I had a strange thing happen last weekend

[DukeCanBuildit]

Not that I didn't believe you, but you guys got me wondering if all the fobs took the same battery. I opened mine up and apparently the answer is NO:

It appears the Lariat fob uses a CR2450

The bunny tells me this is due to the extra capacity needed for devices that require a steady power supply. ? ?

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[RedlandRanger]

The bunny tells me this is due to the extra capacity needed for devices that require a steady power supply. ? ?

I"m guessing it is similar to the truck battery - the Lariat has a larger main battery too - more electronics and doo dads need more power.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

Today I put the key blade (with my other keys) on a clip in a special pocket in my pack so that if this happened again I could at least get in the truck and it should start by using the fob in the cup holder. I think I'm going to continue doing that going forward.

This all started a number of years ago with my old Ranger - I went on a hike and somewhere on the hike I lost the key. Fortunately, I had put one of those "hide a key" things underneath on the frame so we were able to go home. Since where I hike there is almost never anyone else there and typically there is no cell service I try and be especially careful.

Edit: I think I tested leaving the fob in the truck, thinking you could unlock the truck if it was in the console or something, but you can't - it is VERY directional it appears. If the fob is in the truck, you can't unlock it using the touch sensor. If you DID get in the truck however you would be able to start it up.

That's a bummer.

Perhaps a Faraday bag and tuck it under the rear seats? ? Or, annoying as it would be, remove the battery from the fob and leave it hidden in the truck in 2 seperate places...

Carrying the key blade is a good a solution... As long as you're not an ultralight freak. ?

As soon as you said you locked it in the hitch locker i knew it was because at some point you had lost your keys while hiking. Not gonna lie, that is beyond a doubt my biggest fear hiking and camping in the mountains. Getting locked out of the truck, or losing the keys...

One of the reasons I wanted the dealer to include, but not install a door code thing was so I wouldn't get locked out ever... But they didn't include it in the invoice and I didn't want to wait around for them to program it... My loss.

 

[RedlandRanger]

That's a bummer.

Perhaps a Faraday bag and tuck it under the rear seats? ? Or, annoying as it would be, remove the battery from the fob and leave it hidden in the truck in 2 seperate places...

Carrying the key blade is a good a solution... As long as you're not an ultralight freak. ?

As soon as you said you locked it in the hitch locker i knew it was because at some point you had lost your keys while hiking. Not gonna lie, that is beyond a doubt my biggest fear hiking and camping in the mountains. Getting locked out of the truck, or losing the keys...

One of the reasons I wanted the dealer to include, but not install a door code thing was so I wouldn't get locked out ever... But they didn't include it in the invoice and I didn't want to wait around for them to program it... My loss.

The hitch safe has worked really well for me for about 4 years now - until the battery on the fob starting getting weak. I actually considered the door buttons, but I didn't like the "stick on" look of them.

I'm not an ultralight for my day hikes - I carry WAY too much stuff - too many years in Boy Scouts - You know - Be Prepared.

My Plan B is always having my Garmin Communicator - if something REALLY goes sideways, I can always send out a message from anywhere to get help. I can send as many canned messages as I want for free (you get 3 of them) and my plan I can send up to 10 custom text messages a month with no additional charge. I normally never use any of the 10 - I almost always use the canned messages - I send one that says "I'm at the trailhead" so my wife knows I got to the trailhead safely, and I send a second one when I'm back at the truck so she knows I made it out of the woods. If I don't end up at home, she knows something happened on the way home. Again, probably overkill but for $12/month I consider it cheap insurance.

FYI, here is a 360 photo of where I ended up today - it was BEAUTIFUL - I was amazed I could still drive to almost 5000' on the 16th of December:

http://robshikingdiary.com/360Photos/2023/MtLowePano-Snow.html

 

[Burnt Money]

The hitch safe has worked really well for me for about 4 years now - until the battery on the fob starting getting weak. I actually considered the door buttons, but I didn't like the "stick on" look of them.

I'm not an ultralight for my day hikes - I carry WAY too much stuff - too many years in Boy Scouts - You know - Be Prepared.

My Plan B is always having my Garmin Communicator - if something REALLY goes sideways, I can always send out a message from anywhere to get help. I can send as many canned messages as I want for free (you get 3 of them) and my plan I can send up to 10 custom text messages a month with no additional charge. I normally never use any of the 10 - I almost always use the canned messages - I send one that says "I'm at the trailhead" so my wife knows I got to the trailhead safely, and I send a second one when I'm back at the truck so she knows I made it out of the woods. If I don't end up at home, she knows something happened on the way home. Again, probably overkill but for $12/month I consider it cheap insurance.

