"Key Fob Has Left the Vehicle" in Jeep – What's This?

Among all the warning messages in your Jeep, the one that says "Key fob has left the vehicle" is pretty much the weirdest one. It's quite hard to understand what exactly your Jeep is trying to tell you with this error message.

Key fob has left the vehicle message highlights

• Common reasons:dead fob battery, bad antenna in your vehicle
• How to fix:replace the battery in the fob
• Possible consequences:car won't start, use the physical key to start it
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$1-$150

Of course, this message may only appear in vehicles with a keyless entry function and button engine start system. In this article, I'm going to give you several tips on how to deal with it.

Let's get started!

What to do immediately when you get this message?

You can get this message in one situation: at first, your Jeep recognized the key fob and let you start the engine and drive. But then, at a certain moment, the connection between the car and the fob broke. At this moment, the vehicle immediately showed you the message because it may have thought that you lost the key.

So, here's what you should immediately do when you see the "Key fob has left the vehicle" error message:

• stop the vehicle safely but don't turn the engine off because it may not start after that;
• make sure the key fob is there;
• once you know the key fob isn't lost, you may continue driving and reach your destination;
• the vehicle won't shut off or demand to stop immediately;
• after you reach the destination, shut off the engine and try starting it again to see if the problem is gone;
• if the problem persists, try changing the battery in the fob to see if this helps you solve the problem.

Going directly to the dealership is probably not the best idea. Mechanics can "invent" some problems and heroically solve them for several hundred dollars while the solution may be as easy as the key fob battery change or vehicle systems resetting. I will give you a wider outlook on what could happen with your Jeep and how you can deal with this.

But first, let me share my own experience on this message.

How this message saved me from serious problems

Once I was driving a 2014 Grand Cherokee that belonged to my company. I was driving from one city to another, approximately 300 miles. After driving about 100 miles, I stopped at a gas station to grab a coffee and walk a bit because my back started aching.

So, I grabbed a coffee and walked around the Jeep making pictures for one of my articles. And suddenly I noticed a piece of paint that came off the bumper. The key fob was in my hand and I put it on the bottom of the windshield to not forget it. After inspecting the chipped-off paint, I, of course, forgot about the key fob, got into the car, and started driving.

The key fob was recognized by the Grand Cherokee, so it started and I could drive. When I started driving, the fob slipped off the windshield and fell onto the ground. After several seconds, I got the "Key fob has left the vehicle" error message accompanied by the beep. Fortunately, I decided to stop and look for the fob. And I found it on the ground 20 feet from the place where I stopped.

So, this message actually saved my day. If I didn't pay attention to the message, I could have driven till the next stop and after that, I wouldn't be able to start the engine.

What are the possible reasons and fixes for this message?

1) Key fob battery

Replacing the key fob battery, which is the CR2032 in most cases, is the first recommended step. This will not hurt and will only cost you about $1.

2) 12V battery

When the car battery is low, it may start freaking out. One of the possible problems is the error message saying that you lost the key fob. Check the voltage of the car battery - it should be about 12.5 volts. If it's lower, you need to recharge it. After 4 or 5 years of use, the battery will need replacement.

3) Damaged key fob

One more possible reason is the damaged fob with bad contact on the chip. If the chip isn't powered by the battery, it will not be able to send the proper signal. You may easily check this by taking the spare key fob (but don't forget to insert the fresh battery in it).

4) Software issues

In this case, you will most likely need professional help. But you may also try disconnecting the car battery for several minutes to see if the software resets and works eventually. Sometimes, this will help you completely solve the problem.

5) Other issues with keyless entry and engine start

I've been told by a Jeep dealership mechanic that this message sometimes can be triggered by other problems with the entry system. For example, in Cherokees and Grand Cherokees, there was a common problem with the door handle keyless entry button that could fail because of excessive moisture. When it failed, the vehicle may have started showing the "Key fob has left the vehicle message.

Final thoughts

Although this is a really disturbing problem, you can usually solve it pretty easily. Make sure you haven't actually lost the key fob and then try changing the fob battery, checking the car battery, and resetting the entire car by disconnecting the 12V battery. These steps will help you solve the issue or at least make sure that you did everything you could before going to the dealer.

Also, if your car doesn't start and you see this message, you may press the engine-start button with the fob and it should start no matter what the problem is.