key fob, but did you know about the secret key inside of it? Or that you can roll your windows down with it? Discover all the tricks of your Ford key fob with this handy dandy guide.

Cars come with so many tech upgrades that it’s easy to overlook some of their most practical functions. Key fobs are useful for unlocking and locking your car—but there are so many more features to discover in that tiny remote.

If you want to learn all the tips and tricks of your Ford’s key fob, you came to the right place.

Jerry

, the car

super app

and

car insurance

broker, is laying out all of the essential functions you need to know.

What to do if your Ford key fob dies

What happens when your fob’s battery dies and you’re stuck outside of your car? If you don’t have a SecuriCode keypad, you might panic, but don’t

call AAA

just yet! You have a few options when it comes to getting back into your car and onto the road.

How to unlock your Ford after your key fob dies

The easiest way to unlock your Ford without a key fob is by using Ford’s SYNC Connect program and the FordPass app on your phone. If your Ford has SYNC Connect, just pair your phone and app with your car, and you can remotely unlock your car without a key fob. (This is only available for models made in or after 2016.)

If your Ford doesn’t have SYNC Connect, you’ll have to unlock your car manually with the key fob’s hidden key.

How to find the hidden key in your Ford key fob

On your key fob, there should be two small buttons on the sides near the keychain end. Press both at once. The Ford logo should raise slightly so that you can pop it off, revealing the analog key underneath. Pull out the key, then you can pop the horizontal end into the top of the T-shaped hole to give the key a firm handle. Use this key to unlock your car door. The keyhole is under a cap on the handle.

How to start a Ford when your key fob battery is dead

Once you’ve got access to the inside of your car, locate the mechanical slot on your steering column or in the center console. Then you can start the car by inserting the dead key fob as a key! The chip inside your key fob will be detected even with a dead battery, but you’ll want to head to a dealership to get your key fob battery replaced soon unless you want to replace it yourself!

MORE:

I locked my keys in the car—now what?

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How to enable Ford key fob tricks

Before you get started using your handy key fob and all of its tricks, you may need to program or reset your Ford fob.

Close all the doors, then open the driver’s door and push the unlock button on the door.

Insert the key into the ignition, switching from “off” to “run” eight times in ten seconds, making sure to end on “run”—but you don’t have to start the ignition. The door locks will cycle from locked to unlocked, entering programming mode.

Push any button on the key fob within eight seconds of the door locks cycling. They’ll cycle again to confirm programming mode.

When you’re done, turn off your car. Your door locks might cycle again to exit programming mode.

If you have more than one key fob to program, you’ll need to repeat this process for all of them.

Ford key fob basics: unlock, lock, and keyless entry

Ford key fobs come with all the essential locking and unlocking features you’re probably already aware of—but let’s go over them for good measure:

To unlock your Ford, press the unlock button. To unlock just the driver’s door, click it once. To unlock all doors, push the button twice within three seconds. Your lights will blink as the doors unlock.

To lock your Ford, simply push the lock button. Press it twice in three seconds to make sure all the doors are locked. You’ll hear the horn sound and see the lights flash to confirm everything is secure.

To use your key fob for keyless entry, make sure your key fob is within a 90-centimeter radius of your Ford, then just pull on a door handle and it will unlock automatically. To lock it, just touch the four-line symbol on the handle—or enter the car’s five-digit code if your Ford has a SecuriCode keypad.

How to start your Ford remotely

If your Ford is equipped with the remote start feature, you can start up your car from up to 300 feet away. Here are the details of how it works:

To start your Ford remotely, just press the lock button to lock the doors, then push the remote start button twice—all within three seconds.

The lights will flash before starting. On some models, a light on your key fob will indicate if the car started.

When you’re ready to drive, just insert the key and turn it to the start position. If your Ford has an intelligent access key and push-button start, just press the Start/Stop button while pushing the brake pedal to start driving.

If your Ford fails to start remotely, the horn will beep—unless you’ve enabled “quiet start,” which can be turned off or on in the information display. Depending on your settings, the car will run for either 5, 10, or 15 minutes before automatically shutting off if the car isn’t started.

To turn your Ford off remotely after starting, press the remote start button on your key fob once. However, you may need to be closer than 300 feet away to turn it off.

How to lower all your Ford’s windows from outside

This hack is in the owner’s manual, but it’s one of the more fun key fob tricks to know—especially if you need to ventilate your car before hopping into the suffocating heat during the summertime.

To roll down your Ford’s windows with the key fob, click the unlock button twice, then hold it down the third time. To roll them back up, do the same thing with the lock button. This will also open the sunroof.

How to open your Ford’s trunk remotely

Ford smart remotes come with a button specifically for opening up the trunk or liftgate. To do this, just double-click the button, and your trunk or liftgate should pop open.

If you have a Ford SUV with a power liftgate—like an

Escape

Expedition

—you can actually open the liftgate using your foot as long as your key fob is within three feet of your car. Just wave your leg under the bumper in the empty space to the left or right of the tow hitch—then do the same thing to close it.

MORE:

How to protect your car key fob from theft or damage

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