FYI, here is a 360 photo of where I ended up today - it was BEAUTIFUL - I was amazed I could still drive to almost 5000' on the 16th of December:

http://robshikingdiary.com/360Photos/2023/MtLowePano-Snow.html

That’s a beautiful picture! We only get snow once a decade or so. You can never have enough options when it comes to safety. You going hiking in the mountains is how I am going offshore fishing. Your on your own if stuff goes sideways.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

The hitch safe has worked really well for me for about 4 years now - until the battery on the fob starting getting weak. I actually considered the door buttons, but I didn't like the "stick on" look of them.

I'm not an ultralight for my day hikes - I carry WAY too much stuff - too many years in Boy Scouts - You know - Be Prepared.

My Plan B is always having my Garmin Communicator - if something REALLY goes sideways, I can always send out a message from anywhere to get help. I can send as many canned messages as I want for free (you get 3 of them) and my plan I can send up to 10 custom text messages a month with no additional charge. I normally never use any of the 10 - I almost always use the canned messages - I send one that says "I'm at the trailhead" so my wife knows I got to the trailhead safely, and I send a second one when I'm back at the truck so she knows I made it out of the woods. If I don't end up at home, she knows something happened on the way home. Again, probably overkill but for $12/month I consider it cheap insurance.

FYI, here is a 360 photo of where I ended up today - it was BEAUTIFUL - I was amazed I could still drive to almost 5000' on the 16th of December:

http://robshikingdiary.com/360Photos/2023/MtLowePano-Snow.html

Lol I was at rei looking at a larger day pack for myself... I also pack way to much - damn boy scouts is right - but I always tell my gf that I'd rather carry the camp stove and not need it, than need it and not have it...

And she got stranded on a lountain once when she was in her 20's and had to sleep on the side of the trail with no shelter or food...

But I am over doing it when I bring Rain coats, hats, gloves, socks, food (not jist snacks), water purification and a stove.... ?

Which in reach do you have? We've been knocking around getting one. I'm stuck between the in reach mini 2 and the little black box one...

 

[Jhbryaniv]

The hitch safe has worked really well for me for about 4 years now - until the battery on the fob starting getting weak. I actually considered the door buttons, but I didn't like the "stick on" look of them.

I'm not an ultralight for my day hikes - I carry WAY too much stuff - too many years in Boy Scouts - You know - Be Prepared.

My Plan B is always having my Garmin Communicator - if something REALLY goes sideways, I can always send out a message from anywhere to get help. I can send as many canned messages as I want for free (you get 3 of them) and my plan I can send up to 10 custom text messages a month with no additional charge. I normally never use any of the 10 - I almost always use the canned messages - I send one that says "I'm at the trailhead" so my wife knows I got to the trailhead safely, and I send a second one when I'm back at the truck so she knows I made it out of the woods. If I don't end up at home, she knows something happened on the way home. Again, probably overkill but for $12/month I consider it cheap insurance.

FYI, here is a 360 photo of where I ended up today - it was BEAUTIFUL - I was amazed I could still drive to almost 5000' on the 16th of December:

http://robshikingdiary.com/360Photos/2023/MtLowePano-Snow.html

Also, that is a gorgeous 360 shot.

Oregon has some beautiful places too. If it weren't, we'll, Oregon... ? ? ? Same with California and Washington state. ? ? ?

 

[RedlandRanger]

Lol I was at rei looking at a larger day pack for myself... I also pack way to much - damn boy scouts is right - but I always tell my gf that I'd rather carry the camp stove and not need it, than need it and not have it...

And she got stranded on a lountain once when she was in her 20's and had to sleep on the side of the trail with no shelter or food...

But I am over doing it when I bring Rain coats, hats, gloves, socks, food (not jist snacks), water purification and a stove.... ?

Which in reach do you have? We've been knocking around getting one. I'm stuck between the in reach mini 2 and the little black box one...

I always say that I could spend the night - I wouldn't be horribly comfortable but I would be able to survive the night with no problem. I've never needed it, but I do know a couple of people who have had to spend an unplanned night in the woods.

