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In almost 5 years I only had accidental pushes about 5 times. I usually carry it in my jeans watch pocket. Maybe I am just lucky.
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
It has for me, I wanted to make sure my hatch didn't open and crash into the garage door, so I needed to make sure that couldn't happen.
 
My sportage just starting doing this, guess I am going to have to lose a few pounds or get a cover for the fob.
 
I have the 2020 Kia Sorento, and it uses the common Kia key fob. I've only had the car a short time and I've lost count of how many times the alarm has gone off accidentally! It was getting really old, so I set about trying to fix it I'm guessing I'm not the only one that is super annoyed by this issue.

How many people here have had their panic alarm go off because they were working and leaned against something and pressed the alarm button? How about the hatch automatically raising in the garage and bashing the garage door? It's a mystery why the buttons on the new key fobs are so easy to activate, and it seems nobody has come up with a simple solution. I've had a few cars with the key fobs, but the Kia buttons are way more sensitive and easy to trigger.

To solve the problem, I bought a key fob jacket, but that just made the problem worse! The big wide buttons on the Kia key fob make it hard to make a cover that has recessed opens for the button to avoid accidental presses.

I did the requisite Internet search and found all sorts of people with the problem, but no good solutions. Many people said don't put the key fob in your pocket, sorry that's a non-starter with me! When I want to drive the car, I want to just hop in and drive away!

I'd like to make it difficult to press the buttons accidentally, but I don't want to lose the functions entirely, that makes it trickier. I did find one solution where someone put some small plastic rods on both sides of the button to prevent it from pressing, but that disabled the functions, not a solution for me. Obviously time to see what can be done.

As it turns out, it's simpler than I imagined. I took the key fob apart and popped the two problem buttons out. I deemed the lock and unlock buttons not to be a significant issue, the car is in a locked garage. However, the other two buttons are a problem. After examining the possibilities, the solution was pretty simple. I found a rubber "gripper" mat of the right thickness and cut a few small squares. I used a leather punch to put small holes into each square. I placed those little squares around the locating pins for the key and then snapped the key back into the cover. Reassemble the remote and the job is done. The keys have a nice resistance to activating, but still work when you want them to. WOW, that was easy!

I hope this fix inspires a few folks to solve this vexing issue.
:)

View attachment 116568

View attachment 116569
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How thick is the rubber material you used?
 
119318
My version.
I used a tough 3/16" rubber I had on hand, cut to size, placed with in the recess of the assembly, rather than underneath/behind as per the OP.
Hole was made with a stationary single hole punch.

It takes 5-6 times more force vs. the unmodified one. That's not instrument measured, but my estimate as per the pressure I must exert before the button is activated. In any case, I don't think I will have a problem ever again!
Amazing.
On my old fob, I had actually cut the panic button post off entirely rendering it impossible to use. This is a better solution for all the buttons.
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
How thick is the rubber material you used?
1/16" thickness was the material I used, that was "luck of the draw", it happened that's what I had.
I actually wanted the alarm and hatch buttons protected, those are the ones that are most problematic for me. If the hatch opens in the garage, it'll crash into the garage door, not something I want to happen! The alarm is just annoying, so it had to go as well. :)
 
1/16" thickness was the material I used, that was "luck of the draw", it happened that's what I had.
I actually wanted the alarm and hatch buttons protected, those are the ones that are most problematic for me. If the hatch opens in the garage, it'll crash into the garage door, not something I want to happen! The alarm is just annoying, so it had to go as well. :)
I used a piece of 3/16 myself when I did the modification last night, but my placement was different, working around the material I had.
Overall, this is a solid correction to the problem and I thank you for coming up with it and sharing.
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
The alarm has never gone off accidentally since I fixed the remotes. :) It would go off regularly before when I'd be working and moving around the workshop.
 
Since my wife uses a purse, so the leather pouch has worked for her. I think I'll be using this method to avoid extra bulk in my pockets as gunrunner has mentioned. I find lately I'm pushing the button more often. Pants are def getting tighter as I age through the pandemic.
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
It's called eating through the pandemic, not aging through the pandemic! :p:p The aging isn't making the pants tight! :D I'm very familiar with the issue. I was doing great losing weight before the pandemic, I've put back a third of the weight I so carefully lost in a few months! :(
 
The alarm has never gone off accidentally since I fixed the remotes. :) It would go off regularly before when I'd be working and moving around the workshop.
Similar. Last time this happed to me was a few weeks ago. I was under the vehicle installing a tow bar. I rolled a bit to reposition, on to the keys in my pocket, the panic alarm was triggered. Startled the daylights out of me!
 
Discussion starter · #35 ·
Mine usually went off when I was in my basement workshop and my wife would yell the car alarm is going off! :D Haven't heard that in months...
 
I have the 2020 Kia Sorento, and it uses the common Kia key fob. I've only had the car a short time and I've lost count of how many times the alarm has gone off accidentally! It was getting really old, so I set about trying to fix it I'm guessing I'm not the only one that is super annoyed by this issue. How many people here have had their panic alarm go off because they were working and leaned against something and pressed the alarm button? How about the hatch automatically raising in the garage and bashing the garage door? It's a mystery why the buttons on the new key fobs are so easy to activate, and it seems nobody has come up with a simple solution. I've had a few cars with the key fobs, but the Kia buttons are way more sensitive and easy to trigger. To solve the problem, I bought a key fob jacket, but that just made the problem worse! The big wide buttons on the Kia key fob make it hard to make a cover that has recessed opens for the button to avoid accidental presses. I did the requisite Internet search and found all sorts of people with the problem, but no good solutions. Many people said don't put the key fob in your pocket, sorry that's a non-starter with me! When I want to drive the car, I want to just hop in and drive away! I'd like to make it difficult to press the buttons accidentally, but I don't want to lose the functions entirely, that makes it trickier. I did find one solution where someone put some small plastic rods on both sides of the button to prevent it from pressing, but that disabled the functions, not a solution for me. Obviously time to see what can be done. As it turns out, it's simpler than I imagined. I took the key fob apart and popped the two problem buttons out. I deemed the lock and unlock buttons not to be a significant issue, the car is in a locked garage. However, the other two buttons are a problem. After examining the possibilities, the solution was pretty simple. I found a rubber "gripper" mat of the right thickness and cut a few small squares. I used a leather punch to put small holes into each square. I placed those little squares around the locating pins for the key and then snapped the key back into the cover. Reassemble the remote and the job is done. The keys have a nice resistance to activating, but still work when you want them to. WOW, that was easy! I hope this fix inspires a few folks to solve this vexing issue.:) View attachment 116568 View attachment 116569 .
just fyi I used pieces of a rubberband and that worked
 
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