Car starts without key fob

[jscott]

Tried to search the forum but I just keep getting fatal error. Is it normal for me to be able to start the car and drive off without the key fob in range? I have comfort access so typically I have the key in my pocket.

Today I left in a hurry and forgot to put the key in my pocket. I usually leave my driver's door unlocked as I park in a private garage at my home. I just walked out got in the car and drove off without the key.

Now I'm 30 min from my house and anyone can just open the driver's door and start the car. Is this a feature I can disable?

Thanks,

-jscott

[T89]

Uhh... This shouldn't happen. Did you leave your 2nd key in the car?


T

[xsilvor]

Slightly different issue, but maybe the same cause... I made a phone call from my cell phone on the second floor of my house. My key was in my pocket, the car was unlocked with the windows down, but was completely off and had been for about 15 minutes. The phone doesn't ring, but then I hear my car ringing from downstairs, inside the garage. Of course, my bluetooth was still connected, despite the car being off and me being a good 30' away with the key in my pocket. Locking the door shut it all down.

[Jaypod]

Did you not get an error while driving that the key is not present (or something like that?) I am guessing once you turn your car off you will not be able to restart your car. (The key might have been close enough when you started it the first time).

[Green///Hell]

But I think if you turn the car off you can turn it right back on if you press the button within 30 seconds
But this I only know of for people without comfort access that want to ditch cars at valet and leave it out front with key in pocket

[besiktas]

You should definately get that checked with the dealer, something must be messed up in your software setup.

FYI. if you have BMW assist and get locked out or, forget your key somewhere or lost it, you can call them, they can unlock and start the engine for you so that you can go home and pick up your spare key. pretty convinient

[jscott]

T89 wins the prize. After reading his comment about the 2nd key being in the car I began to think. Where is my 2nd key? I don't remember ever seeing a second key.

I went out and searched the ashtray, armrest, and glove box. Nothing. I keep the owners manual in the tunk in the spot on the right. Opened it up and found the extra key still in the plastic bag tucked inside the pocket. I never knew it was in there. Doh!

Thanks guys,

-jscott

[mkoesel]

lol, good thing you had that second key. If not and you had shut it down (and left it off for at least a few seconds, which clearly you had), you'd be SOL. Although BMW Assist might be able to enable it to start without the key remotely, not sure. Of course you'd have seen the error (key icon with a slash through it) shortly after you left since your other key would have been out of range quickly. So you'd also have to have ignored that too.

[pmeloche]

A serious fail from your salesman to not have given you both keys.

[Echo M3]

So what exactly happens if you start the car with the key in pocket and, say, throw the key out of the car? Does it flash the 'key out of range' method and then put the car in neutral?

It seems a bit frightening that someone could just drive off with your car without the key being in the car, as long as the engine is started!

[Kev]

Originally Posted by pman10

So what exactly happens if you start the car with the key in pocket and, say, throw the key out of the car? Does it flash the 'key out of range' method and then put the car in neutral?

It seems a bit frightening that someone could just drive off with your car without the key being in the car, as long as the engine is started!

It will not shutdown the car. You can continue to drive until you are out of fuel or you switch off the engine.

Also, to the OP, don't you get that annoying beep when you try to close your trunk and your trunk stays unlocked with a spare key in your trunk? I remember doing that myself once after a long night of work. I threw my key into my bag unknowingly and tossed it in the trunk. The car started beeping as soon as I try to lock it.

[T89]

Originally Posted by jscott

T89 wins the prize. After reading his comment about the 2nd key being in the car I began to think. Where is my 2nd key? I don't remember ever seeing a second key.

I went out and searched the ashtray, armrest, and glove box. Nothing. I keep the owners manual in the tunk in the spot on the right. Opened it up and found the extra key still in the plastic bag tucked inside the pocket. I never knew it was in there. Doh!

Thanks guys,

-jscott

Glad I could help


T

[outie]

Wow how long have you been keeping the 2nd key in the car? Anyone could've unlocked and drove your car away all this time!

