Atura key not found help!

[Nijj]

Trying to start the artura but it says key not found. Where is the receiver for the key - I’ve tried putting key next to starter button and bottom of steering column but no joy. Anything I can do?

[samoht]

I'm not sure about the Artura specifically, but on McLarens in general the 'correct' place to put the key is in the pouch along the front edge of the driver's seat.

[davek_964]

For older McLarens, some owners seemed to find the pocket at the front of the seat is a good location - if you have one.

Sure your remote battery is ok? The one time my 650 did it was due to that - I was away from home and it took me 20 mins to get the car to start

[samoht]

I guess you're away from home and don't have the other key with you?

This suggests the keyfob battery can be quickly drained if it's left anywhere in range of the car, causing this issue (as Dave says)
https://www.mclarenlife.com/threads/artura-key-fob...

[HJG]

Always keep a spare 2032 battery for the key in your wallet or in the car. Common issue.

[RBT0]

Just change the fob battery.

Never had an issue and always kept key in my pocket (600LT).

[Nijj]

So just an update:
AA came but as car was in a multi storey car park with restricted headroom, the van was not able to access the car park.
Then had to wait for an independent contractor to arrive in his focus van who disconnected main battery to “reset” the software but again no start.
I then suggested from this forum that the key fob battery be changed and luckily was able to get a battery from Asda. And it worked. He was amazed as he said the old one measured 2.8v and the new one was only 3.1v.

I’m home now in bed!
But suprised a less than 6 month old car should do this.

Thanks for the help guys

[Nijj]

[samoht]

I'm glad Dave's suggestion helped, and glad you got home in the end!

I agree I wouldn't expect a dead keyfob battery on a 6mo car either. From the link I posted above there is a suggested possible explanation:

Anurag said:

They said if I keep the key within 20ft of the car even with wall in between, it will keep communicating with the car and will drain. Dealer told me to keep it away or use a faraday pouch

[Frankychops]

I keep all car keys in this sort of RF-id wallet

https://www.amazon.com/rfid-key-pouch/s?k=rfid+key...

it totally kills the keys signal, means it can't be cloned and stops the car battery searching for or seeing the keys signals etc.

[supersport]

Assuming the batteries were new when I got my 720 it started doing this roughly 8 months after I got it. New batteries fixed it after a particularly frustrating day out.

It was suggested that they need regularly changing.

[12pack]

I once had an issue when playing outdoors in the winter, where the battery voltage likely dropped due being left out in zero degree weather. Once the fob warmed up, all was fine. I’ve kept the fob in my pocket for that situation ever since.

Was leaving the fob in the cold possible the cause for the OP?

[davek_964]

supersport said:

Assuming the batteries were new when I got my 720 it started doing this roughly 8 months after I got it. New batteries fixed it after a particularly frustrating day out.

It was suggested that they need regularly changing.

It's actually a service item in the annual McLaren service schedule I think. I suspect they charge more than Asda for the battery though.

[br d]

I've had this on a few different McLarens, changing the fob battery is the obvious fix but I've also got them working by fiddling with everything. Locking and unlocking, opening and closing everything. It could just be coincidence of course but that has got the car going a couple of times when I've been stuck away from civilisation.

[supersport]

davek_964 said:

supersport said:

Assuming the batteries were new when I got my 720 it started doing this roughly 8 months after I got it. New batteries fixed it after a particularly frustrating day out.

It was suggested that they need regularly changing.

It's actually a service item in the annual McLaren service schedule I think. I suspect they charge more than Asda for the battery though.

They do, they changed them on my last service and charged way more than what I paid for them. Although I had already changed the,, it’s stopped the odd mucking about since then. Maybe theirs are better.

I am also fairly convinced, maybe wrongly that sitting in the car for long enough for it to go to sleep, the dash to fold down, it’s more likely to not see the key.

[Digger]

Nijj said:

So just an update:
AA came but as car was in a multi storey car park with restricted headroom, the van was not able to access the car park.
Then had to wait for an independent contractor to arrive in his focus van who disconnected main battery to “reset” the software but again no start.
I then suggested from this forum that the key fob battery be changed and luckily was able to get a battery from Asda. And it worked. He was amazed as he said the old one measured 2.8v and the new one was only 3.1v.

I’m home now in bed!
But suprised a less than 6 month old car should do this.

Thanks for the help guys

When RAC came to help out my Griff - same height restriction issue, so the guy just deflated his tyres just enough & trundled his van down to the next level

[Econpro1]

I’ve currently got an Artura and experienced a similar issue with key not found. The dealer advised that the keys chew through battery’s so I keep the key in a pouch to kill the signal and keep a spare battery in the pouch/glovebox. Using the pouch I’ve found the battery lasted about 8 months.

[12pack]

Econpro1 said:

I’ve currently got an Artura and experienced a similar issue with key not found. The dealer advised that the keys chew through battery’s so I keep the key in a pouch to kill the signal and keep a spare battery in the pouch/glovebox. Using the pouch I’ve found the battery lasted about 8 months.

I don’t think keeping the fob in a (assumedly Faraday) pouch will change the parasitic draw on the battery by the signal the fob puts out…

[Frankychops]

12pack said:

Econpro1 said:

I’ve currently got an Artura and experienced a similar issue with key not found. The dealer advised that the keys chew through battery’s so I keep the key in a pouch to kill the signal and keep a spare battery in the pouch/glovebox. Using the pouch I’ve found the battery lasted about 8 months.

I don’t think keeping the fob in a (assumedly Faraday) pouch will change the parasitic draw on the battery by the signal the fob puts out…

it does as it stops the chit chat backwards and forwards from the car. Its an easy win which I linked above.