if, 1 person has the key in their pocket, while someone else is n the car, they should be able o start the ca, and engage the engine, and start to drive away, but what happens when the car and the key get to be far enough away, that they can no longer communicate?

 

I believe the correct answer is that the driver can drive to destination and shut off the motor. The driver can not restart the motor with out the proximity key / device.

 

This is correct.

The only problem is that the car should not start with the Key ONLY on the outside of the vehicle. The interior Proximity Detector should not allow the car to start if there is not a key inside the car. This detector is up under the dash if my memory serves me correctly.

The only way for the interior detector to see the key is from the inside or if the key was placed on the outside of the windshield near the center.

That is how it is supposed to work at least by the data on the Proximity Detection System notes from BMW/Mini.

But if the car is started nad driven away with out a key then the person driving the car does not have any way to start it if it stalls or is turned off.

There are notes about this in the manual.

 

There's a dashboard warning that lights up, which you should completely ignore. This will lead to your being stranded in your MINI without a key, and then you can post on NAM about how screwed up Comfort Access is.

 

Ditto everyone else's explanation...they can keep driving but can't restart it if they turn it off. My husband was driving the Mini home one day and I got out of the car before he had it pulled into the garage, taking my key with me. He started freaking out cause the dashboard light came on and he didn't know if the car would just stop after thirty seconds or so. I assured him that it wouldn't do something as silly as that, then looked it up in the manual to provide him with the perfect explanation .

 

Also you're supposedly not able to lock the car from the door with the key inside, although I challenge you to try it (keep window open). Toss the fob on the seat and try locking.

 

How would you lock the car without a key or fob?

 

The Convenience Package includes a button on the outside door handle to lock/unlock, without handling the fob or key.

 

the trick i like most is to get out of the car, lock it, then open the hatch, next throw the key in the trunk and close the hatch


only try this if you have the convenience package, i'm not responsible if you do it without the package and you lock your keys inside the car.

 

This reason why I mention this... well, besides the fact I like to think theses things up , is... what happens if you are about to get into your car, key fob in pockette, someone comes up and car jacks you, you let them hit start, and they think (oh, the car does not need a key!), and you hall butt away... they think (well, I have the car... I am out of here)... until the car stalls, or they go to stop...

 

How about someone locks you and your Comfort Access keyfob inside a trunk, wraps heavy chains around that trunk, then dumps it in a deep lake while they drive away in your MINI. Can you escape before the dash warning light goes on? If you drown, is repairing the key fob covered under warranty?

 

first question can i escape before the dash warning light goes on yes, since the key is inside the car the warning light wont go on.

second question if i drown is repairing the key fob covered under warranty, only if you dry out the key before taking it to the dealer :p

 

The big, flashing key with a slash, on the console, should let anyone with a clue know that the key is out of proximity.
Been there, felt like a 'tard.

 

Read miniclubman's post a second time slowly.

The warning light WOULD go on, cause the keyfob is NOT in the mini...it's with you, in a trunk, in the lake. The Mini is driving off.

It took me reading it a second time to catch that...talking about the non-vehicular type of trunk...

 

Maybe even read it a third time... I wasn't expecting any straight answers to that one!

 

Wireless Key, what happens if....

If you have the S, the hidden C4 explosive, in the rear storage/styrofoam, will detonate in 90 seconds. It's a perk of having the S. The Clubman S will protect itself from theft this way.

 

You can have either, or both, the passenger door, and/or the rear doors open, lock the doors with the key fob, toss the key in the car, close the doors, and your car is locked, with the key inside.

Mark

 

The question was whether you could lock the car without a key or key fob. Apparently, it can't be done if you don't have comfort access.

 

You can certainly lock both doors without a key -- I just don't know about the rear hatch. With the drivers door closed, reach over from the passenger side and push down the lock button on the drivers door. Then push down the lock button on the passenger door and close it.

 

Thanks, I stand corrected. Still, it's strange that you can't do the same from the driver's side. I wonder why it's set up that way?

 

Holy S!!!!!!!

I've had my car for 6 weeks and absolutely love the wacky key thingie, but always had to try to yank the key out of my pants pocket when I was locking up to go into work. I tried depressing the locking button inside the car but that didn't work. Therefore I've been using the fob to lock up and then when I left work I'd just press the black button on the handle to get in. I never thought of pressing it to lock up.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
I just went into the garage and tried it and voila, success!!!

I swear I learn something new about this amazing car every other day.

So now tell me why the passenger side door lock only seems to open for my wife about 50% of the time. I keep yelling "hit the black button" and she screams back even louder "I am you idiot, it doesn't work".

 

It depends on where you & the key are when she hits it.

Same thing happens with my husband (minus the yelling)...if I'm on the driver's side and he hits the button on the passsenger side, it doesn't unlock. If I hit the button on the driver's side, the driver's side unlocks but not the passenger's side; I have to hit the unlock button inside the car to unlock it for him.

However, if I'm standing beside him (with the key) on the passenger's side and he presses the button...BOTH the passenger and driver's side door unlocks.

 

It would certainly be convenient for a driver to push the lock button on the door while getting out, then simply close the door. But then it becomes an automatic habit while exiting the car, and people accidentally lock their keys in too often. So they made it that you need to use the key (remotely or not) to lock the drivers side. The drivers door lock was also set up this way in my old Honda and probably several other brands.

 

You can reprogram your fob to unlock both driver and passenger doors from the driver's-side outside handle button. Mine's that way. Wife has hers like yours is for a bit of extra parking lot precaution...

And yes, if she's on the passenger side, both doors will unlock even though she's programmed driver's door only - odd.

 

If you're interested, take a look at my post #18 at this page https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=156985 for the results of my experiments concerning locking the key fob, or not, inside the Clubman.