airtime

TMI (too much info)

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Don't worry, it was done by a professional driver on a closed course

Ty419

I run a valet parking company, and I have never seen a car that would not stay running without the fob. I think the theory is that if the battery in the fob goes dead while you are driving, it becomes a safety issue to limit the functionality of the car.

As far as leaving the key behind, if you started the car, the key had to be in it at some point in time. As a fix, you could get used to sticking the fob in the dash so that you don't take it out of the car and forget it anymore. Just treat it like a normal key.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

Well, if you haven't experienced the smart key from lexus, it does allow you to drive off without it-it just doesn't allow you to turn it back on (of course) and everything is functional as normal.

In the valet situation, the owner has to remember to give it to the valet attendants-he'll realize it sooner or later

battery in the key fob is for remote and the smart access. you can still start the car if battery is dead b/c it's a transponder type.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

ok, I've heard of bun warmers but nut coolers???-definitely tmi

Ty419

I worded that weird. What I am saying is that I have never seen a car that would NOT let you drive off.

For some of our higher-end private parties, we tell the owners to just keep the fob on them. We park the cars without them and their fob is essentially their stub. They come back and just give us the fob, and the car is retrieved from the parking area. No tickets, no keys, and the customers get a kick out of it.

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

Cool way of running things. Where's the "LIKE" button?

MDZ

Well it is easy to drive off without the key: Scenerio 1, I had the key fab in my briefcase, I drove home to pickup a child, open the garage, walked in the house with the breifcase leaving the car running. Took the child who was late for her event and left the house quickly to deliver the child to destination. Shut the car off at destination and I was stuck! #2 - Had the keyfab in my pocket, forgot something in the house, ran back in using the key to open the door, dropped the key on the counter while grabbing the paperwork I had forgotten. Ran back to the running car with wife and child both talking at the same time, drove off. Went for lunch, could not start the car. I understand all the heros that always are smart enough that they never leave their house without the keys and pants.

The fact is the notification system is flawed. The simple fix is to have a voice (The Map Lady for example) announce loudly and often "No Key present, No Key Present" and it does nto shut off until the key is back. This not rocket science, their design is flawed. Simple!

curiousB

I agree with prior poster. It would be a simple (trivial) software change to the ECU code to shut off the engine when brake is pressed but no key present. Just like remote start systems work. That would notify you ASAP if you started to drive away without the key. In fact you would never get out of gear....

Ty419

All cars are the same with the fobs and the ability to drive off without any significant notification. You may have a couple options to make it at least a little more noticeable.

First, the **** way up under the dash all the way at the front, past where your right knee would be, next to the TPS reset button, is the volume for the exterior beeping sound. I'm not sure how loud it goes, but you may want to try increasing the volume so that it is more noticeable when you leave the vehicle with the key.

Also, I think I remember seeing some fob settings in the list of things that are dealer-programmable. Might be worth asking the dealer if they can change those options to help you notice when the key is not there.

Last idea would be to leave a fob with no battery in the first aid kit or something. I just tried the locks and it seems that the smartaccess lock buttons on the door handles will not lock the doors without a fob nearby. If that is the case, you wouldn't be able to set the alarm without realizing you had forgotten the key and could then get the one out of the trunk. Wouldn't work if you lock the doors with the power lock toggle inside the car, but nobody still uses those, do they?

Jabberwock

MDZ - you are right. The car should be designed to flash a warning light that it is being driven and cannot detect the presense of a key.

It needs to flash a warning and not have a freak out. It should not shut down the motor, lock the brakes, and blow the curtain air bags - instead a simple repeated voice warning or a flashing idiot light would be enough.