[Mauryk]

Went to the baseball game, parked the car and locked it with the key fob.

When I returned 3 hours later, from a distance I could see my headlights were on. Very strange since always use the automatic setting and couldn't have left them on. When I got to the car, the door opened automatically (I have the Comfort Access option) and the car was very cold inside -- AC running! SO WAS THE ENGINE! Apparently, when I left the car, I didn't hit the Stop button and walked away with the key fob in my pocket. The car was sitting idling for 3 hours, and when it got dark, the headlights switched on.

While this part is fairly amusing (and lucky my car wasn't stolen!), I am worried that this could happen with my car in the garage at home, and fill the garage, and possibly the house, with Carbon Monoxide. Is there a way to limit how long the car will sit idle without the key fob?

[galahad05]

I'd figure that starting and stopping your engine would and should be a manual process--only under direct control of the driver. It's just too important and dangerous to automate.

Driver's responsibility to make sure they turn the engine on and off.

[j1valverde]

Originally Posted by galahad05

I'd figure that starting and stopping your engine would and should be a manual process--only under direct control of the driver. It's just too important and dangerous to automate.

Driver's responsibility to make sure they turn the engine on and off.

+1 especially for a BMW

[ceb]

Originally Posted by Mauryk

Went to the baseball game, parked the car and locked it with the key fob.

When I returned 3 hours later, from a distance I could see my headlights were on. Very strange since always use the automatic setting and couldn't have left them on. When I got to the car, the door opened automatically (I have the Comfort Access option) and the car was very cold inside -- AC running! SO WAS THE ENGINE! Apparently, when I left the car, I didn't hit the Stop button and walked away with the key fob in my pocket. The car was sitting idling for 3 hours, and when it got dark, the headlights switched on.

While this part is fairly amusing (and lucky my car wasn't stolen!), I am worried that this could happen with my car in the garage at home, and fill the garage, and possibly the house, with Carbon Monoxide. Is there a way to limit how long the car will sit idle without the key fob?

This is no different than leaving the key in the ignition. you stopped the car, put it in park, opened the door and walked away.

this has nothing to do with BMW nor is it a "dangerous option"

the only thing dangerous is you not shutting the car off or locking it.

[Express]

how much gas did it use?

[roadkillrob]

Someone last year tried to sue Toyota for this, they left their car running in their garage and blamed it on the keyless entry. I think they decided that Toyota drivers are not that bright and it was not Toyota's fault, so I guess the lesson is that you should learn to turn off your car when you get out!

[Bimmer84]

Originally Posted by Mauryk

Went to the baseball game, parked the car and locked it with the key fob.

When I returned 3 hours later, from a distance I could see my headlights were on. Very strange since always use the automatic setting and couldn't have left them on. When I got to the car, the door opened automatically (I have the Comfort Access option) and the car was very cold inside -- AC running! SO WAS THE ENGINE! Apparently, when I left the car, I didn't hit the Stop button and walked away with the key fob in my pocket. The car was sitting idling for 3 hours, and when it got dark, the headlights switched on.

While this part is fairly amusing (and lucky my car wasn't stolen!), I am worried that this could happen with my car in the garage at home, and fill the garage, and possibly the house, with Carbon Monoxide. Is there a way to limit how long the car will sit idle without the key fob?

You could shut your car off?

[irfan]

agreeed its your fault it woudl be nice if the car turned off after the key was out and the car was still in park. if the car was moving then it should never turn off on its own, what if someones pulling into traffic and the car shuts off?

if the key isnt in the car, and its running but is stopped/parked, does it turn off if someone steps on the clutch or brake?

[Presice]

this is one of the reason's i prefer the traditional keyed ignition as opposed to the start/stop buttons found in many cars today. Although leaving the car on is unlikely for me, i'm more prone to just leaving the key in the car altogether.

Another way start/stop button could put you in trouble: I've had experiences where I would 2 people would be in the car, and the driver has the key. Driver and passenger switch position, driver leaves, passenger drives away with the car. But oh no, the driver forgets to give the passenger the key.

[j1valverde]

Originally Posted by naveeds786

Another way start/stop button could put you in trouble: I've had experiences where I would 2 people would be in the car, and the driver has the key. Driver and passenger switch position, driver leaves, passenger drives away with the car. But oh no, the driver forgets to give the passenger the key.

So what happens at the end? Does the passenger have the ability to shutoff or they lose the ability to lock, etc. etc.? I thought the car won't let you drive off without the key close by?

[ceb]

Originally Posted by j1valverde

So what happens at the end? Does the passenger have the ability to shutoff or they lose the ability to lock, etc. etc.? I thought the car won't let you drive off without the key close by?

You can shut the car off, but you can't re-start it or lock the doors.

What everybody seems to overlook is that what the OP did had nothing to do with CA. He got out of the car and didn't turn it off. He'd have done the same thing with the non-CA version except that the key would have been in the slot.

Doesn't anyone take responsibility for their own mistakes anymore? The OP screwed up, plain and simple.

Sheesh, even in driving 101 you learn to put the car in park (or neutral and pull handbrake,) turn off the engine, remove seatbelt, get out of car and lock it. This procedure applies to all cars CA or not.

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by galahad05

I'd figure that starting and stopping your engine would and should be a manual process--only under direct control of the driver. It's just too important and dangerous to automate.

Driver's responsibility to make sure they turn the engine on and off.

I know someone who left her car running over night and left her door open too.

