Expert reveals ingenious way to start your car with a dead key fob: 'And just like that, your car is back on'

An Elmhurst BMW employee proved that a driver could start their vehicle with a dead key fob - and gave a helpful demonstration to his social media followers. 

Sam Herrera showed TikTok users how to start up a BMW with a dead key fob in a video this month.

Herrera stuck the key fob onto the steering wheel, pressed its key icon, put his foot on the brake, and hit the vehicle's start button.

He noted that this method is worth remembering not only for the dead key fob, but also if the vehicle can't read the battery. 

The Illinois car dealership's viral video has received nearly 400,000 views and quickly became its most-watched TikTok.  

Key fobs are electronic devices that allow someone to control a car without using actual keys.

These tiny devices have become more common in modern vehicles.

Back in 2019, Jessica Caldwell from Edmunds said that the key fob trend was 'obviously going to continue' after 91 percent available vehicles that year had keyless ignitions, according to CNBC.

'Most consumers who buy new cars or even those who purchase recently used vehicles, chances are they’ll be using some sort of push-button, keyless-entry system,' Caldwell added.

Today, BMWs usually come with two key fobs, and some offer a digital key, which allows someone to unlock their car with a phone.

A regular key fob can usually operate for four to six years, and smart key fobs typically last for two to three years.

Factors like poor signal strength, delays in locking and unlocking a vehicle, and needing multiple clicks are things to look out for when questioning a key fob battery.

BMW drivers who are looking to save money can replace a dying key fob battery from home.

To replace a BMW key fob battery, the driver must hold its button at the base and slide out its internal key blade.

They then must find a hole near the edge of the key fob and use that to remove its backplate.  

Depending on the key fob's size, vehicle owners would either need a CR2450 or CR2032 battery to make it work.

Once the new battery is in and the backplate and internal key blade are back in place, the key fob for BMW drivers should work perfectly. 

Some TikTok users were grateful for Herrera's tip, but several commenters insisted it would not work.

'I have a Jeep grand Cherokee. If the battery is dead, the door won’t open,' wrote a commenter.

Another person wrote: 'The sensor is in different areas on many cars. This won't help with a dead battery though.'

Other TikTokers spoke negatively about key fobs, and were thankful to drive vehicles that don't come with them.

'This is just another example of manufacturers adding too much electronic crap on vehicles. I have no problem inserting a key,' one person wrote.