metalica_23

I'm sure I'm missing something basic here, but does anyone know why the car doesn't have some preventative measure when the key leaves the car, but the car is still running.

For instance, my wife dropped me off at work a few weeks ago. I had the key in my pocket, but she was able to take off without the key. Then, once the car was stopped, there was no way to start it again.

It just seems like they could have a simple feature that prevents the car from leaving "park", if the key is not in range. Or maybe the car could just "shut down", once the key leaves the car? Or probably even more simplistic, the car could just have a "you're not wearing your seatbelt" beep - that's 10x as annoying? It seems that something annoying should happen if the car is running and the key leaves the car.

Of course, maybe it's just a convenience factor for leaving the car running without annoying your passengers...

Peter_02AMG

I thought once you walk a few feet away the engine stop IF it still run without the key present than it a bad design. My sister IS350 engine stop once you walk off with the key. It even lock the door for you.

BENZGal

I have keyless go, and one time I was in Santa Barbara 40min from my house dropping my boyfriend off who accidentally kept my keys. He was the driver and since I never use the keys to start the car I forgot as well. At about 20 miles on the return trip a warning came on that said return key to ignition. I was only a mile from where I was going and made it that mile after the warning came on. I believe it's a distance restriction from the key signal, or does it just turns off when you turn it off? He had to take a taxi to me to give me back the keys so I could make it home. It only took me one time to learn that lesson.

Bullet Tooth

Keyless go is one of my favorite extras on my car. I had an S500 that had keyless go as well and I took it to the car wash. I got out at the car wash and took the key inside with me, leaving the car running. The car got halfway through the wash when it turned off. It gummed up the whole works for about 15 minutes until they came in and asked me for the key. I don't think anyone was happy with me.

CyE55

The good thing about being able to walk away from the car with the key in your pocket is that when you give your car to the valet, you can take the key with you, then when they realize you have the key and they won't be able to start the car if they turn it off.... they have to park your car up front so when you come back you can just get in it and drive off

It's happened on accident to me a couple of times, everytime I come out my car's parked right up front and the guy tells me he had to park it there because he wouldn't be able to move it once he turned the car off.

oooopss

jangy

I've tried playing with mine to find out why it would do that, but can't figure much out. Mine runs until you shut it down but then you are SOL. Also, even if you get out to leave it running, you can't lock the doors. The active buttons don't work. Are we all just that stupid? Maybe we are missing some warning or something? I have my key in a bag all the time and rarely on me.

Vic55

Benz keyless go is pretty lax IMO but the old lady's Lexus is crazy. As soon as you are two feet out the warning goes off and few minutes later the car shuts down.

SSM AMG

I was wondering the same thing also. With the carwash I leave my keys in the car. I cant have the damn thing cut off in the middle of the carwash.

psk145

Mine gives me a warning message when Im about 20 feet away. One time we were leaving, so my wife took the keys and went back inside the house. I decided to back out of the driveway into the street, and thats when the message came on about the key not being present

blueknight

Wife drives a Lixis and the car shuts off when the key is not detected after a certain point. I have tried it with the mb but it just gives me a warning signal "key not found" I will have to try it for a longer period of time to see what happens.

metalica_23

Two co-workers have a '08 M3 and an '07 Prius that we also tested. In both cases, they have the same "dilemma". Their cars also will continue to run without the key. It's just weird to me. It seems it should either shut down, not let you take the car out of park, or just give you a big honkin' continuous warning...

IndiumGreyE63

For all of the negatives with Keyless Go, I love all of the positives that come with it. I think it's one of my favorite features on my car.

JDM_SXE-10

Mine tells me that the key is not present when I am out of range. I don't think that I would want the car to shut off because sometimes it doesn't detect the key when the batteries are low and I would hate it if I was cruising on the freeway and the system shut off the engine suddenly for that reason.

metalica_23

Yeah, I love the option too! I'm just thinking of ways they could improve it. I definitely wouldn't want it to shut the car down while driving, but then again there should never be a reason for the key to leave the car while it is in motion. (Unless it happens to have landed in my McDonalds bag that I throw out the window! )

Anyway, my thought was that the situation really should only happen if the car is in park, or is going 0 MPH (i.e. foot's just resting on the brake). At that point, the car could make a decision about the presence of a key, and force the car to be in park, or shut the engine down after X amount of time.

Just trying to think if it could be idiot proof for a village idiot like me!

aleksandar1099

funny story about the key not in the car keyless go story was at the last track day in chicago. Wayne (chicagoX) took out one of the fellow member's e63 and ran a full bore 1/4mile without a key in the car !!! and another story about the keyless go ( yes i have many...lol) is about my uncle's sl500. he would park his car at his country club every weekend and forget to give the key every time!!! this after a month severely angered the valet and when he finally did get the key, he hid it in the car somewhere so that my uncle "could never do that to him again" !!!! to this day we still cannot find the key in the car!!! .....just thought i'd share ...

deaguero

My E55 is the same. However, My new XF Jaguar has a Red Warning light on the dash that tells you when you are driving away from the key. It happened on the July 4th weekend when I started to drive off after tipping the valet the "Big Red" warning and pinging noise came on and wardned me as soon as I put the car in Drive from Park. The Valet was on his way to get the next car when I caught up with him with my keys in his pocket.

Mercedes needs to fix this (my 335i was the same too)

metalica_23

Ah, all the stories. These are too funny! BTW, nice choice on that XF. My wife and I drove the XF supercharged when I was still in my "what am I going to get". It was a phenomenal car. The interior is fantastic and the exterios is sharp. The dealer had one in white and we almost bought it for my wife even though "I" was the one looking for a car!