I hate for my first post to be about this. It's half embarrassing and half annoying.

For reference I've got an 07 S with the conveinance package.

I've had the car 3 months or so. About a week and a half ago my passengar airbag went kaput. (Combo getting kid in and out of the back, too tall hubby pushing the seat all the way back and stupid engineers) Because of that, there was an airbag warning on my dash.

Last weekend, I filled my car up at the pump. I keep my fob on my purse and for some stupid reason I got out of the car with the purse and then got out my card (I NEVER do this - obviously that no longer applies but prior to the incident I'd never done it). For some reason the purse went on top of the pump.

After fueling, I got back in the car. I started it and we poddled about 25 miles to my sons hockey practice. When we arrived there was no purse and no fob. The car did not flash any warning of no key and did not beep at any time (it doesn't do that for the airbag bit either). Ended up getting a lift home from my father, cutting through a sunroom screen and having my son climb through the cat flap to unlock the door.

I called the dealership about the prospect of 'downgrading' to the standard package. On person told me it was $1k to remove the conveinance package (because you couldn't just turn if off, all the pieces had to be removed) and 2 days later when the service manager hadn't called me back, my husband was told that it was all of 5 minutes to turn it off in the software.

Of course why am I posting all this? We're trying to find out the range of the remote is truly supposed to be. Since we're apparently the first to EVER experience this problem with a Mini, ::rolling eyes:: they are not that keen to take it seriously and look into it. Emails to Mini come back with a 'call the service center'. The service center says they don't have any info on that, read your manual. So we did. And then proceeded to email them a screen shot of their own manual saying that you cannot start the car unless the key is INSIDE. Not near it, INSIDE.

It's bad enough that I can't take a cell call within 20 feet of the car without the Mini jacking my bluetooth. Now I have to store my car fob at the back of my house too? It's a fun car to drive (especially since I have to do it one handed) but I'm about ready to re-investigate an A4.

 

Usually the range is around 8 to 10 feet.

 

I have the convienence package and mine won't start unless the key is actually inside the car. If my key leaves the car while the car is running I DO get a warning in the MINI about it.

I do hate the bluetooth jacking of my phone though. Often my wife is driving my car and when she comes to pick me up from work she calls me to tell me she's outside. However, by the time I answer my phone has connected to the car. So insteado f her telling me she's here, I know because the phone connects.

 

Are you sure your 2nd FOB is not stashed somewhere in the car?
Maybe the mechanic who last worked on the seat/airbag put it in the 'secret compartment' or under a seat or door pocket?

 

I have never tried to start my car with the fob outside. But I do know if I leave the car running and step out of my car, the warning pops up about the fob being out of the car as soon as I move out of the car.

 

That's what was thinking too - or on the husband at the petrol station......... When not wondering what Poddled means...

http://www.google.com/search?q=poddl...e=utf8&oe=utf8

Glad we did not get comfort access.......... Seems like the steering should stay locked without a fob.....

 

the steering wheels haven't locked since about 2008.

 

If you look at a MINI with the convenience access you'll see it has antennas all around the car to detect the key fob location. It's one feat to have sufficient range and even more difficult to discriminate if you are inside or outside by a few inches.

Personnally I think MINI did a fantastic job in keeping this wireless mess straight!
I have rarely see it get confused. Perhaps in your case the purse up high and sunroof open caused it to get faked out. You may have an issue if there was no warning as you drove off and the fob signal was lost. I certainly won't give up my convenient access just because it isn't smarter than most humans.

 

No, the 2nd fob wasn't in the car. How do I know? Because it was attached to the other set of keys on the hook in the house

Poddle = anytime spent in the vehicle without the accelerator mashed to the floor :D What can I say, he's Scottish and I've had 7 years to pick up the lingo.

It's going in for service on the airbags on Tuesday so we'll see what happens.

 

Don't turn the convience off. That is the biggest waste ever. Just treat it like a normal MINI without convinence until you are ready to try it again. $1k for taking off an option is ludacris. Now adding is a different story.

 

We asked about adding it........ Too much wiring..... cannot be done.....

 

I am having MFSW installed and programmed tomorrow. It is mostly software on options but there is a few that need wiring. Most r56s are already wired for everything. The exception is early build 07s.

 

When i have my key in my left pocket, and i am standing outside my driver door and stick my right foot into the clutch and hit the start button, my right pocket is inside the car while the left pocket still remains outside the car. the car won't start. Mine is down to within inches of the car for knowing inside vs outside.
The actual range is different though, my gf can unlock the passenger side with the button on her door sometimes when im infront of my door (you know, the few times im not opening the door for her )
If you leave the key inside of your trunk (Say while loading groceries) and you close the hatch, it'll pop back open (its pretty smart).

The only thing I can think of is, if you shut off the car, you can supposedly start the car back up within x amount of time without the key. The reason being-- (which happens to also be one of the faults of this system), is, if you are in the car with the key and start it up, then go back in the house and set the key down, you can technically get back in and drive to your destination. Once you get there and raelize you dont have your key, you're supposed to be able to start your car back up right after shutting it off without the key for this reason. How long they give you i'm not sure... just my .02

i feel like they should have it set up so if you get back in the car without the key and start to drive, the engine should cut out on you (kind of like a remote starter would)

 

I gave it a shot this morning. I held the fob outside the drivers door and the car wouldn't start until it had passed the threshold. HOWEVER I Did the same thing with the key above the roof line and it started with the key 3 feet away from the car. As soon as the fob dropped below the roof line, it wouldn't start again.

I'm wondering if it's got something to do with the sunroofs?

 

Even if you don't have comfort access you can't lock the fob in the car.

 

I don't think the rapper has anything to do with it. But paying for it may be ludicrous.

 

not true. If you don't have comfort access try locking your MINI then use the third button to open the hatch. Now throw your keys in the boot and shut it.

You'll find out that you CAN lock your keys in the car.

I also know one other way but you really have to be trying.

 

I have Comfort Access and I did lock my keys in the boot. Not fun.

 

creddylad, your key may need counseling or professional psychiatric care.

The key is designed to call your cell phone if left behind as you drive off. This is why the option is called COMFORT access. The keys are actually quite smart and will try to comfort you in various ways, based upon your psychological profile (stored in the key the first time you use it).

When you got to your destination without the fob, did the car just refuse to start, or did the voice synthesizer say, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that?"

If you do decide to have the dealer intervene, don't tell the key you're doing that. It may refuse to start the car and begin whining. If it's really upset, it may shed it's chrome ring and start doing that whole passive aggressive thing.

Many MINI drivers don't realize just how far the psychologists and engineers at BMW have gone to give their cars a distinctive personality.

 

This made my night

 

So how come Hubby and I had to walk 3mi. home (in +100* Heat) to pick up his keys after my purse w/Fob inside got left in the boot of the Molly Car??!!

 

Now that's FUNNY...Molly knows how much she is L@VED, Key Fob or NOT!!

 

Another way: With the passenger door open, lock the door by pushing the FOB lock button or manual locking button on the door. Throw your keys in and shut the door.

 

One thing that caught my eye when I first saw a MINI was the manual lock button on the door. It's almost identical, and in the same spot, as the button on the BMW 2002.

But the 2002, bless its little heart, was purely mechanical. You couldn't push that button down if the door was open, and thus could not lock your keys in the car.

The doors and the trunk lid had to be locked manually with a key after closing.

I still think that little button is a sly nod of acknowlegement to the 2002 from some BMW engineers who remember when. The MINI has inherited more than a bit of the soul of the little shoebox.

 

ok, there are 3 ways to lock the keys inside. the other one I mentioned knowing about is very similar to the one you just described.