I have the big one - the Inreach Explorer + that has the GPS - but if I had it to do over again, I'd get the mini. The communications stuff on it work really well, but the GPS just plain sucks. I kind of figured it would be a backup, but I never use it because it just sucks. I used to have an old Garmin GPS (60csx) and loved it until phones got better and now I use my phone for my GPS - I can load whatever maps I want on it. The mini would be quite a bit smaller and lighter and do all the same things I use the explorer + for.

I think they are probably the best option right now - service plans aren't too bad and they work - the only issues I've ever had is sometimes it takes a while to send a message - but they do eventually go out.

Also, that is a gorgeous 360 shot.

Oregon has some beautiful places too. If it weren't, we'll, Oregon... ? ? ? Same with California and Washington state. ? ? ?

I understand - Oregon has its share of nuts.... but it isn't that hard to steer clear of them. Where I hike I almost never encounter another person.

That 360 was taken by my drone - it takes amazing 360 photos....

We should probably move this to the off topic forum - we've drifted a ways from the original topic.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

I always say that I could spend the night - I wouldn't be horribly comfortable but I would be able to survive the night with no problem. I've never needed it, but I do know a couple of people who have had to spend an unplanned night in the woods.

I have the big one - the Inreach Explorer + that has the GPS - but if I had it to do over again, I'd get the mini. The communications stuff on it work really well, but the GPS just plain sucks. I kind of figured it would be a backup, but I never use it because it just sucks. I used to have an old Garmin GPS (60csx) and loved it until phones got better and now I use my phone for my GPS - I can load whatever maps I want on it. The mini would be quite a bit smaller and lighter and do all the same things I use the explorer + for.

I think they are probably the best option right now - service plans aren't too bad and they work - the only issues I've ever had is sometimes it takes a while to send a message - but they do eventually go out.



I understand - Oregon has its share of nuts.... but it isn't that hard to steer clear of them. Where I hike I almost never encounter another person.

That 360 was taken by my drone - it takes amazing 360 photos....

We should probably move this to the off topic forum - we've drifted a ways from the original topic.

I bought a Garmin 66 something, it is a sweet unit, but I agree they aren't as easy to use as Gaia, trails offroad and even Google maps...

I'll probably wait until they go on sale again and scoop one up.

What's on topic? ?

 

[RedlandRanger]

That’s a beautiful picture! We only get snow once a decade or so. You can never have enough options when it comes to safety. You going hiking in the mountains is how I am going offshore fishing. Your on your own if stuff goes sideways.

Well, we don't get snow too often - this was taken over 4000' above where I live, about 50 miles from my house.

In a normal year, we might see snow once or twice and it is usually only a couple of inches. Every so often, we get "snowmageddon" when we get more than a couple of inches. I remember one year we got like 18" - that ground everything to a halt.

 

[TomSim]

Is sounds like the fob battery ws just too cold to fire at first. The button battery inside is replaceable and you're probably due for a new one. Not sure which fob you have, but isn't there an emergency key blade tucked in the fob?
You may want to have the truck battery load tested to see what condition it's in. Any big box automotive store will do this for free. If you replace the truck battery be sure to have the battery maintenance system reset.
As the OEM battery gets older, the BMS changes the rate of charge, and may over charge a new battery if not reset.

is it hard to reset the battery charging system after you instal a new battery

 

[SymChris]

I’m surprised if the fob battery is low/failing that you aren’t getting the warning alert on your dash on startup.

My Lariat is around the same age as yours, built January 2019, and I started to get this warning about 6 months ago. Changed the fob battery and all is good again.

 

[RedlandRanger]

I’m surprised if the fob battery is low/failing that you aren’t getting the warning alert on your dash on startup.

My Lariat is around the same age as yours, built January 2019, and I started to get this warning about 6 months ago. Changed the fob battery and all is good again.

I'm sure it was the cold that was the catalyst. When the fob is in my pocket it works fine. Being out in the cold for hours is what caused it. Either way, almost 5 years on the original battery is pretty good - I'm changing it out.

I'm about ready to take the same approach with the truck battery. I'm still on the original - I ended up taking advantage of the good good deal posted here a while back for a battery and have it sitting in my garage waiting to be installed. I think I'm going to do that soon

 

[RedlandRanger]

is it hard to reset the battery charging system after you instal a new battery

There is an option in Forscan to reset it, I believe. Other than that, I'm not aware of another way to reset it.

 

[Friday yet?]

Your on your own if stuff goes sideways.

+1
Some would say I carry way too much shit on my back/ in my pockets for hiking. Me? I say "I might need that."

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