Hi, John F wrote:
> No - they are normally sealed well enough to prevent that. > Just as well, too - the first week we had our new car my keys > ended up going through the washing machine. Lucky, lucky chap. I have one that hesitates if a cloud appears on the horizon. > So what's the technology in those, anyway? What's the power source? > Will the key eventually stop working (except as a purely mechanical key)? Either radio frequency or coded infra-red, although the latter does have difficulty in sunshine as owners of a certain marque can attest. Newer ones change the code every time they are used to stop our enterprising bandit community from "grabbing" the code and then opening your vehicle. Virtually all theft of modern (less than three years old) cars in the UK is by prior theft of the key - it is just about impossible to start them without it. Usually powered by lithium button cell. Replaceable, but guaranteed to fail just when that gang of muggers is almost upon you 8-) Cheers, mike
