Gary Varga (9/26/2016)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (9/26/2016)
...I especially hate the newer keyless entry that doesn't have a backup. When there's an issue with electronics, I can't open some doors. That seems fundamentally unsafe.Are you sure that there isn't a hidden backup? My wife's keyless car actually has a key hidden in the fob. You have to dismantle the fob but it is there.
That only works on the driver's door. At least in multiple models.
On our Prius, if you lose power, you cannot open the rear hatch, at least not without disassembling a panel. Guess where the battery is? Inside the hatch compartment. There are terminals in the front engine compartment, but if you happen to park in a garage, head first, as most people do, you cannot get jumper cables to reach. At least in the Prius, you can open the passenger door without power.
In BMWs, you can open the driver door, but without power, or with a failed actuator, you cannot open the other doors. I cannot believe this is a safe condition for the car.