As a new and ignorant owner, I picked up my Freelander yesterday complete with a flat spare key from the drawer it had sat in for 5 years. Not knowing any better I just started the engine yanked out the key and inserted the flat one,drove home about 120 miles ,now I don't even know which key is which! Brute force and ignorance has always worked on old Land Rovers,and on this showing,still does.

Are you saying you inserted a good fob, pressed start and it started, forcibly removed said fob, the engine still stayed ticking over, put in flat battery fob and drove home.

Oops

Well, there's a tip for those that want to start the car to warm it up and not leave the key fob in!!!

I did say I was ignorant. I didn't actually know that you are supposed to push the key in first to release it,so just pulled it out. In fact when I got home, I did it again. When my wife drove it for the first time,I mentioned to her that the key was a bit stiff to get out,she pointed out the error of my ways!
But as it seems to have saved a lot of grief with the flat key,and possibly could do the same for others, I'm now claiming it was an intentional experiment.

You can tape the lugs up and achieve the same, needs hefty tape as the device that holds the key in place is obviously made from sharks teeth, most tape will simply puncture, don't be tempted to use more tape as the fob is then too fat and will get jammed in place, I wonder how I discovered that

I have td4 GS 2007 - both my key fobs will work in the dash to start the car but wont unlock or lock the car - have resorted to using the key in the passenger door to get in !! does thi smean soemthing wrong with the car or just the batteries?
many thanks