Your car keys’ hidden long-press feature is essential in summer

Did you know that your car keys have a hidden feature activated with a simple long press? During the hottest summer weather, it can be incredibly useful. Many car manufacturers offer it, so try it for yourself.

This feature is available on a great many vehicles, yet plenty of drivers are completely unaware that it exists. It could make life much easier during hot spells. It has been right in front of you all along – or, more precisely, in the palm of your hand, as it is operated directly from your keys.

If your car has keys that can unlock the doors remotely, you may be surprised to find that they have contained an unused feature from the very beginning.

What does a long press on your car keys do?

It is summer, the heat is intense and, unfortunately, your car is parked in direct sunlight. When you get back behind the wheel, the cabin will feel like an oven. This small trick using your keys can spare you that discomfort, or at least reduce it.

Be aware that this feature is not fitted to every current model. Some brands offer it as standard, including Volkswagen, Audi and Seat. Others, such as Peugeot and Renault, provide it only on selected models and/or require it to be enabled in the vehicle settings. With some manufacturers, however, this option is simply unavailable.

Many vehicles come with a feature called *Comfort Opening. The principle is straightforward: hold down the door-unlock button for two or three seconds and *all electric windows open at the same time.** This lets fresh air circulate through the cabin. The same applies when locking the car, which closes the windows. Thought your key was only for opening the doors? It is not.

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An overlooked car-key feature that is already essential in summer

This straightforward tip can make a major difference in summer by quickly cooling the cabin, where temperatures can rise above 50 degrees, especially if your car has leather seats. More surprisingly, it remains relatively unknown. We carried out a quick poll in the editorial team and not a single person knew about this manoeuvre. It is not a secret, merely something that is somewhat hidden.

Before trying it, one piece of advice: make sure you are close enough to the vehicle and point the remote towards it, as this function can sometimes have a shorter range than ordinary locking. Also bear in mind the downside: using this option slightly reduces your car’s security against break-in attempts, since it opens completely.