I thought I would reach out to you guys about a problem a workmate has. She has a 2016 Acura RDX with smart key... she was walking towards the RDX and thinks she might have dropped her Driver 1 key while entering the vehicle.

The car however continues to start and would not lock with the driver 2 fob. So she and a group of us searched the car assuming the key was just dropped somewhere in the vehicle... couldn't find a thing. The dealer searched, pulled apart the interior / removed carpets... could not find it either.

Today we pulled the negative cable and pumped the brakes to see if we could reset the ECU... the only difference is that the driver 2 fob now locks the car from outside..... but if we walk away with the fob the car still starts.

So what is going on here, is the key possibly in the car even though we searched it like crazy... or is the smart key system malfunctioning?

Side question, why did we not need a radio code after we pulled the battery cable? The radio presets are also still there.

 

So to answer your first question, the key has to be somewhere near or in the car. Look again. If the second key is nowhere near the car and it's starting the key is somewhere there. It's too much of a coincidence that the car is starting AND she can't find the key. Look down between the driver seat and the console. The way the seat tracks are set up it could actually be under or between the track and the side of the hump. The same with the side nearest the door.

As far as your second question about the radio I'm going to have to go with RTFM on that one. I thought I read somewhere that you shouldn't need the code just hold the power button until it comes on but I can't be sure.

 

The key is almost certainly in the vehicle.

When starting the engine watch the infotainment system. It should say "Welcome Driver 1" or "Welcome Driver 2".

Try locking the doors with the button on the exterior handle. The doors will not lock if a key remains inside.

If she has memory seats, look at the lights on the door panel and see if driver #1 or driver #2 is illuminated in green.

And finally have alook at these older threads on the same topic CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE

 

Maybe in her........purse??????

 

 

What a PIA.

 

Update to this... key is still missing. Owner will likely have to pay to have the lost one deactivated and a new fob programmed.... for now she is just using the driver 2 fob. Hopefully someone doesn't drive her car away in the meantime. lol.

 

Pay a local high school kid to get in there and find the key. It is in there somewhere and deactivating it and buying a new fob is plain foolish.

Or, better yet, find a good detailer and get them to detail the interior and find the key. It could well be in the trunk too.