Dropped the Car Key

[hmason]

Ok, maybe not a boating issue but it might help you someday.

My wife was going up the ramp from the dock, tripped, grabbed for the railing, saved herself but the car key in her hand did an Olympic dive for the water. It was on one of those float things. It was a remote key fob and it was hanging from the float. Although the float was on the surface, the key was hanging from it completely submerged in salt water.

I went to the boat, got the boat hook and fished it out. It was submerged for about 3 minutes. I shook it dry as I could and then tried it. It was totally brain dead as expected. Here's what I did, with low expectations but it worked!

1. Remove battery and dry the key as thoroughly as possible by shaking and wiping with paper towel. Discard the battery.
2. Place the key on top of a cable TV box (which is warm) and leave it there for 2 or 3 days.
3. Thoroughly spray the key with Corrosion-X or the like getting the spray into all the crevices you can.
4. Dry thoroughly after 10 minutes by shaking and paper towel.
5. Place it back on the cable box for a day or so.
6. Install a new battery
7. Try using the key.
8. If it doesn't work, go to the internet and search programming the key for your car's year and model. Follow the programming instructions carefully.

My key works perfectly again! YMMV

 

[Crusty Chief]

Prior planning by adding the float saved you a bigger headache. We do this now also.
You got lucky with the fob. Thanks for the hint.

 

[Ski in NC]

On my VW, I swamped a key and after recovery and drying, the fob buttons were dead dead dead. Too wet and for too long. But the key itself still worked fine to open the door and start the engine.

 

[hmason]

On my VW, I swamped a key and after recovery and drying, the fob buttons were dead dead dead. Too wet and for too long. But the key itself still worked fine to open the door and start the engine.

Interesting as mine is a VW too. Try giving a good soak with an anti corrosion spray then try the technique above. You might revive it. I did need to reprogram but that's easy.

 

[tadhana]

What we do in cases like that is to wash the device with freshwater to get the salt out of it and then flood it with rubbing alcohol. That helps get the water to evaporate quickly. then low heat for a few hours and spray with CRC 656 or equivalent. Have saved a few marine starters and alternators with this approach. Won't save a smart phone though.

 

[THD]

Nowadays, you need to do whatever you can to recover the key fob. The old days of getting a new key made for like $5 are long over. The fob for our Passat is something like $169!

 

[hmason]

If you belong to AAA, there is a well kept secret; they will reimburse up to $100 towards the purchase of a replacement key. Used it once when I deep sixed a BMW key--$265!

 

[what_barnacles]

folks down from us use a leaf catcher for a pool. I guess when you drop a pair of $600 sunglasses you get inventive.

 

[CPseudonym]

If you belong to AAA, there is a well kept secret; they will reimburse up to $100 towards the purchase of a replacement key. Used it once when I deep sixed a BMW key--$265!

Thanks for the heads up. I'm filing that information away for possible future use. $179 spent on my wife's replacement fob key.

 

[BruceK]

Since the day I dropped my car keys down the gap between elevator car and floor,to the bottom of the elevator shaft, I never cross water or any other risk area with keys, or anything else of value, in hand. They go in a pocket. The elevator mechanic call out fee to retrieve them was $300, over 10 years ago.

 

[rwidman]

Since the day I dropped my car keys down the gap between elevator car and floor,to the bottom of the elevator shaft, I never cross water or any other risk area with keys, or anything else of value, in hand. They go in a pocket. The elevator mechanic call out fee to retrieve them was $300, over 10 years ago.

That's the best plan and one I try to follow. I hate when my wife tries to hand me something when I'm on the dock and she's on the boat or vice versa.

 

[dhays]

A couple weeks ago my son dropped my truck keys in the aft cockpit. He didn't think much of it until he watched them slide across the cockpit, through the scupper, and into the water. Yeah, the fob is not the expensive part. The chipped key is problem.

 

[Pack Mule]

Well my scuppers work .Today I was twisting my wedding ring because it was tight on my finger . I pulled it off my finger and dropped it . It was out the scupper in two seconds. I've had it for 44 years .