Campus security came knocking on her door the next morning asking if she knew where her car was lol

They said it was running for the last 13 hours in the dorm parking lots

Drunk drivers

[TheStigsTwin]

Originally Posted by ceb

This is no different than leaving the key in the ignition. you stopped the car, put it in park, opened the door and walked away.

this has nothing to do with BMW nor is it a "dangerous option"

the only thing dangerous is you not shutting the car off or locking it.

+1 Take responsibility for your own actions.

[j2m]

[QUOTE=irfan;
if the key isnt in the car, and its running but is stopped/parked, does it turn off if someone steps on the clutch or brake?[/QUOTE]

The car does not shut off if the car is left on without the key in the car. i tried this to see what would happen. I had the key and had my wife drive my car. The NAV came up with a message that said something to the effect of "Warning FOB not detected" but it let her drive the car un-interrupted with no key.
I was testing to see if I could use it to warm the car during the winter, without worrying about my car being stolen.

[sandesto2000]

Originally Posted by ceb

What everybody seems to overlook is that what the OP did had nothing to do with CA. He got out of the car and didn't turn it off. He'd have done the same thing with the non-CA version except that the key would have been in the slot.

Doesn't anyone take responsibility for their own mistakes anymore? The OP screwed up, plain and simple.

If he had non-CA, he wouldn't have left without the key, and you can't pull the key out without turning off the car. Still his fault though, I agree.

[BMWrules7]

First, I predicted the precise hazard of asphyxiation that you described in more than one of my previous posts.

Second, In order to prevent this problem in the future always, always, look at the RPM indicator to ensure it is at zero through the driver's window of the locked car. This is one indication the engine is off.

Next, after locking your doors with comfort access always look at the red dome below the rear view mirror as you should wait to see at least one flash of the alarm armed indicator. This is your second indication that the engine has been properly shutdown.


Now, I am very disappointed in the people on this forum blaming you.

The concern is not that you left the engine running as the engine was designed to run.

Rather, the concern here is that you were unaware that the engine was running as you believed the engine to be off.

Furthermore, the likelihood of this condition recurring is higher in the event you get distracted with say a telephone call.

Had you been home you could have wiped out your entire family.

This could happen to anyone and this includes those holier than thou posters that seem to think you are the only one to blame.

I see this as a serious design issue that BMW will not fix until someone gets killed. Then everyone will act surprised that this situation could ever happen blah blah blah.

Note to BMW: this will be the second person that identified this problem as a potential life threatening situation. It is time to start listening to us.

For now, force yourself to follow the two steps I outlined above to make sure the engine is off each and every time you leave the car.

[Bimmer84]

^ this made me LOL

[Mauryk]

I never said it wasn't my fault. People make mistakes. It's not the same as leaving the keys in the car. I had the key fob with me, and used it to lock the doors. So, the car was locked with the engine running. A bystander couldn't have turned off the engine.

My concern is that another mistake by me, or someone else, could result in a car running indefinitely in a closed garage with disastrous consequences.

I am looking at the possibility of disabling the CA option. It is too minor a convenience considering the potential risks.

[Timothy J]

Originally Posted by express705

how much gas did it use?

Not a whole lot I can guarantee that.

[ceb]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

First, I predicted the precise hazard of asphyxiation that you described in more than one of my previous posts.

Second, In order to prevent this problem in the future always, always, look at the RPM indicator to ensure it is at zero through the driver's window of the locked car. This is one indication the engine is off.

Next, after locking your doors with comfort access always look at the red dome below the rear view mirror as you should wait to see at least one flash of the alarm armed indicator. This is your second indication that the engine has been properly shutdown.


Now, I am very disappointed in the people on this forum blaming you.

The concern is not that you left the engine running as the engine was designed to run.

Rather, the concern here is that you were unaware that the engine was running as you believed the engine to be off.

Furthermore, the likelihood of this condition recurring is higher in the event you get distracted with say a telephone call.

Had you been home you could have wiped out your entire family.

This could happen to anyone and this includes those holier than thou posters that seem to think you are the only one to blame.

I see this as a serious design issue that BMW will not fix until someone gets killed. Then everyone will act surprised that this situation could ever happen blah blah blah.

Note to BMW: this will be the second person that identified this problem as a potential life threatening situation. It is time to start listening to us.

For now, force yourself to follow the two steps I outlined above to make sure the engine is off each and every time you leave the car.

This is a joke right?

While asphyxiation may be a concern, modern building codes require that the garage be sealed off from bedroom areas - one reason that you'll find the front and ceiling of a garage finished when a bedroom is adjacent to the garage.

The OP can't try to convince us that he pulled the keyfob out of his pocket and used that to lock the door. People with CA merely touch the ridges on the door handle.

The BMW isn't a Prius where you can't tell if it is running.

The bottom line - no matter how the OP tries to spin it now - is that he got out of the car and walked away.

Oh, and this is same with any car that has keyless start - MB, Cadillac, Acura, Toyota, Lexus and Infiniti are the ones that I can personally say will continue to run without a key present in the car. The Prius won't let you lock the car though.

[Tag]

He was probably in a rush, it was loud and he didn't notice the engine was running, had the fob with him and set off to the game. It happens. What I don't get is why the car would stay running if it couldn't detect the fob anymore and was left in P for a certain length of time.

[ceb]

Originally Posted by tag824

He was probably in a rush, it was loud and he didn't notice the engine was running, had the fob with him and set off to the game. It happens. What I don't get is why the car would stay running if it couldn't detect the fob anymore and was left in P for a certain length of time.

Because that is how keyless start works on any car. The car will continue to run untill you turn it off or it runs out of gas.