BMW's Start/Stop & Keyless Drive System issue..

BMW's Start/Stop & Keyless Drive System issue..

Author
Discussion

irfan1712

Original Poster:

1,241 posts

152 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
quotequote all
I can't tell if this is a design issue or if im being a burk.

Basically i've noticed that in our 4 series GC, obviously if the key is on your person (pocket etc etc) you can just press the start engine button and be on your way.

however.

When i come to a stop, i am able to leave my car running (start/stop function turns the engine off automatically only when it wants to), lock the door and just walk meters or miles away from it and it will still run. Ive also left it running and unlocked, gone into the house and left the key there, got back into the car on the drive and drove it a mile down the road. Should the system actually allow me do to this? id assume it should cut off after a proximity is exceeded of the fob?

Im not expecting the car to have a remote start/stop feature, but id assume that if i didnt press the the ignition off button manuallay, i could press lock after i get out and it should shut everything down.. or am i wrong?

another factor is that if i drive, and then park up - my engine doesnt go off with the start/stop feature, which means i have to manually turn it off. Ive never actually turned stop and start off myself but it seems intermittent and i assume this is the main factor of the issue im highlighting here.

anyone advise? its gone to BMW today and they've returned by saying we have to turn the engine off manually and thats it. So basically, someone could jack the car while one of us are in it, id be left outside with the key, yet they could drive till it ran out of fuel. is that right? Ridiculously theoretical of course but surely it should'nt do that?

Irfan

smashy

3,030 posts

157 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
quotequote all
You have to turn the engine off manually......and something you have to be very aware of is the following.If you have come to a parking spot (say) and the stop/start turns the engine off if you left it at that and got out after a certain time frame the engine will start up on its own.

Smuler

2,286 posts

138 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
quotequote all
I have comfort access, so key can be in pocket and car will be running if, say, I went into the house. BUT I will get a warning, even at metres away, on the dash saying something like key fob not present and thus the car could not be driven if I left the key in the house and thus not jacked as yours could, in the way you describe!


I do agree you need to turn car of manually by pressing the stop / start button and what smashy describes about cars restarting the engines I've definitely heard of , i.e. people getting phone calls when miles away about their engines running.


But I've never heard of anyone driving these cars off, for example. And I've never heard of a car jacking in the way you describe.







anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
quotequote all
irfan1712 said:
I can't tell if this is a design issue or if im being a burk.

Basically i've noticed that in our 4 series GC, obviously if the key is on your person (pocket etc etc) you can just press the start engine button and be on your way.

however.

When i come to a stop, i am able to leave my car running (start/stop function turns the engine off automatically only when it wants to), lock the door and just walk meters or miles away from it and it will still run. Ive also left it running and unlocked, gone into the house and left the key there, got back into the car on the drive and drove it a mile down the road. Should the system actually allow me do to this? id assume it should cut off after a proximity is exceeded of the fob?

Im not expecting the car to have a remote start/stop feature, but id assume that if i didnt press the the ignition off button manuallay, i could press lock after i get out and it should shut everything down.. or am i wrong?

another factor is that if i drive, and then park up - my engine doesnt go off with the start/stop feature, which means i have to manually turn it off. Ive never actually turned stop and start off myself but it seems intermittent and i assume this is the main factor of the issue im highlighting here.

anyone advise? its gone to BMW today and they've returned by saying we have to turn the engine off manually and thats it. So basically, someone could jack the car while one of us are in it, id be left outside with the key, yet they could drive till it ran out of fuel. is that right? Ridiculously theoretical of course but surely it should'nt do that?

Irfan
Just turn it off.

eatontrifles

1,442 posts

233 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
quotequote all
smashy said:
You have to turn the engine off manually......and something you have to be very aware of is the following.If you have come to a parking spot (say) and the stop/start turns the engine off if you left it at that and got out after a certain time frame the engine will start up on its own.
I'm pretty sure that if the engine has stopped automatically as soon as you open the drivers door or take off your seatbelt the stop/start function gets disabled. It certainly does in my normal-keyed E91 anyway and is what is described on the BMW website here; http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/technology/tech...

smashy

3,030 posts

157 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
quotequote all
eatontrifles said:
smashy said:
You have to turn the engine off manually......and something you have to be very aware of is the following.If you have come to a parking spot (say) and the stop/start turns the engine off if you left it at that and got out after a certain time frame the engine will start up on its own.
I'm pretty sure that if the engine has stopped automatically as soon as you open the drivers door or take off your seatbelt the stop/start function gets disabled. It certainly does in my normal-keyed E91 anyway and is what is described on the BMW website here; http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/technology/tech...
That link you have, look at the bottom of the rev counter you will see ready and off,If you do not press the on off button to turn the engine off the guage will sit at Ready not Off. ....You walk away from that the engine will start after a while......this has been highlighted before

Found this ...http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=710548

Edited by smashy on Wednesday 20th January 22:39

eatontrifles

1,442 posts

233 months

Thursday 21st January 2016
quotequote all
I tried it today - let the car go into auto stop and as soon as I unfastened my seatbelt the system was disabled and I had to restart the car manually. Try it!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 22nd January 2016
quotequote all
Cars must vary. I just tried taking the seat belt off and the car just starts again. Also, I can't see ready/off anywhere, at any time.


buggalugs

9,243 posts

236 months

Friday 22nd January 2016
quotequote all
A neighbours X5 was stolen this way, they went back into the house with it running and took the key with them thinking nobody could drive anywhere in it.

