Vehicle continues to run even if no key is present

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Denveri3

New member
Joined
Oct 18, 2021
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1
I was preparing to take my 3 year old grandson home with the help of my husband who was strapping him into his car seat while I was grabbing my purse. In my rush I forgot to get my key. Unbeknownst to me, the car started because my husband had his key in his pocket while dealing with the car seat and I was in the driver seat starting the car. I drive off and drop my grandson off at his parents. Upon leaving the parents house I realize that I cant start the car to get myself home! My husband had to drive 45 minutes to bring me a key. It seems that there should be some sort of indicator (chime) that would alert the driver was out of range of the key.
 
The i3 will warn you if you try to start it with no key fob present.

I've also found that while the car is locked and the hatch is opened (doors remain locked) placing the fob in the cargo area and shutting the hatch (as if you loaded bags and the fob happened to be in one of the bags) the i3 will beep and re-pop the hatch, preventing you from locking your fob inside. I found this out in practice!

Of course, how frustrating to get stranded by your now-missing fob, but yes, the i3 definitely will not sound an alarm for a fob that was present for drive readiness but subsequently moved out of range.

Perhaps clip the fob to something that you will always have with you whenever you drive? I keep mine in my wallet.
 
Wowza! That's really unfortunate. That's a big design oversight, probably with the assumption that the driver can't exit the car without the car exiting drive-ready mode. There's little opportunity to switch drivers to one not in possession of a key. But your scenario turns that on its head.

My ID.4 instantly pops up a "key not detected" message is the key walks away while the car is in Drive, and other cars (maybe that one) won't start if the key isn't in proximity of the driver's seat (vs. in the pocket of a passenger). I noticed I could start the i3 even if the key is in the opposite rear passenger seat.
 
I noticed I could start the i3 even if the key is in the opposite rear passenger seat.

In my 2014 the i3 could be put into drive readiness even if the fob was in a bag in the cargo area!

The new 2021 i3s seems a little more picky about where the fob is... Sometimes it won't take the fob being in the passenger seat and I've yet to try it with the fob in the hatch area.
 
I tested my 2021 with the FOB in the front passenger seat and back seat and it disappointingly starts just fine. This car has at least two interior antennas to detect the FOB and typically for a car this size there would be at least three. The scenario it should be trying to avoid, not unlike the OP's situation, is doing a curbside drop-off of somebody at work or the train station, and THAT person has the key in their pocket.

I double checked my Flex and it gives a "no key detected" message. And as mentioned, the ID.4 seemed to not drive any further, despite being in D, when I stopped and set the key out the window. I'll have to test that one more, because that also doesn't seem ideal (ex. FOB battery dies).
 
admin –

What can be done to stop junk re-quotes like this?

I've also found that while the car is locked and the hatch is opened (doors remain locked) placing the fob in the cargo area and shutting the hatch (as if you loaded bags and the fob happened to be in one of the bags) the i3 will beep and re-pop the hatch, preventing you from locking your fob inside. Play to super smash flash 2 online free
 
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