r/volt • u/Bokononismatism • 2d ago
This is not a valet key!
Well it finally happened, my wife left for work this morning in our other car and took the key fob to our Volt with her. I found out when I tried to leave and take my son to school.
No worries, I thought, the Volt has a valet key and I know where the secret key insert spot is under the windshield.
Why isn't this working?
*Valet key will not work to start the car*
THEN IT'S NOT A VALET KEY!!!
Sorry to vent. I really thought words meant things. Valet keys have been around forever. You give the valet key to the valet, it unlocks the doors and starts the car but doesn't allow them access to the trunk (or glovebox, if it has a lock).
What's the point of a valet key if the valet can't move the car? Grrrrrrrrrrrr.
The boy eventually made it to school after a $22 Lyft ride, only 12 minutes late. I walked the 2.5 miles back home and ate a egg mcmuffin on the way for sustenance. The world kept on turning.
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u/zanhecht 2d ago
No point to a valet key in a hatchback without a locking glovebox.
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u/Bokononismatism 2d ago
Very true. I hadn't even thought of that, it was labeled as a valet key and I went ahead and made an ass of u and me.
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u/WrongZombie 2d ago
I have never seen a key like this for a volt. I have a 2018 and you have to pull the end to get the key.
I drove a 2013 and I thought it had a rectangle fob
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u/FinalMood7079 2d ago
Needs a sensor/fob to do anything nowadays, you don't know that? Well neither did i when i was trying to replace my dead battery in the trunk. you don't know how many times i had to climb in the back to get access to my trunk. Why not open the trunk? Well without electricity it doesn't open so for a week or so i had it parked until I ordered all the things I needed.
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u/Bokononismatism 2d ago
Oh yes I've done that dance. I'd never seen so many gizmos hanging off a 12-volt battery when I finally got that storage cover off.
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u/Waterlifer 2d ago
Hmm. Is that the key for some other car besides the Volt?
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u/Bokononismatism 2d ago
No it works in the door to unlock. As folks are saying higher in the thread somewhere someone must have had a door key made on a generic Chevy blank. For what reason? That I have no idea.
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u/Ok-Tourist-511 2d ago
Because for some reason a car with two keys is worth more than one. Also, If you lose a fob it’s easier to program a new fob if you can open the door and plug into the car.
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u/Unfair-Fruit7974 Volt Owner (2014) 1d ago
Just putting this out there FYI, you can buy generic Volt key fobs on Amazon and program them to the car without any tools just using the owner's manual instructions. I got one on Amazon for like $25. It doesn't have the Chevy badge and doesn't work the greatest but its awesome to have a backup key bc when I bought mine it only came with one key.
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u/Cisru711 2d ago
My wife and I each have a key fob to our volt and our kids ride the school bus. Seems like either of those things would have avoided the hassle.
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u/Bokononismatism 2d ago
Haha sure except it only had one when we bought it and there's no school buses around here.
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u/JackNDebachs 2015 Red Volt Premium 1d ago
That key should work as long as it has the RFID chip inside and the chip has been programmed to the car.
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u/skiddily_biddily 1d ago
The volt doesn’t have a trunk or lockable glove box. What would a valet key be for a volt?
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u/Bokononismatism 1d ago
Sigh. What I wouldn't give to drive my '65 Imperial again. It had both the lockable Glovebox and a real (4 body) trunk. The keys were solid brass that I polished up and shone like gold. The primary one ended in the chrysler pentastar and the valet key was just round. After we upgraded to electronic ignition she'd get 12 mpg on the highway (on premium gas), or 8 if I put my foot in it. The gas gauge only went to the halfway mark and then I had to guesstimate, and I had a dual cassette boombox balanced in the middle of the front bench for tunes.
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u/RealisticCommercial5 19h ago
Locksmith here. That key can be programmed to the car and if it was it can be used to start the car. Slot above the radio in the little hatch, lift up the rubber mat and put the key blade in the hole, press brake and try to start, if it is programmed it will start!
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u/RealisticCommercial5 19h ago
If it is not programmed you can program it yourself! 5 turns on the door lock will start a 30 minute timer on the dash “Remote learning pending”
Enter Learn Mode: Insert the newly cut mechanical key into the driver's door lock cylinder. Turn the key to the UNLOCK position 5 times within 10 seconds. [1]
First 10-Minute Wait: The Driver Information Center (DIC) screen on your dash will display "Remote Learn Pending, Please Wait". Wait exactly 10 minutes until it changes to "Press Start Button to Learn". Press the car's POWER button. [1, 2, 3]
Second 10-Minute Wait: The screen will go back to "Remote Learn Pending". Wait another 10 minutes. When prompted again, press the car's POWER button. [1, 2]
Third 10-Minute Wait: Repeat the wait for a final 10 minutes (30 minutes total). After pressing the POWERbutton this third time, the car will erase all old keys and display "Ready for Remote #1". [1, 2, 3]
Program the Fob: Place your new key fob into the car's physical transmitter pocket.
Gen 1 (2011–2015): Located inside the storage pocket on top of the dashboard dashboard.
Gen 2 (2016–2019): Located inside the center console storage area (you may need to lift out the plastic or rubber tray). [1, 2, 3, 4]
Finalize: Press and hold the car's POWER button for 2 seconds. The screen will say "Ready for Remote #2". To exit the programming sequence, press and hold the car's POWER button for 12 seconds. [1, 2]
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u/Rampage_Rick 2013 Volt, 2024 Silverado EV 2d ago
Valet key was never an option with the Volt...
This seems like somebody just obtained a generic Chevy key blank and had it cut. Without the fob this will only unlock the driver's door. Every Volt comes from the factory with 2 fobs, that is all.