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A mechanic is warning drivers of something they should “never” do with their car keys
TikTok user Ipswitchcitymech drew more than 558,000 views on a video in which the Australian creator warned that drivers should never put their keys on the phone charger in the center console of their vehicle.
“Quick public service announcement for anybody out there with the newer cars where they have the chargers in their center consoles,” she said.
“Please do not put your key anywhere near that.”
‘Destroys the key’
According to the mechanic, the chargers can destroy the key.
“When I say ‘destroy the key,’ I mean completely stop it from working,” she added.
“Cannot fix it. You have to replace it.”
The specialist added that Toyota Prados seem to be the most common offenders.
“So if you own a Toyota Prado…” she said, trailing off and shaking her key at the camera.
‘Waste of a good idea’
TikTok contributors had plenty of thoughts on the problem, as well as plenty of questions, amid more than 300 comments.
“Can we just go back to using an actual key to start the car in the steering column,” one driver wondered, to which the poster enthusiastically replied that she agrees.
“I turned mine off,” another commenter added.
“It didn’t actually charge my phone, so it seemed like a waste of a good idea.”
An individual was baffled why the issue would ever come up: “I don’t understand why people have these keys out of a pocket or purse. Mine never leaves my purse ever.”
Several folks noted that the problem could likely be turned off.
“I’m sure the charger has to be on for that to happen,” one offered, “I never have mine on because the charger is junk.”
Elsewhere, “Does it still happen if I’ve disabled the charger,” another pundit asked.
“We’ve not heard if that is fact or not yet,” the original poster replied, adding, “Don’t think anyone wants to actually test it!”
More Car Keys Coverage
Newsweek has covered multiple stories featuring car keys in the past.
A woman on TikTok panicked when she realized she locked her keys in the car with her baby.
A hiker captured the moment he dropped his car keys, which he only realized when he returned to his car.
Finally, analysis in 2025 showed how profitable the global market for biometric car keys has become in recent years.
Newsweek has reached out to Ipswitchcitymech for comment via TikTok.
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