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Well I've never started a car to warm it up and then walked away with the key in my pocket before, because no other car I've owned since antiquity would allow me to do that.
My 91 Wrangler does. Hell, I can even start it with the key from my other 91 Wrangler.
If you want to get technical, the tumblers are all worn out in the ignition, but I can still do it.
I suspect it is that way because it's cheaper than ways that are more user-friendly. Definitely no good reason to allow it to drive several miles with no fob, methinks. Not sure how it should work, but it should be able to detect at least once it's a small distance away . . .
Remote start systems for decades have had cutoffs where the car would shut itself off if you took it out of park (or in the case of a stick shift, disengaged the e-brake) without the key in it, as a theft-prevention measure. I don't see why the proximity-key systems couldn't or wouldn't have a similar cutoff feature. Maybe some or most do; unfortunately mine doesn't.
Last edited by Drover; 01-05-2014 at 12:15 AM..
Reason: missed a woyd
Remote start systems for decades have had cutoffs where the car would shut itself off if you took it out of park (or in the case of a stick shift, disengaged the e-brake) without the key in it, as a theft-prevention measure. I don't see why the proximity-key systems couldn't or wouldn't have a similar cutoff feature. Maybe some or most do; unfortunately mine doesn't.
Hm. I never had my own remote start. I would guess though that those systems could use an actual electrical circuit detection that determines the ignition switch is not in the "on" position like it normally would be with the key present. The proximity key can't do that because there is no similar circuit. That said, the car clearly has SOME way of detecting the proximity of the fob and SHOULD use that when detecting a shift out of park or even just movement of the gas pedal (surely these all have drive by wire now).
I'm trying to remember what happened when I had a Nissan rental and it was cold one morning a few years ago. I'm guessing I started up the car early but I might not have. Also I remember idling in front of a place waiting for it to open, and might have gone up to the building's door with the car running and the keys in my pocket.
If I remember correctly I've had rental Nissans, GMs and Toyotas with their versions of a proximity key. But I don't think I've ever inadvertently tested attempting to drive off without the key in the car. Maybe I'll have to try it on purpose next time. (My latest rental was not actually a proximity key, it just had the remote start but with a regular key.
Here's a funny anecdote for you (hope I didn't already post it): Several months ago my mother got a new Camry with the proximity key. She told me at one point not long after that she couldn't ever get the trunk to lock, even after manually using the lock button on the fob or the doors. I laughed and said you have to test the trunk without the key fob in your hand/pocket. Later when I was with them I actually helped them figure out the distance. It allowed me to open the trunk with the button on the trunk lid while the fob was maybe 15 or 20 feet away, something like that. That's why the fob being in the house could be an issue, although it's possible the proximity measures are different for starting vs opening the doors.
Hm. I never had my own remote start. I would guess though that those systems could use an actual electrical circuit detection that determines the ignition switch is not in the "on" position like it normally would be with the key present. The proximity key can't do that because there is no similar circuit. That said, the car clearly has SOME way of detecting the proximity of the fob and SHOULD use that when detecting a shift out of park or even just movement of the gas pedal (surely these all have drive by wire now).
Well, the concern with cutting the ignition based on movement of the gas pedal is suppose the proximity key battery dies (or the car can't detect the key for some other reason) while you're booking down the interstate at 70mph. You don't want your car to just die because it can't detect the key any more. But I can't think of a reason why a stationary car shouldn't have a cutoff if you take it out of park without the key.
Well, the concern with cutting the ignition based on movement of the gas pedal is suppose the proximity key battery dies (or the car can't detect the key for some other reason) while you're booking down the interstate at 70mph. You don't want your car to just die because it can't detect the key any more. But I can't think of a reason why a stationary car shouldn't have a cutoff if you take it out of park without the key.
The battery has no relation to key detection, it is for operation of the power locks/trunk/remote start only. Key detection by the cars computer works just fine with no battery in the fob.
For me, the push start comes with the luxury of not needing to take my keys out of my pocket. Doesn't sound like much, but in the winter time, when wearing a heavy coat or gloves, it really comes in handy. Walk up to car, and you can open the trunk, door or start the car without having to take your gloves off or unzip your coat or dig through your pants.
I have three cars and only one has the smart key technology. So while I can live without the technology, there has been an occasion or two when my hands were full and I needed to open my trunk and had to dig the keys out of my winter coat.
Well, the concern with cutting the ignition based on movement of the gas pedal is suppose the proximity key battery dies (or the car can't detect the key for some other reason) while you're booking down the interstate at 70mph. You don't want your car to just die because it can't detect the key any more. But I can't think of a reason why a stationary car shouldn't have a cutoff if you take it out of park without the key.
Doesn't work that way.
Once you start the car..it stays running. You can take the key out of the car and it will still run. I know because I've done it. The minute the key exits the vehicle however there will be a warning light on the dash.
There are other safeguards such as requiring the car to be in park to prevent turning it off. It will also not lock the steering wheel if the car dies while driving unless one were to come to a stop, put vehicle in park and push the button to turn off the vehicle.
When the battery light on the remote is getting weak, a differnt warning light comes on telling you to replace the battery. By past experience, this warning comes on maybe 3-4 months before it actually dies.
Even with a dead battery, there are means to use the key to start the car.
I've driven with the technology for 6-7 years now and have yet to find a situation where the technology was a hinderance.
The battery has no relation to key detection, it is for operation of the power locks/trunk/remote start only. Key detection by the cars computer works just fine with no battery in the fob.
So how does the car detect the keyfob if there's no energy source from the fob to emit a signal to the car?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BostonMike7
Doesn't work that way.
Once you start the car..it stays running. You can take the key out of the car and it will still run. I know because I've done it. The minute the key exits the vehicle however there will be a warning light on the dash.
Well no kidding the car keeps running. That's fundamental to my gripe. Why would it keep running if you take it out of park with no key in it? This violates a longstanding fundamental relationship between a key and the car: that the key has to be there to operate it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BostonMike7
There are other safeguards such as requiring the car to be in park to prevent turning it off. It will also not lock the steering wheel if the car dies while driving unless one were to come to a stop, put vehicle in park and push the button to turn off the vehicle.
I'm not sure what you mean by the first sentence, but I think you mean that the car has to be in park to turn it off. That may be the case for your car or most other keyless systems, but it's not the case for mine. I don't have an issue with that though. The wheel won't lock unless it's in park, the doors won't lock, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BostonMike7
When the battery light on the remote is getting weak, a differnt warning light comes on telling you to replace the battery. By past experience, this warning comes on maybe 3-4 months before it actually dies.
Even so, you don't want a situation where the car just stops running while being driven because it can't detect the key for some reason. That part I get. The part I don't get is being able to drive off from a stop, in park, without the key present.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BostonMike7
Even with a dead battery, there are means to use the key to start the car.
True, but irrelevant to this particular complaint. One concern I have though is some other cars I've had with remote locking/unlocking, if you use the fob to lock the car, it arms the alarm, and the alarm and immobilizer will activate if you unlock it manually. I haven't tested my current car to know if that's the case with this one too; I'd certainly hope not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BostonMike7
I've driven with the technology for 6-7 years now and have yet to find a situation where the technology was a hinderance.
I guess I'd still prefer a situation where the key has to be in physical contact with the car in order to start and run it; a "fobgina" as some call it that some cars have serves that purpose. Absent that IMO an ignition cutoff is in order when trying to drive away without the key.
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(My latest rental was not actually a proximity key, it just had the remote start but with a regular key.
