No valet key, no problem: Key Blade Delete

[Mad Mac]

Back in the bad old days,
some vehicles had trunk and glove box keys
separate from the ignition and door keys.

Some vehicles had an ignition key
that unlocked the doors, trunk,
glove compartment and center console.
But those vehicles also had a second key, the valet key,
that only worked in the ignition and doors.
One could thereby keep stuff locked up
when using valet parking or a repair shop.

Maybe I missed it in the 500 page owners manual
but the Gladiator seems to have no way to do that.
So I made a "valet remote" by removing the flip key blade.
That takes care of the internal compartments;
glove box, center console and back seat locks.

To secure the truck bed with a bed cover,
one would have to disconnect
the tailgate remote lock somehow.
I don't have a bed cover,
so someone else will have to volunteer.

To make your remote a "valet remote"
pry open the case the way you would
to replace the battery.
Go ahead and remove the battery now.
It will make everything else much easier.

Take your 1.5 mm hex wrench
(good luck finding one)
and carefully remove the four
itty, bitty, teeny weenie hex screws.

The flip key spring and button
will lift the circuit board and try to escape.
Trap them so they don't fly under the recliner,
remove the key blade and set them aside.
I sealed mine in an envelope labeled accordingly
to save for future use if needed.

With the battery and key blade spring and button removed
the circuit board will be easy to fit in place
and screw down. Pop the battery back in.
Snap the back on, test it on the JT.

Put your key blade on your key ring.
Crack open a beer.

In the picture above the battery is still in. Don't do that.
The battery contact spring will fight you
when you try to screw the hex screws back in.
Take the battery out at the beginning.

There is another way one YouTuber did it.
He drifted the tiny roll pin out of the key blade
without having to take apart the fob.
And then drilled a hole in the key for a key ring.
I like my way better.

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[Hootbro]

I guess if you want to go cheap that works but Threedom makes it look a bunch cleaner and more OEM with their FOB cases and key holders they sell.

https://mythreedom.com/products/key_holder

https://mythreedom.com/pages/fobs

 

[sharpsicle]

Valet keys make sense. Valet fobs don't.

Why?

You could easily carry two keys on your key ring at all times. You can't easily carry two fobs with you at all times. Unless you are looking to carry the valet fob as your everyday fob, but then as @Hootbro mentioned there are options out there to reduce size and ditch the key at the same time.

Also, why the weird poem formatting? Makes it difficult to read.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I don’t routinely carry keys anymore. I have a small key ring in my console that includes the flip-key I removed from my fob right after I realized this problem. I bought my truck in 2019 and am shocked that Jeep hasn’t addressed this issue. When I need to, I lock what I need to and pocket the key. It goes back in the console when I unlock it. It works.

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

I skip valet if at all possible, which so far in my driving life it has been. Too many crazies in the world to have to add an extra stop running out of a building.

 

[dayusmc]

Where did you get that key cap? I looked on Threedoms website and don't see it. I need a couple of them!

 

[dayusmc]

Thank you. I just emailed them... Hopefully they have some left.

 

[KevinC]

Reading that felt like music lyrics from a 1980's hair band.

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