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Push Button Start

MJN

Member
Joined
November 23, 2010
Messages
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Year, Model & Trim Level
11 Limited
I started up my Explorer the other day for my wife with the remote key in my pocket and then my wife took off with it across town. But I forgot to give her the remote key. I had to call her cell and tell her not to turn it off (or lock the doors) because she probably would not be able to get it started again. But she was able to make all her stops without any trouble (except the part of not being able to turn it off).

Is this what is supposed to happen? I somewhat expected the car to power down after not sensing the key anymore?
 



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I started up my Explorer the other day for my wife with the remote key in my pocket and then my wife took off with it across town. But I forgot to give her the remote key. I had to call her cell and tell her not to turn it off (or lock the doors) because she probably would not be able to get it started again. But she was able to make all her stops without any trouble (except the part of not being able to turn it off).

Is this what is supposed to happen? I somewhat expected the car to power down after not sensing the key anymore?

Kind of funny story. Was watching the british version of Top Gear on TV the other day and he had an RF key with a push button start on the car, so while he was sitting in a restaurant his buddy got up to go to the bathroom and went out and started his car and proceeded to park it in the middle of a busy intersection. It was within range of the remote to get started, and once he shut it off there was no moving it :)
 






I started up my Explorer the other day for my wife with the remote key in my pocket and then my wife took off with it across town. But I forgot to give her the remote key. I had to call her cell and tell her not to turn it off (or lock the doors) because she probably would not be able to get it started again. But she was able to make all her stops without any trouble (except the part of not being able to turn it off).

Is this what is supposed to happen? I somewhat expected the car to power down after not sensing the key anymore?

No, that is standard behavior, and YES, it is bothersome. Had same in my 2010 Taurus. Parked at the store, locked the door, and shopped for an hour. Came back out, and the car was still happily running. :rolleyes:
 






My wife's Lexus has this too and will keep running if you take the key too far away (6 feet is enough) however it will start beeping at you and show a message that the key is not detected. This should suffice to remind the user they don't have the key on them.

It would be a safety issue if the car just turned off without the key in range. I drop my wife off (she has the key in her purse) and I go park the car. While she walks away, but still within 6 feet for the first few seconds as I accelerate away, I could possibly be rolling into an intersection by the time the range is exceeded. If the car just shut off, I'd be a dead man.

Her Lexus does not have keyless entry either so once I lock the doors, that's it.
 






My wife's Lexus has this too and will keep running if you take the key too far away (6 feet is enough) however it will start beeping at you and show a message that the key is not detected. This should suffice to remind the user they don't have the key on them.
My Highlander starts beeping when I walk away from it to get to the mailbox across the street. Since I don't have my Explorer yet, I'm not sure if it does the same thing or not.
 






My GF's 2010 Maxima is the same. It will display "no key" on the dash yet stays running.
 






How did she get in the car and drive away? In order to remote start you have to lock the doors from the remote and then hit the start on the remote, thereby locking the vehicle. When she went out to get in, the doors would have been locked and she would have had the remote (or did she use the door keypad?)
 












How did she get in the car and drive away? In order to remote start you have to lock the doors from the remote and then hit the start on the remote, thereby locking the vehicle. When she went out to get in, the doors would have been locked and she would have had the remote (or did she use the door keypad?)

He didn't say anything about remote start but he could of been within range when she got in the vehicle and took off.

Did she have her remote on herself?

Sounds like she didn't if he told her not to turn the vehicle off.
 






He didn't say anything about remote start but he could of been within range when she got in the vehicle and took off.


Yep...missed that part. I got ahead of myself :D
 






Nice feature, but this is why I didnt get the Limited.
 






BMW does the same but when placed is park it will not go back into drive without the key in the car.
 






Not me, this is why did, except the driving without key fob.
I love not having scramble to for keys.
 






I think I'm starting to like having keys...
 






There is something I'm missing here. I have the remote start and even if I sit in the driver's seat with the key in my hand/pocket, I can't just drive off. If I don't push the start button, the car will shut off when I try to put it in drive.

What I'm guessing is he actually went out and started the car by pushing the start button. In which case, it is very good to know this can happen. I would have thought it would shut off if the key is not regonized or is out of range.
 






There is something I'm missing here. I have the remote start and even if I sit in the driver's seat with the key in my hand/pocket, I can't just drive off. If I don't push the start button, the car will shut off when I try to put it in drive.

What I'm guessing is he actually went out and started the car by pushing the start button. In which case, it is very good to know this can happen. I would have thought it would shut off if the key is not regonized or is out of range.


Or....

He didn't say anything about remote start but he could of been within range when she got in the vehicle and took off.
 







I think the range is, the key must be inside the car. Even still, if she pushed the button, I would think THAT would have reminded her to get the keys.

I'm sticking with he started it for her by going out to the car and then came back. No remote start. Otherwise, I don't think it could have happened.
 






I'm sticking with he started it for her by going out to the car and then came back. No remote start. Otherwise, I don't think it could have happened.

So, you are agreeing with the OP in his first sentence? Good. Me too.
 






Just to clarify:

I started the car myself with the key in my pocket and pulled car out of garage. Then I got out and my wife got in and drove off. There probably was an error message in the display telling her the key was missing but because it was the very first time she was driving the new vehicle, I don't think she saw it displayed or knew to look for it.

But in a way this was good because now she thinks the car is too complicated so I get to drive it and she gets the H3.
 



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Nice feature, but this is why I didnt get the Limited.
I wasn't sure if I liked the push button start when I initially got my Highlander but I have now gotten used to it. I still have to remind myself at times to leave the key fob in the car when I take it in for service. One thing I did discover is that it is impossible to lock your keys (key fob) in the vehicle. I have tried and can't do it. Even if you use the manual lock button and close the door, after a second or so, there is a long beep, the lights flash and the door unlocks. Not sure if the Ex will do the same. I'll have to give it a test when I get it.
 






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