Someone jumped in and it was never seen again.

Not sure what happened with the insurance there - left running but keys not with vehicle?

un1corn

2,143 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
I've been wondering the answer to this myself.

I've got a 2013 525d. I've walked round the corner, about 40ft away with it running and the key in my pocket. I didnt dare go further. When i returned there was an error message on the idrive saying the key wasn't present, but there appeared to be nothing stopping the car from being driven.

Surely logic would state that if the key goes more than 1.5m away from the car (which i think is the distance for the comfort acces package) then the engine cuts out.

M3greg

220 posts

125 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
It's not just BMWs, I've driven Range Rovers off without a key inside 5 miles.

Edited by M3greg on Wednesday 28th December 20:00

HoHoHo

14,980 posts

249 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
Am I being stupid, why would anyone leave the car running and walk away from it even if there's only the slightest chance once started you don't need the key to drive it confused

Trabi601

4,865 posts

94 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
You can drive off without the key - but once you've stopped the car with the start / stop button, it won't re-start.

However, the car is very vocal that the key isn't present, so you'd have to be some kind of idiot to ignore it for long enough for it to be a problem.

One of the great things about the BMW system is the ability to start the engine, then get out and lock the doors - so you can warm up the car in the morning whilst having a cuppa without worrying that someone will drive off in it.

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Thursday 29th December 2016
quotequote all
Trabi601 said:
......One of the great things about the BMW system is the ability to start the engine, then get out and lock the doors - so you can warm up the car in the morning whilst having a cuppa without worrying that someone will drive off in it.
If your car is is on the public road at the time though, then you can be fined for leaving it running with no one in it! wink


(And BMW recommend that you don't warm your car up on idle as it's not good for the engine to be running on the rich "cold start" fuel mixture for so long!)

un1corn

2,143 posts

136 months

Friday 30th December 2016
quotequote all
HoHoHo said:
Am I being stupid, why would anyone leave the car running and walk away from it even if there's only the slightest chance once started you don't need the key to drive it confused
When it's iced up?

Trabi601 said:
You can drive off without the key - but once you've stopped the car with the start / stop button, it won't re-start.

However, the car is very vocal that the key isn't present, so you'd have to be some kind of idiot to ignore it for long enough for it to be a problem.

One of the great things about the BMW system is the ability to start the engine, then get out and lock the doors - so you can warm up the car in the morning whilst having a cuppa without worrying that someone will drive off in it.
I did this the other morning.

Although I suppose there's always a slim chance someone could just break the window.

fut1a

52 posts

131 months

Sunday 22nd January 2017
quotequote all
A friend of mine has a Golf and started it in his drive but then decided to change his jacket so he went back into the house and left the car running. He came came back and drove to his destination 18 miles away, switched the engine off and realised that he had left the keys in his other jacket. I think he realised when he could not lock the car.

Trabi601

4,865 posts

94 months

Sunday 22nd January 2017
quotequote all
fut1a said:
A friend of mine has a Golf and started it in his drive but then decided to change his jacket so he went back into the house and left the car running. He came came back and drove to his destination 18 miles away, switched the engine off and realised that he had left the keys in his other jacket. I think he realised when he could not lock the car.
So for 18 miles, he ignored the car flashing up a warning signal and 'bonging' every few seconds?

Anyone who does that deserves to be stranded miles from home without their keys!

Geffg

1,113 posts

104 months

Sunday 22nd January 2017
quotequote all
I have a 2011 BMW 5 series and every time a door is opened if engine is running it gives a warning about key not present and engine won't restart etc. Doesn't matter whether it's drivers door or passenger door.
It is handy as been mentioned about when it's all iced up to start the car, lock it and go back 10min later to a nice warm thawed out car!

Munnamehek

1 posts

69 months

Thursday 21st June 2018
quotequote all
I had the same issue today my son took my keys. And I was oblivious and drove to work. I own a f10 520d and had no bonger going bong bong neither did any written warning come up. Only when I got to work did my wife call and say that my keys were with her. So she had to come drop it off. Surely the tech is good enough to atop car when key is out of range.
Clearly not a foolproof system.
So to the person who just assumes u r an idiot if mishaps befall u. Don't assume without all the facts.

eybic

9,212 posts

173 months

Thursday 21st June 2018
quotequote all
It would be dangerous to just cut the engine when out of range of the key, imagine the lawsuits for people stranded, crashed into. The best way is how it works, you just can't restart the car without the keys.