 5') , and it's force will open the zipper and the bag will fly out. Yeah, i'm a little bit OCD about this

I lost mine in a snow storm and found it a couple of days later in the plow pile in my parking lot. Granted it probably wasn't completely submerged but it still worked after that. Remote and all.

with regards to the chip, it's embedded inside the plastic portion on the head of the key. so i wouldn't really worry about it getting wet and "damaged"

Leave them with the car...

 

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+accessories/exterior+accessories/hitch+safe.do

 

Kind of cool gadget (to me).

 

that is really cool, but i don't have a trailer hitch, unfortunately

I lost mine in a snow storm and found it a couple of days later in the plow pile in my parking lot. Granted it probably wasn't completely submerged but it still worked after that. Remote and all.

 

Haha - lucky find! and good to hear it still worked.

 

 

with regards to the chip, it's embedded inside the plastic portion on the head of the key. so i wouldn't really worry about it getting wet and "damaged"

 

Yeah, that obviously makes sense. i think i'm worried about nothing, then. If it's embedded in plastic, then i'm guessing it really should be fine.

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

 

Brock

Haha - lucky find! and good to hear it still worked.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, that obviously makes sense. i think i'm worried about nothing, then. If it's embedded in plastic, then i'm guessing it really should be fine.

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

 

Brock

I should have looked to see you have a pre-2008 key. Take the actual key with you and leave the keyless entry behind. I would think that's a safe idea.

Go to the hardware store and have a regular old non-immobilizer key cut. Put this key in your wetsuit. Since the new key doesn't have the immobilizer, it won't start you car, but you can use it to manually unlock the door. Store the real key inside the car in a safe location..

my brother went fishing in some cheap waders, started leaking , the keys got soaked keyless stopped working for my bro's 01 RS. oopz.

Immobilizer key WITHOUT keyless entry built onto it is FULLY WATERPROOF

 

 

 

Even if the RFID chip wasn't coated in plastic, which it is, it is a passive circuit and won't be damaged by water

Ok, so there are some conflicting suggestions: noted, the immobilizer key without built in fob is/could be fully waterproof. However the safest, most fool proof solution seems to be to just get a basic key cut at a hardware store, and keep the real key w/immobilizer in a secure location somewhere in the car. I think i'll go that route. THanks again everyone.

 

Brock

 

p.s. @mwiener2, i just checked out your mod list - that is one sick ride!

the key SHOULD be fine. the remote will not be

Go to the hardware store and have a regular old non-immobilizer key cut. Put this key in your wetsuit. Since the new key doesn't have the immobilizer, it won't start you car, but you can use it to manually unlock the door. Store the real key inside the car in a safe location..

+1 I always do this with my car. I PT and I hate having a ring of keys on me. I just throw the keys in the arm rest(so they aren't visible) and lock the door from the outside(so I don't accidentally lock myself out) its 1$ and smaller than a regular key.

quick update: i had a regular, non-immobilizer key cut on friday, and put that key in my wetsuit, and kept the regular key in a secure place within the car, and it worked like a charm.

 

Thanks again everyone,

 

Brock

I dropped my keys in the toilet (pre-piss thank God!) and the wireless and the key were submerged. I pulled them out, disinfected them and dried them, the keyless and key worked fine.

I go surfing with my key all the time. You should be fine.

I dropped my keys in the toilet (pre-piss thank God!) and the wireless and the key were submerged. I pulled them out, disinfected them and dried them, the keyless and key worked fine.

 

I bet there's a fecal colony all up in theres.

I've waded both fresh and salt water with my keys. The key and the keyless entry fob are both quite waterproof. No undue effects.

The key fob is at best splash resistant. You just got lucky.