Hi Gang,

I have a question on the car setup options. I live in NYC and I park in a garage with attendants, where you have to leave the key in the ignition. The garage will charge you $35 if you take the keys with you. If I leave the keys in the car, does the car lock itself after a while? It seems like I have read that the car has some type of autolocking programmed. Also, to avoid the annoying ding-ding-ding, I slightly pull out the key in my Jeep to stop this. If I do this on the Mini, will it again lockup?

Thanks,
Nando

 

The autolook only is when the car is in motion. Once you drive faster than 10MPH the doors look automatically. You can get the car programmed to unlock all the doors if you apply the e-brake.

If the car is off and just sitting it will not lock the doors, this I know from personal experience, as my wife forgets to lock the doors all the time.

 

I have read somewhere on NAM that the car will auto lock,search for a thread
about programable options,my MINI does not auto lock,I would find that a pain
I live in the country ,only lock-up when I,m in the city.And my car does not
lock at 10 mph either,another option,that seems like car jacking fear to me
as I see no other advantage to the doors being locked,as in a crash they
unlock.And I know two pulls on the handle unlocks the doors,but I have been in cars where the dash has caught fire,you want to get out NOWNot hoping for the now flaming wiring harness to somehow work

 

From what I've read, you don't have to worry. If you don't lock the car, it won't automatically lock itself.

If you use the remote key to unlock the car (or accidentally click the key to unlock it) the car can be programmed to relock itself after two minutes if the door is not opened.

This would have been good for my neighbor whos little kids started playing with the keys (from inside the house) repeatedly locking and unlocking his car which was beeping and flashing in front of my house for about 10 minutes .

 

Nando,

When I picked up my car I found a list somewhere in this forum about the programmable options. I checked with my dealer and the "Autolock after XXX time" IS an option. I believe though that the option is disabled by default when you pick up the car. I would have to say the only way you would know is to either go to the dealer and ask them to check or do a simple test.

Turn off your car and wait...see if it locks on it's own. I know mine doesn't. I believe the time frame was between 1-3 minutes or something. I don't know the exact time after the car has been turned off to when it actually locks on its own.

Hope this helps!
-Nick

 

My Feb. '05 build MCSCa does Autolock!

If you unlock the car using the keyfob buttons and do not open a door, the car relocks itself after about 15 seconds.
Open and close a door immediately after unlocking with the button and the Autolock does not operate.

I have just been down to the garage and checked this!

 

I think that if I was in this situation, I'd drive in using my 2nd key, leave it in the ignition as required, and lock the car with the key that is on my regular keyring. Problem solved.

 

Note that there MAY be an issue with leaving the key in the ignition. It's been said that for some reason it drains the battery - something to do with the interlock chip (i.e. car won't start unless chip is there.)

My battery went dead after a couple of days with the key in the ignition (in the garage.) I MAY have left the boot ajar, leaving the light on, which would drain the battery, but I'm not sure.
According to this thread the interior lights automatically shut off.

Anyone have any positive info on either?

 

I tried to lock the car using my aftermarket alarm lock switch while the car was warming up on a very cold day. It wouldn't lock. Didn't try it with key in ignition with car turned off. Does it work with second MINI key?

 

I'll try it this afternoon and report back.