Smaller Key fob?

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

Does anyone know of any smaller key fobs on the market? Or any DIY / 3D Printed options?

All I need is the fob and maybe the unlock button, but I can live without that really. And I defiantly don't need the silly back-up key. That can stay at home in the safe or in my man purse

I've tried taking it apart but, the battery isn't connected directly to the circuit board. It's on the opposite side with a spring type metal connector that goes onto the circuit board:

The quick and dirty option would be to use electrical tape to tape the battery and it's connector bit directly onto the circuit board. But then I'd need to find a rigid plastic splashproof box / housing for it so it didn't get wet or any of the buttons pressed by accident.

Maybe I could ruse my iPad LiDAR thingy to scan it and see if I can have someone design a minimalist fob.

 

[Kithmo]

You could always leave the key at home and just use the iSmart app on your phone.

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

You could always leave the key at home and just use the iSmart app on your phone.

Doesn't work. Car's been in the garage 3 times and they still can't fix it.

 

[Martinonline]

Which garage do you take it to?

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

Eric Stead MG

 

[Martinonline]

Sorry to go off-thread a bit, and sorry if this is grandma's and sucking eggs, but do all the other functions from the app work? Remote opening, Bluetooth opening, heating etc?

Did they find out if it was the car or phone/app combination that caused the problem?

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

Sorry to go off-thread a bit, and sorry if this is grandma's and sucking eggs, but do all the other functions from the app work? Remote opening, Bluetooth opening, heating etc?

Did they find out if it was the car or phone/app combination that caused the problem?

Yeah, everything else works fine. I've done a hell of a lot of testing on it. E.G. phones of different makes models and OS. And I've been on to MG HQ and tried to troubleshoot it with them without success. Here the link to the keyless start thread where I posted a lot about all the steps I've gone through Keyless start? Anyone got it working?.

I don't mind not having the digital key functionality but the size of the key fob is an issue for me as I don't carry any keys (the house is keyless) and I don't carry a wallet (I use Google Pay). If I could make it smaller even without buttons that'd be fine. I'd always have the spare key fob at home and could catch a taxi to it if needed. And if I was making long trips I'd just pack the full key fob in my luggage.

I thought about leaving the key in a shielded case somewhere in the car and just using the remote lock and unlock but I believe that would void my insurance if anyone did nick the car.

 

[Martinonline]

Thanks for the info. My Trophy came from Eric Stead in April and the DK works fine. (Reported in the Bluetooth Help thread.) But I don't use it. I'll add a post to your keyless thread.

 

[Kithmo]

I just tried mine to see if it still works and couldn't remember where to find the digital key and it timed out after 120 seconds as I was looking for it.
Anyway I found the location of the key in My Profile (doh) and tried again.
I made sure Bluetooth was on on the phone, I walked up to the car and opened the MG app and let it do its scan. I then went into My Profile and Digital key. The app scanned for Bluetooth and connected so I unlocked the car, pressed start and opened the door. When I sat in, the screens booted up and when they had booted up I pressed the brake and it went into ready mode.
I followed exactly the same steps as you did in your other post @Yorkshire Hillbilly so it seems your car is just not recognising your phone for the starting procedure, definitely different to mine.
ISTR last time I tried it I sat in the car before I pressed the start button and got the digital key not present message but it fired up when I pressed the brake pedal, so either should work.

 

[PeteC]

You might want the back up key if your 12v battery ever goes flat! I found it handy when that happened to me and I needed to open the car to pop the bonnet.

 

[Archev]

You might want the back up key if your 12v battery ever goes flat! I found it handy when that happened to me and I needed to open the car to pop the bonnet.

YES !!! says the experienced chap here - couldn’t agree more. It’s a silly wee bit of metal but ohh my gosh - like a Spurtle to stir your porridge it’s the only tool for the job.

 

[STJ73]

I've not used the physical 'key' since I got the car in December and the Bluetooth key has worked every time ( it can be a little slow sometimes) my brother has a Tesla model Y performance and they don't have a physical 'key' at all ( the software is way better tho ) it's so much easier not having a bulky key in ya pocket!

 

[PeteC]

I've not used the physical 'key' since I got the car in December and the Bluetooth key has worked every time ( it can be a little slow sometimes) my brother has a Tesla model Y performance and they don't have a physical 'key' at all ( the software is way better tho ) it's so much easier not having a bulky key in ya pocket!

But I'm not sure that the Bluetooth key would work when the 12V battery is dead. My car was totally non responsive when it happened. I'd had my car nearly a year before I used the physical key and have not used it since, but I was very glad I had it when I did need it.

 

[Archev]

I've not used the physical 'key' since I got the car in December and the Bluetooth key has worked every time ( it can be a little slow sometimes) my brother has a Tesla model Y performance and they don't have a physical 'key' at all ( the software is way better tho ) it's so much easier not having a bulky key in ya pocket!

Hammer and chisel always available here at cheap hire rates

 

[STJ73]

But I'm not sure that the Bluetooth key would work when the 12V battery is dead. My car was totally non responsive when it happened. I'd had my car nearly a year before I used the physical key and have not used it since, but I was very glad I had it when I did need it.

Soon enough even MG will move away from a physical 'key' like a lot of other manufacturers. I agree it would be a pain if I can't drive the car because of the 12v battery. But I've got good breakdown cover and I have a key in my work desk and another in the house just incase it happens.

Hammer and chisel always available here at cheap hire rates

Lol

 

[Rolfe]

I just shove the key inside my bra when I'm getting dressed, and hey presto I never have to think about it again. Except it's not really practical than to use it to turn on the car lights remotely when going back to it after choir practice in a dark sky village. I just carry a small torch. Less worried about losing the torch than the key.

 

[Archev]

I just shove the key inside my bra when I'm getting dressed, and hey presto I never have to think about it again. Except it's not really practical than to use it to turn on the car lights remotely when going back to it after choir practice in a dark sky village. I just carry a small torch. Less worried about losing the torch than the key.

I won’t enquire where a lady carries her torch

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

You might want the back up key if your 12v battery ever goes flat! I found it handy when that happened to me and I needed to open the car to pop the bonnet.

If the car dies, I'll go home, get thr key and call MG Breakdown.

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

Maybe I could ruse my iPad LiDAR thingy to scan it and see if I can have someone design a minimalist fob.

That's a negative... the iPad LiDAR thingy doesn't give enough detail at close range. Or at least I couldn't get it to work.

 

[Rolfe]

I won’t enquire where a lady carries her torch

In her pocket, where it's accessible, natch!