[M3Bliss]

Originally Posted by Kev

Also, to the OP, don't you get that annoying beep when you try to close your trunk and your trunk stays unlocked with a spare key in your trunk? I remember doing that myself once after a long night of work. I threw my key into my bag unknowingly and tossed it in the trunk. The car started beeping as soon as I try to lock it.

+1 I can't lock the car if the key is accidentally left inside and if in the trunk it reopens the lid and flashes the lights and beeps. Other than that I would never know it is in there.

[mexicanmike]

This is correct. If the car is started within range of a key, the engine will continue to run until it is shut off. Once the engine has been stopped the car will not start unless a key is in range.

Leaving your key in the car can be very dangerous. Someone can just get in, start it and take off, drive the car till it runs out of gas or wreck it.

[jscott]

Originally Posted by Kev

Also, to the OP, don't you get that annoying beep when you try to close your trunk and your trunk stays unlocked with a spare key in your trunk?

Well I did have this issue where some times when I closed the trunk with Key1 in my pocked the bitch would blink the rear lights and the trunk would unlock. No beep.

Most of the time I could close the trunk with no problems but other times I was saying WTF as I tried 3-4 times. I finally figured if I didn't move and let the trunk close as I stood directly behind the car it worked almost every time. If you try to close the trunk as you walk back toward the driver door it would blink and unlock.

Originally Posted by outie

Wow how long have you been keeping the 2nd key in the car? Anyone could've unlocked and drove your car away all this time!

The second key has evidently been in the trunk inside the owner's manual case since I picked it up in Oct. 08'. They still would have had to unlock the car or trunk and found the key which was hiding.

Originally Posted by M3Bliss

+1 I can't lock the car if the key is accidentally left inside and if in the trunk it reopens the lid and flashes the lights and beeps. Other than that I would never know it is in there.

Like I said above I was able to close the trunk most times without issue with Key2 inside the owner's manual case. Which I placed in the little rectangular area on the right rear of the trunk above the battery.

peace,

-jscott

[Maseroche]

LOL glad it took this incident for you to discover your second key!

[J-9]

Originally Posted by jscott

The second key has evidently been in the trunk inside the owner's manual case since I picked it up in Oct. 08'. They still would have had to unlock the car or trunk and found the key which was hiding.

Dude.


Smash window. Enter Dukes of Hazard-like. Press ignition button. Drive.

[Bob MG]

I believe the car will start with key in proximity, however even if the key is left at home, the car will continue to run until switched off.

My Cayenne Turbo was like this. I don't have key less go on the M

[VanM3Lover]

Originally Posted by jscott

T89 wins the prize. After reading his comment about the 2nd key being in the car I began to think. Where is my 2nd key? I don't remember ever seeing a second key.

I went out and searched the ashtray, armrest, and glove box. Nothing. I keep the owners manual in the tunk in the spot on the right. Opened it up and found the extra key still in the plastic bag tucked inside the pocket. I never knew it was in there. Doh!

Thanks guys,

-jscott

Now I think you have another problem. With CA you should not be able to close the trunk when the key is inside.

[MTROIS]

Not true... you can all try this: leave one key inside the car, lock the car with the other key and walk away. Your BMW will remember that you decided to close the car with a key inside and nobody can just walk to your car, open it and just drive off.

On the other hand, it is true that once you have unlocked and started your car, even if the key is no longer around, you will get an error message initially, but the car will not shut down until you decide to do so. Can be pretty dangerous if for example you get out of the car to close the garage and someone jumps in your car to steal it... but who does not have remote garage opener these days?

Of course, all of the above is true with the comfort access key.

Originally Posted by VanM3Lover

Now I think you have another problem. With CA you should not be able to close the trunk when the key is inside.

[aussiem3]

A few time I have washed the car I had the keys in my pocket. When I hose down the car and hit the car handle with a steady stream of water the car locks or unlocks depending on the current state.

More recently I didn't have the keys in the picket but in the vicinity and when the water hit the door handle it locked or unlocked.

Try it and tell me. I don't know whether this is normal or not. Can't be bothered taking it up with BMW.

Has this happened to anyone?