Well I am use to getting in and out of the mini with the key in my pocket and the car running and then when I get back in it says no key present for a second until it realizes you have it with you. But today I had moved my other car of out the garage to get a large package inside while leaving the mini running. I put the key to the rover, I thought back inside the house and then went back to work. I got to work and tried to lock the car with the button on the door and it wouldn't and then I pull the rover's key out of my pocket. So I had no way to get the car locked or get it started. The car never beeped at me to tell me the key wasn't present.

A few things to change with the keyless go. They need to continue to warn you that your key isn't present. It would be nice if the car would just turn off it you tried to put it in gear (this would help greatly in a car jacking too) Secondly they should provide you with a wallet key transmitter too that you can have with you as a back up like my mercedes did.

This would have really been a dilemma if you went a long distance and was stranded with a dead car. Luckily I had someone from work take me back home to get my key.

 

interesting. my 06 murano with intelligent keys will beep if the car is running and the key gets about 5 feet away from the car...i thought all smart keys have this feature.

 

Does this mean that if my husband was driving and I had the key in my purse, I could get out of the car and he could drive away keyless? Unable to lock or restart?

 

Hmmm that is not a good thing. Not sure how much i like that. I am still waiting on mine to come in so I guess there will be a test period.

 

yes. i've done this a few times just to show other people what happens.

 

My lancer would beeep and die in a block if the key wasn't in the car?

 

I clip that brick of a key onto my pants with a clip dohickey. That way, I never "leave" the key anywhere. It also frees up room in my pants pocket. That key may as well be a MP3 player or phone sheesh!

 

putting it in the dash would work

 

Where's the convenience in that? You might as well have a key.

 

wouldn't that mean anyone could unlock/lock your car w/ the push of a button and even go for a ride? hmm.

 

If you can't trust yourself to always have the proper keys, you might as well leave the second key fob with battery removed in your secret compartment just in case.

 

My Vette would warn you when you pushed the stop button that no fob was in car. You could restart immediately or walk away.

 

Why from a Vette to a Mini? I've always wanted a vette and came very close one time to buying a new one but hitting 40yrs old, I don't want one anymore. Mostly old guys drive them. Kinda takes the fun out of it for me as I don't want to be an "old guy" driving a Vette. With the MINI, lots of young punks want to race me all the time.

 

Maybe the Mini warned you before you got back to the car and drove off?

Mine beeps and displays a key in the tach display if the car is running and it suddenly loses contact with the key fob. On the Nav screen status line it also says some thing like key is missing. The warning may only be there for a limited amount of time though.

They should have made it like the seat belt, if you drive without a key detected, it should be warning you, beeping, etc. Rotten design for sure.

 

Sell the other car.

 

Yes it normally does beep when I get back in but I always ignore it since it goes away once it notices I have the key, but it should continue to warn you. I wonder if there is a bypass to this or how mini would help you if you were stuck miles away from your key. Guess that is when on-star would be good for the mini, LOL

 

Umm...is the flaw with the car or the driver

Not nearly aa bad as what i have done in the past. I used to take the bus to work. On rare occaisions I would drive for whatever reason. You already know what's coming. More times than i would care to admit, I have arrived at my bus stop 25 miles from downtown cincinnati only to realize that I actually drove in that day and my car was still downtown

 

Oh wow that would be awful sounds about as bad as me trying to figure out where I parked at the end of the day. I don't doubt that it is my fault but cars remind you over and over your seatbelt is on or your door is open, but only remind you once that your key isn't with you, COME ON, LOL

 

My NAV equipped car gives me a huge warning on the center screen that the key is outside the car when the car is running. I never tried driving away without the key, but I assume that I would have to actively dismiss the warning.

 

When I start my car and remove the key, the car will ding audibly, and the OBC shows a constant key with a line through it letting you know the key is not readable or registering as being in the car. If you drive off with that symbol, then you really are not paying attention. Just practice safe motoring and keep the key forever in your pocket.

 

My nav screen and spedo shows the message too, but it always does if you get out and then back in the car. The point is to continue to give the message because then it is like all the other lights in the car (cel, srs, abs) they all go out too when you drive away, but there isn't a problem otherwise they stay on. A key not being in there driving is a problem or should be.

 

Will that work? Can you lock the car with the batteryless fob inside it yet start the car with it? I used to always hide my extra smartkey in the car for fear of losing my keys, but I didn't have convenience option on that car.

 

My SO did this to me. Left his fob at home and drove an hour to pick me up from work. When he got to my work, he called dumbfounded because the car wouldn't start. Said he never noticed the missing key-fob signal on the tach (I'm sure it was there). Needless to say, we rode over an hour back home in a tow truck.

Never forget your fob!

 

Did you mean the button wouldn't go down? The drivers side door doesn't allow it while the door is open. Close the door and go in from the passenger side to push the button down (and the passenger door does allow locking before closing)... of course then you'll be completely locked out of the car if you don't have a key.

 

no it wont work. if the car detects that the key is inside and you lock it, it unlocks the car for you.