 

[Robin]

Mine fell off a couple of times after being put on a diuretic BP pill. I bought a useful thing called a rin wrapper that covers it, protects it and prevents my losing it again which would sadden me dearly.( I bought the clear one)

Ring Wrapper - The World's Best Ring Protector

 

[kthoennes]

Huh. Around the boat or doing yard work I usually take mine off so I don't scratch it, or have it slide off if my hands are wet, or snag it when I'm wedging my hands into tight spots around the engines. Safety thing.

 

[FlyWright]

 

[Simi 60]

Ok, maybe not a boating issue but it might help you someday.

It was a sign.
Your boat is telling you that don't need a car when you live (for real) on a boat.

 

[BandB]

Well my scuppers work .Today I was twisting my wedding ring because it was tight on my finger . I pulled it off my finger and dropped it . It was out the scupper in two seconds. I've had it for 44 years .

I find that heartbreaking. So sorry for you.

 

[CDreamer]

Ugh Pack Mule...
That kind of thing is real sad. Sorry it happened.

 

[BandB]

Well my scuppers work .Today I was twisting my wedding ring because it was tight on my finger . I pulled it off my finger and dropped it . It was out the scupper in two seconds. I've had it for 44 years .

Any chance of a diver finding it where it happened?

 

[Xsbank]

Before you drop your car fob overboard, take it apart and spray the interior bits with conformal coating. I do that for all my led bulbs that I use outside too. Waterproofs/corrosion proofs the circuits. Only takes a few minutes to dry.

 

[BruceK]

Sorry Pack Mule. This won`t help you but may help someone else. Recently someone dropped a pair(well, one really)of vice grips in the water at the marina. Another neighbour went to his boat and returned with a large powerful magnet on a line. Down it went, up it came, with the vise grips(I`m having $1 each way on the spelling). A very useful device.

 

[gaston]

Whenever we went for a photographic diving secion we would always take a liter of white spirits and a container. If our so called water proof camera case leaked we were able to salvage the camera by shaking off excess water then dunk soak the whole camera in the container of white spirits this dispersed all the sea water and the camera quickly dried to live another day.
I have used this method on keys several times and its works . Theirs no use having keys in your pocket if you go in with your keys no me lol

 

[OldDan1943]

Well my scuppers work .Today I was twisting my wedding ring because it was tight on my finger . I pulled it off my finger and dropped it . It was out the scupper in two seconds. I've had it for 44 years .

I do hope your wife witnessed this 'falling'.

 

[tadhana]

I can only imagine how awful that feels. While it is hard to build any sentiment around a piece of rubber, my wife and I switched to silicone wedding rings after about a year of full time cruising. Too many chances for it to come off when handling wet lines, or damag it while servicing batteries or working on the engine.

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: I don't even want to think about losing my ring or hubby losing his. We've talked about it though. We decided we would wear then on the boat and anywhere we were. What's the point of having them if not to wear? They mean a lot to us. They are insured though and we do have detailed photos plus our jeweler knows exactly how they're made and what it would take to duplicate them. So, if it does happen, we'll replace them with exact replicas. Will it be the same? I don't know how it would feel, but best we could do. Just can't imagine not wearing them though for fear of losing or damage. I'll always remember the day we bought them. Feelings that day I never imagined before. Sanity would say we spent too much too, but the meaning is priceless. They're just so us too and I've never seen others just like them although I know they exist. Blue is the big difference, blue the color of our eyes. I know it's the love and not the rings and ultimately it would all be fine. Just the immediate feeling would suck big time.

 

[Xsbank]

I used to fly floatplanes and abandoned my ring when I witnessed a fellow pilot stumble on a float, grab at a strut for assistance and peel his finger off like a banana skin. Rings have no place around machinery. Its a symbol, truly, but its in your head not on your finger.

 

[OldDan1943]

I know a man who was working on a tractor, caught the ring, took his finger off along with the ring. Not much later, his wife left him. I have no idea if the two were related.

 

[Pack Mule]

I had it resized a year ago so I could start wearing it again.I never wear it at work because of wood working machinery .

 

[BandB]

I had it resized a year ago so I could start wearing it again.I never wear it at work because of wood working machinery .

There are a lot of jobs that it's a danger to wear one. I knew someone years ago in such a job, but his wife insisted. His employer finally told him either work without the ring or lose the job. His wife actually came in and yelled and screamed at the employer until he made her look at a picture he'd blown up on his computer. She went from yelling to crying and apologizing fast.