Key fob not in the car but it can still be driven

[T1 Terry]

Trip to the hospital to drop Margaret off for more treatment on her foot, drove down to the local big box hardware store, stopped part way into the parking spot to move an abandoned trolley ..... and I can not get the car the rest of the way into the parking spot ...... can't identify security what ever ..... I can get neutral and the park brake off, while I hold my foot on the brake, open the door to push it in the last bit ..... no, back in park and the park brake applied.
On the phone, organise for Margaret to catch a cab down to the hardware store, lock the car via the open driver's window and near get the arm trapped trying to get it to stop closing, did the required shopping to buy cable and plugs to make a better extension cord, the "15 amp extra heavy duty Caravan 10 mtr lead" melted the plugs each end

Ring Margaret, they are keeping he in for a few days .... great ..... not exactly the words I used, get the dog back out of the car and lock it up via the window method .... with the air con running .... wanted a cool car after the 3km each way walk .......

After about 3 blocks, the dog reckoned it was getting too hot and the speed the little legs needed to go was getting to be all a bit much .... it is a quite warm full sun day after all.

Spot a kids stroller for sale at an op shop, $15, load the dog in .... about 4 times before he realised it really was easier to let dad push him rather than walking ...... spotted a young lass carry books and guessed she was heading to the uni that the hospital is part of ..... so follow her up a "short cut" rather than the zig zag path along the road method .... lost sight of her after maybe a km, Google maps showed a bridge up ahead to cross the freeway and the major hwy that runs near parallel ..... 3 hrs later, I'm on top of a hill in a national park, having followed a bike track, I look around for how close I am to this bridge, it's about 5 kms back the way I'd come ..... a total of 4 hrs, pushing a dog in a pram, to finally reach the hospital and get the key fob from Margaret ..... the car was obviously running on her fob, mine was still in the other pants pocket at home in Mannum 20 mins back to the car, the air con is still running, so that at least answers that question .....

It seems, as long as the car is in drive while within the range of the fob, you can keep driving ..... once you select park, the game is up. Lucky I wasn't too far away .... if you walk in the right direction and don't take a short cut ...... but if you had set out on a long drive and only stopped to recharge ...... you could find yourself in a bit of bother .....

T1 Terry

 

[Tuareg]

Yep, same with any keyless car or motorcycle.

 

[Martinonline]

This has been reported before. It is a safety feature in case the keyfob fails; a continuous presence detection would abruptly stop the car in that case under unknown conditions. Not a good thing.

Do you not have a digital key via the app?

 

[Caramaddy]

Sorry to hear that Terry but your adventure did make me laugh - similar things have happened to me in the past.

 

[Kithmo]

Do you not have a digital key via the app?

Does the SE have the digital key option ?

 

[siteguru]

Does the SE have the digital key option ?

Not according to the specification on MG's website ... but it works in mine.

 

[Rolfe]

Somebody, I think it might have been @Susanna, left her car on while she went into the house to change for her second trip of the day. She changed her handbag over and left the key in the handbag she left in the house. She was at her friend's house before she realised she had no key with her.

My app has the digital key function but I've never tried it.

 

[Kithmo]

Somebody, I think it might have been @Susanna, left her car on while she went into the house to change for her second trip of the day. She changed her handbag over and left the key in the handbag she left in the house. She was at her friend's house before she realised she had no key with her.

My app has the digital key function but I've never tried it.

You can't do that in the MG4 as it drops out of ready mode when you leave the seat.

 

[Martinonline]

In my Trophy, opening the driver's door cancels the ready mode. When I lifted off the seat the ready mode indication remained and stayed so when I exited via the front passenger's door. When I then opened the driver's door the ready mode ceased. I presume had I re-entered via the passenger's door without the key I would be able to drive away. Not Tested.

 

[T1 Terry]

Hmmm..... Note to self, investigate this app thing and load it in the phone ...... and don't forget the phone either The sunburn seems to have settled over night, the legs and knees, not so much
Another trip later today to deliver all the stuff Margaret requires for her extended stay .... including the huffa-puffa machine ....... Can't leave without the fob thingo this time

T1 Terry

 

[decrep]

You surprise me Terry, I thought getting the app would be one of the first things you'd do.
It's well worth it.
I just did a test with my 51 excite. app unlocks car, sit on seat, foot on brake, press keyless start and you're away.
However the car was still in range of the fobs. I need two faraday cages, or take them on a long walk up the road to see if that's having any effect.
I very much doubt it, but haven't disproved it.

 

[decrep]

More security tests.
Car won't start unless fob is in blue tooth range, so although I can lock and unlock it from a distance, the fob needs to be very close before the car goes into ready.
Once started from the app, (I did see something come up about having 120sec) it stays started even with the app closed and phone turned off. As long as you're in the drivers seat. Get out and in again, it's out of ready mode and wants the key put in the emergency start position.

So to me looks as if it's fully functional, but I'll always have the fob with me.

 

[Martinonline]

Just experimented with my Trophy and found my Faraday pouch is leaking (see Note below). Experiment was with keyfob in pouch: opened car with app, sat in car but keyfob detected through pouch. So started again with pouch wrapped in tinfoil. With app, opened car, sat in seat, Smart Key not detected warning, screens blank except for warning, selected keyless start on app, app message warning key only valid for 120 seconds, pressed brake pedal and car came alive in ready mode, drove to supermarket. Car came out of ready mode when door opened and Smart Key not detected warning re-appeared. Repeated sequence on way home. So the app option is a useful addition though I would only use it in an emergency.

@decrep has an SE and required the keyfob to be present to get the car into Ready Mode so @Kithmo may be correct to question the availability of the digital key for the SE. Or @decrep has not properly set up the key. @siteguru can you add to the conversation?

Note: Re my leaking Faraday Pouch. With the key fob in the pouch the car recognised the presence of the Smart Key. However the car would not unlock/lock using the door buttons until I placed it right next to the button. I'm sure the pouch was fully effective when I bought it 2 years ago though the other one bought at the same time failed after about 6 months.

 

[siteguru]

What you described as your test method is what worked for me in my SE (the last time I tried this). As I said earlier, in the UK the SE spec doesn't mention digital key support, but it worked for me.

 

[ReintjeWA]

I like the option of using the app, but I consider it a back up and wouldn't just use the app as a habit and leave the keys at home. @T1 Terry you'll love the remote cooling (and heating) option through the app, by far one of my favourite functions on this car.

 

[Susanna]

Somebody, I think it might have been @Susanna, left her car on while she went into the house to change for her second trip of the day. She changed her handbag over and left the key in the handbag she left in the house. She was at her friend's house before she realised she had no key with her.

My app has the digital key function but I've never tried it.

Yes, that was me @Rolfe - I had never used the digital key before, but it was a lifesaver that day! However, I too would not like to rely on using the digital key all the time.