Message in dash should come up

 

It sounds like your valet button is stuck - use a small screwdriver or credit card to free it until it pops back out.

 

 

 

It pings (noise) when depressed. It it is enabled, you cannot release (open) trunk with the button inside car.
John

 

This old string came up as a related string to the secret compartment thread. So it remains a mystery of this weird factory key design. The valet key suggests Jaguar owners should allow a high school age part-time stranger who never before drove anything faster than a go-cart to experience real acceleration. Many years ago a valet at the Hyatt Regency Columbus drove my Infiniti Q45 into a concrete pylon causing $2500 in body work. So I was convinced of the inherent stupidity of paying for valet parking.

All I got with my XK8 was one real key and one valet key. Much to my delight the valet key is easily filed down (very soft metal) to match the profile of a real key. Now I have two master keys and post the before and after pics here of this simple 10 minute job.

Before, valet key at bottom.

After, using a hand file both keys fully functional

 

Unless these are random pictures from the internet, edit your post and TAKE THOSE PICTURES DOWN, or at least blur the part with the cuts.

A 10 minute education is all it takes to read up on the logic of an 8-cut tibbe key. With a picture, anyone can order a copy of this key...

 

They'd also have to find the car, so it's not that big a risk!

 

At least we can narrow it down to places named Columbus! Start with Ohio?

 

I agree on the valet function itself, mine are all disconnected after 'knee push' became a constant irritant (never remembered exactly how to 'unvalet'). Now, I only open the trunk and gas cover with my knee.

On the other hand, having worked as a valet at an expensive restaurant aged 20, I disagree about the typical experience level. For example, when the 911 pulled up, I had just parked a Ferrari and a couple of Jags, Corvettes, Cadillacs and/or the occasional Pontiac station wagon with real fake wood. Since there were generally three/four of us for banquets, we parked and unparked 30-50 crappy to expensive to vastly expensive cars each per night, more for larger banquets.

So, very rapidly, you have the world's most experienced drivers at driving two blocks with a variety of shifters/sensitivity/controls. And when the entrance door was out of sight, the world's most abrupt acceleration/deceleration profile for that last block, especially in the Pontiac fake woody. Poor girl had likely never seen full engagement of the accelerator or brakes.

Beyond experience, however, good judgement was questionable.

 

I'm sure we've all seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off, so know what really happens at valet parking!

 

Thanks for this. Taking pictures down is not a simple replacement; we lose our ability to edit our own posts after a short time. I thus post a blurred image with this reply per the helpful suggestion of fmertz.

before and after valet key

 

If somebody had copied your key from the original pic they would need to find your car, not an easy prospect, if they did so they could open the door but not
start the engine because the key is not coded to the car. I wouldn't lose sleep.

 

^^^^^^ +1

For pros, the days of hot wiring a car to steal it are over, these days professional car thieves will pull your car up on a flatbed and drive away

or

if the car merits special attention, they will pull it inside an enclosed trailer. Alarm going off ? No matter, a car alarm blaring garners zero attention.

if you want the car back, a hidden GPS transmitter with its own power supply is de rigueur. Otherwise, a good insurance policy is our only resort.

Z

 

Yes very good posts. I am in the habit of never locking my car and leaving my key in the ignition because 1-It is always there and I never lose it, 2-I am always insured for more than I paid for the vehicle.

 

You might want to check with your insurance carrier. They might have a different view of this practice.
Dennis

 

in many states leaving a key in the ignition (of a car that is subsequently stolen) is a criminal misdemeanor, but not a felonious, offense.


Z

 

Mind blowing but Z is right!!!