How to Keep Radio ON in Keyless Car? – Complete Guide

If you have the traditional key-car, you can smoothly turn on the car radio without turning on your vehicle. But, it’s a little different with keyless cars. In this article, we’ll tackle how to keep radio on in keyless car.

Keyless cars do not come with any key. Instead, they feature a remote and a push button to start or stop the engine.

They don’t have a separate switch to keep the vehicle in ON or Accessory mode.

So, how can you keep the radio on with a keyless car? Stay tuned.

You can keep the radio on in your keyless car by turning on Accessory mode. For keyless cars made before 2015, simply push the on/off button twice. If your car has a gated shifter, shift gears.

Following the steps below, you can enjoy music even when your car is off. But first, here’s everything you need to know about keeping the radio on in a keyless car

Can You Use the Radio Without Turning Your Car ON

Absolutely! You can use several methods to turn on the radio without turning on your car.

Unlike keyed cars, keyless cars have no controls to keep your vehicle in Accessory mode. So, the main thing to look out for is the model and make of your vehicle.

Keyless cars launched between 2012 and 2015 have a slightly different design to those made before 2011.

As such, the process of keeping the radio on when the car is off is a little different for newer models.

Things to Consider How to Keep Radio ON When Car is Off

Before we delve into the details of how to keep the radio on in a keyless car, here are a few things you should consider.

Not all push-button start or keyless cars are made the same. Expect a few variances when it comes to the steps to keep the radio on for your car.

1. Steps Differ Between Car Models

Different makes and models mean that there are a lot of ways you can turn on the radio in your car.

2. Accessory Mode

Putting your vehicle into accessory mode allows you to power up the dashboard and infotainment system. It pulls power from the batteries, and you’ll be able to turn on the radio while the engine remains off.

3. Transmission Type

Whether you have an automatic or a manual transmission car, the steps can be different for both.

Make sure that you find the type that you have so the removal and recovery won’t take a lot of time.

4. Drain your Batteries

Keeping your radio on whenever the car is off can affect the longevity of your batteries.

Although it won’t impact it in the short term, you’ll have to prepare to replace it much earlier than expected.

5. Fuel Consumption

Keeping your vehicle’s radio on while it’s off doesn’t affect fuel consumption. The engine is off, so it doesn’t use up fuel.

We can now look into the different ways to turn on and keep the radio on if you have a push-button start car.

Complete Steps How to Keep Radio ON in Keyless Car

At its core, keeping the radio in your car on even if the engine is switched off is simple.

All you need to do is put your car in accessory mode, and you’ll be able to turn on the radio and listen to it.

Accessory mode pulls power from your car’s battery instead of the engine.

Putting your vehicle into accessory mode provides enough power to turn on the radio and lights. You can also control some functions, but not all.

Now that you better understand your car’s accessory mode features let’s look at the different ways you can activate it for your car.

The steps are a bit different depending on when your car was manufactured.

How to Turn On Accessory Mode for Car Models Before 2011

The process is incredibly simple if you have a car with a key. All you need to do is insert the key into your car’s ignition, then turn it once until it clicks.

This will land you on accessory mode, and you can now turn on your car’s radio.

However, the challenge arises if you have a keyless or push-button start car.

You can’t insert the key or turn it into accessory mode. Instead, you only have that single button that turns your car on or off.

If you have a keyless or push-button start car that was built before 2011, you can still put it into accessory mode.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Press then release your foot from the brake pedal.
2. Press the Start button.
3. Wait for your car’s dashboard lights to illuminate.
4. Turn on your radio and start listening to it.

Note: If you want to switch off your radio, you can press the Start button again.

Turning On Accessory Mode for Car Models Between 2012 and 2015

Moving on to more recent times, cars that were made between 2012 and 2015 also came with keyless variants.

These models have a different system than their older counterparts, so putting your vehicle in accessory mode is also quite different.

An advantage of cars built in these years is that you can pull up a driveway, turn your car off, and leave the radio on.

It’s quite a convenient feature that should get you to enjoy listening to the radio without stressing your engine by turning it off, then on again.

If you have a car that was made between 2012 and 2015, here’s how to turn on accessory mode:

1. Press and release the brake pedal.
2. Pull or activate the handbrake, then shift your car to Park.
3. Press the brake pedal, and shift the car to Neutral.
4. Press the Start/Stop button and take your foot off the brakes.
5. Shift your car to Park.

Note: To turn off the radio, you must take your foot off the brake pedals.

For Models with a Gated Shifter

Not all keyless cars are automatic. There are some that come with a manual transmission.

If you have a gated shifter, the process of keeping your radio on while your engine is off is a little different.

Manual transmission cars have a reputation for being a little complicated. However, that’s not the case if you simply want to listen to your radio.

Here’s how to keep the radio on with the engine turned off:

1. While your car is on, put your car to Neutral.
2. Move the gear lever to the right.
3. Hold the gear lever while pressing the Start button to turn the engine off.
4. Once the engine is switched off, check that the radio is still on.
5. Let go of the gear lever once the radio is on and the engine is off.

Note: If you want to turn off the radio, press the Start button again to shut everything down.

Accessory Mode on Newer Model Cars (2015 and Up)

Cars that are made from 2015 come with a more digital system compared to older models.

So, they’re a bit more advanced and can alert you when you’re doing something wrong.

Even though the steps are going to be similar, it’s not prone to malfunctions.

Getting your car into accessory mode, it’s much more straightforward.

Here are the steps on how to do it:

1. After getting inside the car, press the Start button.
2. Wait for the dashboard to light up.
3. Your car should be in accessory mode.
4. To turn off your car, press the Start button again.

Tip: Don’t step on the brake pedal while you push the Start button as it will start the engine.

That’s it! Keeping your radio on in your push-button start car is that simple. It’s a matter of pressing the Start button and making sure you did not press the brake pedal.

If your car does not go into accessory mode, you’ll need to check the battery and have it replaced.

You can also contact your car’s manufacturer to get it serviced.

Read Next: Car Speakers Not Working But Subwoofer Is?

Bottom Line

How to keep the radio on in keyless car? Now that you know how to get it into accessory mode, you can listen to the radio even though you’re parked.

It’s a bit of entertainment so you don’t get bored if you’re waiting for someone.