That Clanking in the Clothes Drier...

[user 1096]

Last evening I tossed a load of wash into the clothes drier, fired it up and as I walked away, I heard a metallic clanking but figured it was just the metal buttons on my jeans. An hour later, I found my i3 key fob (and attached house key) lying in the drier drum. Oh well; I figured it was a goner, having been through the wash and low drier temps.

Curiosity got the best of me and I strolled outside and hit the Open button. And the car opened with all the usual after-dark fanfare. Then it locked with the familiar beep.

I'll have to see if the memory-function chip inside survived when I take it in for the fuel vapor sensor recall, but for the moment I'm traveling on a very clean fob and key ring. :lol:

 

[ted99]

Mee too. Really felt stupid. Took the battery out of the key and left it open on a window sill in the full sun for a day. Reinstalled the battery and tried it. Everything works. Service call yet to be done.

 

[i3an]

Your fobs are living on borrowed time, if my experience is any guide. I dropped a digital camera in the Amazon, recovered it half an hour later, took out the battery & memory, dried it as best I could and then filled it with raw rice (as a desiccant) and ziplocked it all, got it home a couple of weeks later, emptied out the rice, charged up the battery and it fired up just fine. However . . . some time later it conked out for good, I guess the rot had set in - you should get your fobs replaced before they too stop working.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I've had 50-50 results...over the last 10-years, one fob made it through the wash cycle, one failed in the wash cycle...in the process of dying, it started to lock/unlock/flash lights/honk horn on the vehicle until I could dig it out. It never did recover but I was able to use it by pressing it up against the sensor in the steering column to get to the dealership for a new one. They're not cheap...lesson, hopefully learned...check your pockets carefully when loading the washing machine!