
‘She Couldn't Even Get in Her Car:' Woman Goes Out With Friends. Then Someone Patrols the Parking Lot with a Key Fob Reader
'What just happened to me and my friends was insane,' says Jessica Hyde (@jessica.hyde2) in a recent TikTok.
Hyde explains that the incident occurred after she and her friends went out to dinner. When they returned to the parking lot, one of them couldn't get into her car.
Fortunately, Hyde knew a trick. She used it to open the door and decided to share it online. As of this writing, her video has received more than 1.7 million views, with users thanking her for the quick and practical hack.
What's the Hack?
If your car's key fob battery dies, you're not out of luck—you can still unlock and even start your vehicle.
Start by locating the physical key hidden inside the fob. Most have a button or sliding latch to release them. Use that key to manually open the driver's side door. According to Hyde, some cars have a small hidden notch under the door handle, accessible only with the physical key. The exact location varies, so look carefully.
Once inside, if your car uses a push-button start, she says to try this: Hold the dead fob against the start button while pressing the brake. This might be enough for your car to detect the fob and start. If it doesn't work, check your owner's manual or call roadside assistance or a locksmith.
But here's the catch: This maneuver could trigger your car alarm. (That's exactly what happened to Hyde's friend.)
Capital One
warns that some vehicles will sound the alarm unless the car is started within 10 seconds of mechanical-key entry.
To avoid causing a scene, consult your manual or look up your car model online. Some cars have a hidden override button, while others allow you to bypass the alarm by starting the engine quickly.
If your fob is completely dead and your car requires it to start, the good news is most models have a designated spot—often inside the center console or near the cupholders—where placing the fob will still allow you to press the ignition button and start the vehicle.
If your alarm goes off and you need to silence it, there's always the last resort: Open the hood and disconnect the car battery by removing the black (negative) cable from its terminal.
Did the Content Creator Narrowly Avoid a Scammer?
Part of why Hyde was so shaken by her friend's car trouble is that she believes they may have narrowly escaped a scammer.
After using the manual key to open her friend's car, Hyde says the alarm immediately went off, just as several police officers happened to be patrolling the restaurant parking lot. Naturally, they approached to investigate.
Hyde explained the situation. That's when she says an officer revealed a disturbing detail: Someone earlier had been seen tampering with a key fob reader.
'If your key fob is close enough to your car, they can copy your key fob encryption and get into your car and steal it,' Hyde warns.
How Serious is This?
In March,
Fox 29 Philadelphia
reported that three Hondas were stolen from residents' driveways overnight. They were all locked, with the fobs left safely inside the houses.
Police believe the thieves simply walked by the homes and used a wireless key-cloning device to scan for key fob signals. Once they intercepted the codes, it was a high-tech version of hot-wiring.
Most newer cars feature keyless or smart remote entry systems, allowing drivers to unlock or start the car just by having the fob nearby. But this convenience comes with risks. Police say thieves are using aftermarket scanners to detect signals, clone the fobs, and gain instant access.
In some cases, criminals are placing devices under dashboards to extract vehicle data and program it into blank key fobs.
The best defense is surprisingly simple: a steering wheel lock. Police note they are quite effective. Just seeing one can often scare thieves away.
Meanwhile, Upper Providence police advise residents to review their home surveillance footage for any suspicious activity.
Viewers Offer Tips to Keep Cars Secure
A steering wheel lock isn't the only method to protect your car and its fob from potential thieves. Viewers shared additional suggestions.
'You need a Faraday key fob protector,' one commented. 'Get a small Faraday bag to keep the fob inside when you're not using it,' another added.
They're referring to
Faraday bags
, signal-blocking pouches designed to block electromagnetic signals. By preventing the transmission of a key fob's signal, these bags help stop relay attacks, where thieves amplify and transmit the signal to unlock and steal a vehicle without touching the key.
Others used Hyde's story to express frustration with modern car technology and long for simpler times.
'As a tow truck driver, please bring back keys for the ignition,' one person wrote.
'I already dislike push to start,' another commented. 'This just makes me dislike it more. They need to revert to keys in the ignition for all, or at least give the option.'
'They need to bring back cars that use actual keys,' a third agreed.
Motor1
has contacted Hyde via TikTok for further comment.
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