Problem with 'valet' key

Horizon81

I've never known a valet key start the engine.

In my experience, the whole point of the valet key is that it opens the doors/glovebox (if it's a lockable glovebox) only. Most cars have an inbuilt immobiliser, which only engages once the a key is inserted in the ignition which has the immobiliser chip in it. From experience, valet keys don't have this chip, so you can turn the engine, but it won't engage the immobiliser so the car won't start.

Did the Valet key have the button it to open the door or did you have to put the key in the lock?

Fred_Bear_2

Horizon81 wrote: »

I've never known a valet key start the engine.

In my experience, the whole point of the valet key is that it opens the doors/glovebox (if it's a lockable glovebox) only...

Did the Valet key have the button it to open the door or did you have to put the key in the lock?

I must have opened the door using the button, put the keys in my pocket and then opened the rear tailgate and wheeled the chair up the ramp and strapped it in. Closed the tailgate, got back in the car, and without looking pulled the keys from my pocket and inserted in ignition.

This is what wikipedia says:

"Some cars come with an additional key known as a valet key that starts the ignition and opens the driver's side door, but prevents the valet from gaining access to valuables that are located in the trunk or the glove box."

Maybe this is a UK/US difference.

Hammyman

Horizon81 wrote: »

I've never known a valet key start the engine.

Makes it completely useless then. Valet as in PARKING VALET. Can't park a car if you can't start the engine.

Kilty_2

I've heard of this before but not on a Renault... and why did the hire company give you 2 keys? I've only ever been given 1 when hiring a car

davemorton

Had this on a honda I had. Definitely started the engine, but would not open the glove box.

Horizon81

Hammyman wrote: »

Makes it completely useless then. Valet as in PARKING VALET. Can't park a car if you can't start the engine.

Obnoxious! For a change

Cal it what you want - my dealer called it a Valet key when they supplied me with the car. It's a key with no immobiliser chip and it doesn't start the engine. It lets you get into the car and that's about it. Seeing as valet parking isn't really a UK thing perhaps we need to find another term for this particular type of key, clearly supplied by manufacturers like Renault and Toyota.

pendulum

Hammyman wrote: »

Makes it completely useless then. Valet as in PARKING VALET. Can't park a car if you can't start the engine.

No. It's handy if you park in a valet parking space (example: airport or other long term parking) and you'll be away for a few days. You can lock the car, they can unlock it to work on, then they can secure it again after they're finished, all without the possibility of it being taken for a joy ride. When cleaning, they can release the handbrake and push it forward for extra space if they need to. Some of these keys will also not unlock the glovebox / boot.

If you prefer the type of valet parking key that does start the engine, it gives the valetters more flexibility but the downside is they could take the car for a joy ride, so as you can see each type has pro's and con's.

And of course it's nothing new. My 98 car had it, and my dads 97 BMW also. In the case of the OP's post, the valet key was working how it was supposed to, and using the wrong key was entirely the OP's mistake unfortunately.

Kilty_2

I think someone needs to find a manual for the car and see what it says.

Sounds like the most pointless thing ever to me and again I'd question why the hire company bothered giving you both keys.

datostar

Kilty wrote: »

I've heard of this before but not on a Renault... and why did the hire company give you 2 keys? I've only ever been given 1 when hiring a car

I think most Renaults come with a keyless card system nowadays ('Hands-free' on some models/variants). Some have a 'Service' card which will lock everything but only allow unlocking the driver's door and starting the engine.

Kilty_2

But the OP couldn't start the engine....