XC90 - Brand new. Failure to start??!!

[Marmaduke]

I hope I've put this in the correct forum/sub forum. Apologies if not!

I picked up my new XC90 top of the range model on Monday. Today my wife and I were stranded in a supermarket car park as the car would not start. Infuriated (as you can imagine!) I called Volvo Assist. A chap arrived about half an hour later and it started first time for him He said he 'gets this a lot', i.e. that cars with electronic keys won't start if the key is in your pocket!!! My previous car was a Landrover Discovery which I had from new since 2016, and I always had the key in my right hand pocket.

Is it a 'feature' that the key to start the car needs to be in the front console? The online manual says it just needs to be in 'the front of the passenger cabin'. Or could it be that thre is something mechanically/electronically/digitally wrong do you think? I've sent a stringent email to the dealer in the meantime and will also be on the phone to them first thing Monday.

[Kugaman1]

Surely it would have come up with “key not detected” on the display if that was the reason?

[nu11eaf]

May not have pressed hard enough on the break pedal.

[Danny 1957]

Congratulations on your new car.
I have very occasionally had this happen to me if I have left the keys in my pockets or put them in to the centre consul that is between the front seats. Simply “showing” them to the dash board does the trick. My last car recognised the key no matter where they were in the car.
When it happens as said above you have the message.
To me this is more secure.

[sandys]

My key gets knocked out by my phone, I have to separate them, but typically if there is an issue due to things in your pocket/bag knocking stuff out putting the key in the cupholder should sort you out, that's where the backup reader is.

I guess it's related to the security updates to help mitigate relay theft so the key shuts itself off in some scenarios and its range is no longer half a mile like the old days (exaggeration but you know what I mean )

key can typically be anywhere but away from nearby car keys, metal objects and electronics

Hope you enjoy the car despite the glitch.

[Marmaduke]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions!

- “key not detected” on the display - no message shows.
- Press harder on brake pedal - tried that.
- more secure: that makes sense. Pity it doesn't mention that in the manual rather than simply saying the key needs to be in the front of the passenger cabin. Manual not being updated perhaps? Wouldn't be surprised...
- putting the key in the cupholder should sort you out, that's where the backup reader is. Thanks! And I'll keep my phone away!

It would have been nice if my dealer's 'induction' at handover had mentioned how sensitive/temperamental the ignition key is.

[Marmaduke]

I just found this buried in the online manual, indicating that the places where the key can be 'seen' are quite defined and small, otherwise there would be just one detector needed?
ScreenHunter 367.jpg

[MK09]

I’ve had this happen just once, when the car was only a few months old. Got out, locked the car, and it wouldn’t then let me unlock for about 30 seconds! The car then did let me back in, started first time, and 3 years on it’s never happened since. I put it down to a software ‘glitch’.

[Hadajag]

I put my key in the recess of the drivers door pull. Once I didn't and left it in coat pocket alongside foil wrapped chocolate bar, took me 10 mins to work out why it would not start.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by Marmaduke

I just found this buried in the online manual, indicating that the places where the key can be 'seen' are quite defined and small, otherwise there would be just one detector needed?

Those are simply the locations of the antennas; the actual detection areas are larger.

Multiple antennas are a security feature. The car determines where you are located so that, for example, a miscreant can't open the passenger door while you are standing at the driver's door. Likewise, you can only open the boot if you are actually standing <1 metre from it.