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What Happens when you walk away from running car with RKE?

13K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  CaptSoloNJ 
#1 ·
The ATS is my first car with an RKE AND keyless start/stop. I cannot find any info on this in the owner's manual.

If the engine is running and you walk away from the car with the RKE, will the engine keep running? and for how long? Does that mean that anyone can jump in and drive away? Probably if the engine is turned off, it probably will not restart.

This can also happen, say, when you drive up to valet parking, leave the car running and walk away. The valet drives and parks your car, then realizes there's no key in an ignition.

Is this a design flaw? I just heard today that an acquaintance with a Volvo did this, went to have lunch and then realize the car was left running for a whole hour.

What's your experience with the ATS on this?
 
#2 ·
I have walked away from my 2015 corvette while it was idling but I have never moved the car.

I do remember a member at the corvette forum loosing his fob then driving home.

He lost the fob, but didn't know it, until later on when he tried to restart it at home. (he got the no fob present screen)
 
#3 ·
I am new to this also. I have not seen anything that says it will shut off. That would be a good option to have in CUE, how long to idle in park before shutoff. It shuts after 10 minutes on a remote start, so it's doable.

I think we can bet big that if the car is driven away without the RKE, that it won't restart.
 
#5 ·
A couple observations:

- Walking away from the ATS with the key fob in your pocket with the engine running will (a) leave the engine running no problem and (b) cause an alert to display on the DIC stating something along the lines of "FOB not detected."

- The car stills allow you to use the lock and unlock on the fob while the engine is running, meaning you could leave the car run while you stepped away quickly and still lock it to make sure no one drives away with it.

- If someone were to steal the car while it was running without the fob, the engine would not be able to be restarted without the fob.
 
#6 ·
A few years ago, a friend of mine went to a play in his new CTS with keyless entry/pushbutton start/etc. When the play was over and three hours after leaving his car in the parking garage, they came out to leave and the car was still running. So apparently there's no limit, other than fuel, to how long the car will idle unless it's a setting. Most likely the ATS is just like the CTS.
 
#7 ·
My 2016 ATSv if remote started will only run 10 min then shut off, also when you get in the car you have to push the start/stop button again to get all instruments up and going. Haven't tried getting in with out my fob and seeing if it will fire up the instrument panel.
 
#8 ·
1. As I see it the car will run until the fuel runs out when started with the driver in the car. Once you leave the car it will beep 3 times to alert you that it is running. You should be able lock or unlock it with the remote. If the car is stolen while running and subsequently turned off it will not restart do to no FOB being present.

2. If started remotely you have to unlock the car, enter the car with the FOB, press the brake pedal & the start button to drive away. Failure to do this in 10 mins the car will shut off. IIRC this sequence can be repeated twice, start the car and not enter it.
 
#12 ·
It's like any other car. If it's running and you get out and leave it running it will run. Then someone will steal the car and no need to worry about the fob. Where is the design flaw. Just a little common sense.
I also believe if your car is stolen, and you have an Onstar Account, you can simply phone them and they will automatically stop the car; track it and report it's location to the police.
 
#10 ·
If you walk away from the running car (assuming you have automatic locking set) do the doors lock? If so theft becomes a bit more difficult (at least to do it quietly).

Mine beeps when I have done this while exiting the car when leaving it running at the post office but I haven't tried it without the FOB in my pocket to see if the doors have locked.
 
#14 ·
On the continued note, I live within 50 miles of NYC, so I learn NEVER to leave an empty running car even for 1 minute, to go inside a convenience store, dry cleaner, or for an errand pick-up. There are lots of opportunists looking for an easy carjack. Other bad news is when people leave their car running in the garage and go inside the house (they should still hear it unless it was a Prius). But I did almost walk away with the remote when I was about to leave it with a valet.
 
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