What happens when you remove the key from the key fob?

The answers to your questions may be found on this page from the owners manual. Leave the fob at home and just take the key. Alternatively, if it is imperative to have the fob, you could try using a RFID blocking pouch or container to see if that might “hide” the fob from the vehicle.

 

My Clarity won't let me lock the car with a fob inside. Are you hoping there's a menu option that lets you lock your Clarity with a fob inside?

 

The simplest thing to do is to remove the battery and hide fob and battery in different places.

 

For kicks, I just tried putting the fob into an EZ Pass read-prevention pouch (provided by EZ Pass to block their transponders). For those unfamiliar, this basically looks like a anti-static bag that electronics/computer parts often come in. In any event, this did not work; the car started fine and was ready to drive. So, it would take something more substantial than this to block the fob's signals.

 

A quick Google search reveals that Key Fob Signal Blockers are readily available. The Faraday Bag is one option.

 

Can you start the car using only key, no fob?

 

Apparently not. Good catch. I misinterpreted the wording in the manual which said “Use the “key” to turn on and off the power system” This refers to the “fob” which conflicts with my interpretation of a “key.

Here’s another page from the manual. Note the second paragraph. I just removed the key from the fob and placed the keyless fob under the hood, near the gasket just forward of the engine air intake. Closed the hood, locked the doors and waited for the security system light to blink. Unlocked the door with the fob-less key, tried unsuccessfully to power up the car, then popped the hood, which set off the alarm. Grabbed the fob and disabled the alarm.

You would have to endure the humiliation of setting off your own car alarm, but it does present a solution if the Faraday cage does not perform as advertised.