Last night I ran into a friend who had just purchased a 2009 Mini S. So out of curiosity, and also because she could not remember everything that her car had in options, I asked her to shut off the car and remove the key fob from the cradle. I then asked her to start the car with the key in her hand to see if she had comfort access. She pressed the button, and her car started. I got out to see if she had the buttons on the door handles and she didn't. Moments later, the salesperson who sold her the car showed up (it was a local Mini event) and told her that she knew the car didn't have comfort access. We then repeated several times the process that we had performed to start the car like the first time and believe it or not, the car never restarted with the key fob in hand, we had to insert it in the cradle.
So what would cause this to happen the first time, and only the first time???
Waaaay Corn-fused!

If you stop the car, remove the key fob and DO NOT open the door you can restart the car w/o the fob in the slot.

yup... and i think its got to be like right after you take it out.

A friend has found in his 07 after taking the key out of the slot and not opening the doors and with in 15 seconds you car restart the car. If he waits more than 15 seconds or opens the door the car will not restart.

Our MA told us about this quirk when we got Tristan, he thought it was 10 sec, but I've never timed it.

The not opening the doors thing applies to the windows working, not sure about the restart.

The sunroof too- my wife opens the door while I'm closing the sunroof every time. Never fails.

With the Comfort Access option, you can get out of the car and hold the lock button down on the fob, and it locks the doors and closes windows (sunroof included, I think). Does that not work with the normal lock system?

I've got comfort access, so that's usually how I do it. It's just one of those things, like taking a drink whenever you're about to hit a bump

Without Comfort Access; you have to remove the silver key from the FOB and insert it into the driver's door lock and hold it locked (clockwise) for a few seconds.

It will close the windows and sunroof and it is less trouble than getting back in the car and inserting Key/Fob to do it. Would be easier if the 'lock' button would do it, but it won't.

Oh wow I didn't know that you can do that w/ comfort access. IIRC if you don't have the comfort access you can buy a module from Kevin @ KPI that will allow holding the lock button on the fob to lock/roll-up/ and maybe close sunroof. Actually the more I think about it the more I don't actually remember.

Robin,

Does you car actually do this. I have comfort access and the FOB will ONLY open the windows with the Remote Control, it will NOT close the windows. This is why KP Technologies has come up with a module that will do this.

Now the metal Key put in the lock will open or close the windows, which as others have stated is easier than getting back in the car to do it.

Unfortunately the Manual does not seem to mention any of this

I'll have to try the lock/close windows with the fob outside thing. One thing I notice is when my wife (always) opens her door when I'm rolling up the windows if she closes her door I can resume rolling them up even if I turned the display off. Also question: if you try the start the car again thing with the fob removed in a car w/o Comfort Access can you toss the fob outside the car and still restart it? Because you cannot start it with Comfort Access unless the fob is within the car.

A valet broke the start/stop cradle so I can take the key out whenever I want while driving... Not good but kinda funny ha

My bad. I assumed that the fob lock button functioned exactly the same as the black buttons on the door handles. Seems they don't. If you hold the black button down, the doors lock and the windows roll up. The doors have to be closed for the windows to go up.

I'm surprised the fob doesn't do the same thing. The 2007 manual says you can open all the windows by holding the unlock button down. I wonder why they don't let you close the windows with the fob lock button. Perhaps the lawyers did this because 2007 models don't have the Marie Antoinette sensors (for the one-touch window up option). If you use the black buttons on the doors, you would most likely be looking at the car. With the fob, you are likely to be walking away.

I can do that with my mini pushing the door button and holding it, it locks the doors and closes windows. I donīt have a sunroof but it should also works with it.

I think it is a typical BMW/MINI thing. My 2003 525it Wagon will roll the windows down from the Key buttons but not up and it has anti trap sensors.

Well this is a new one on me and i just tried it and it does work. Never really thought of trying it as i have to push the drivers door button three or four times sometimes to get the car to even lock.