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Key Fob Leaving Vehicle While Engine Is On

azamani

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So I did something incredibly stupid over the weekend, however I thought there would be a safety net in such situations...

Basically what happened was I parked the Jeep to go for a bike ride. Two hours later when I get back, I notice the engine is still on. Clearly I forgot to press the button to shut it off and due to it being relatively noisy outside, I didn't hear the engine still running, locked the doors and walked away (I can't believe I actually forgot as it is so routine to me).

As I got to the front door to hop in, I noticed the gauge cluster reading "Key Fob Has Left The Vehicle". That's no surprise, however from my understanding, the engine is supposed to shut off after a certain amount of time running with no key inside?

Luckily I had a full tank, but still annoyed at myself for being wasteful and harming the environment due to negligence on my part.

Anyone have any info on this? Say I parked overnight- would the engine keep running as long as there is enough fuel? (obviously same scenario where the key fob is not inside).
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Joeymon1

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I thought I was the only one to do this. I was on a hike for about 2 hours on a cold January day and returned to an unexpected warm jeep. All locked up and running. Since then I've caught myself several times not shutting it down. It appears that I am absent mindlessly pushing the radio button.
check the internet. People are dying by leaving cars running in attached garages.
 

Rahneld

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If the vehicle were to shut off in the absence of a fob, battery dead fobs mid-transit could shut vehicles off.

Maybe the design should be such that a warning message is displayed that in the absence of a fob signal the JL will shut down in x minutes if the fob isn't touched to the start button, like is the case to start the JL with a dead fob battery.

Now though we're pinging the fob not just at start but during transit (sounds above like that's happening anyway) and subject to its battery running dead faster depending on the frequency of such pinging.

It might though thwart car jackings.

Then of course FCA will have to program things such that if a cranked JL's fob not only touches a start button to confirm that the fob hasn't "left the building," but pushes it (because you bet somebody accidently will), the button press is ignored (i.e. the JL doesn't shut down in the middle of the highway.)

In such a scenario I'd wish to program my JL to detonate some C4, not just simply shut down (the car jacking that is).

Wish: won't do.
 
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azamani

azamani

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Good point, obviously you wouldn't want the engine to shut off while driving from a dead fob battery.

However, I would imagine while in "drive" that shouldn't be possible. I thought if the car is in park, in addition to no key fob being present, that would think be enough of a sign that the engine has been left on accidentally (and that it is safe to shut it off).

As the previous poster mentioned, people have died from accidentally leaving them on in their garages.

I don't see this ever happening again for me as this was an odd, one-off mistake, I'm just surprised there is no safety net if you're going push to start/off. I remember seeing a post several months ago that the Jeep would give you a warning (or several) before eventually shutting off. I believe the example was someone going off roading and the key flies out without them noticing.
 
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TimmH

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If the vehicle were to shut off in the absence of a fob, battery dead fobs mid-transit could shut vehicles off.

Maybe the design should be such that a warning message is displayed that in the absence of a fob signal the JL will shut down in x minutes if the fob isn't touched to the start button, like is the case to start the JL with a dead fob battery.

Now though we're pinging the fob not just at start but during transit (sounds above like that's happening anyway) and subject to its battery running dead faster depending on the frequency of such pinging.

It might though thwart car jackings.

Then of course FCA will have to program things such that if a cranked JL's fob not only touches a start button to confirm that the fob hasn't "left the building," but pushes it (because you bet somebody accidently will), the button press is ignored (i.e. the JL doesn't shut down in the middle of the highway.)

In such a scenario I'd wish to program my JL to detonate some C4, not just simply shut down (the car jacking that is).

Wish: won't do.

I would expect it to not worry about the FOB while the vehicle is in drive, but if in Park for an extended period of time, then a warning of impending doom/shutdown could be displayed.

If the doors are on, then a simple check if the door has been opened since the vehicle was put into park.

I know my Edge would beep if I got out of the vehicle with it running and the FOB on me. It was actually annoying, as I would often jump out after starting because I forgot my lunch or coffee or something, and then the car would beep at 6am when I am leaving for work.

Could be a useful feature for the uConnect app to alert you that your car has been idle in Park for xx minutes.
 

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BeachNJeep

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Most cars with push button starters sound an audible warning that can be heard outside the vehicle if the car is on and the key fob is away a certain distance.

However, my experience with a 2013 Kia Optima and a 2015 Kia Sedona was that both cars could actually be driven for hundreds of miles without the key fob in the car as long as it was started and on.

I routinely leave my Jeep at work and let the valet attendant park it, underground, with the key fob on my person. Once he’s done, he locks the doors and walks away. I get off work way after he has left to go home and I don’t have to ask security for access to the lockbox to pick up my key which is a convenience.

I don’t have the problem mentioned here because I have a manual and always put the Jeep in gear when parked, so if the engine were left on, it would lurch forward.

Kia has a solution for this: you can’t lock the car with the remote with the engine on. If FCA took this approach, it would be problem solved.
 

Young04

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Most cars with push button starters sound an audible warning that can be heard outside the vehicle if the car is on and the key fob is away a certain distance.

However, my experience with a 2013 Kia Optima and a 2015 Kia Sedona was that both cars could actually be driven for hundreds of miles without the key fob in the car as long as it was started and on.

I routinely leave my Jeep at work and let the valet attendant park it, underground, with the key fob on my person. Once he’s done, he locks the doors and walks away. I get off work way after he has left to go home and I don’t have to ask security for access to the lockbox to pick up my key which is a convenience.

I don’t have the problem mentioned here because I have a manual and always put the Jeep in gear when parked, so if the engine were left on, it would lurch forward.

Kia has a solution for this: you can’t lock the car with the remote with the engine on. If FCA took this approach, it would be problem solved.
Counterpoint to this though is that there are instances you may want to leave the Jeep running and the doors locked. When I pick up my daughter at daycare in the winter, I leave my Jeep running (and locked) while I run in and get her. Lots of parents do up where I live.
 

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Northeastbst

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Sure, you've never made a mistake before.
That's not a mistake that should be made, could potentially kill someone or yourself if that happens in a closed in area.

We all make mistakes, however, I have never heard of anyone mistakingly leave the vehicle running like that.
 

InvertedLogic

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For what it's worth, my Subaru I had with a fob would warn you. If you got out with the engine running and the fob in your pocket, it would give you a soft beep 3 times. It was the same sound as the unlock beep sound. Granted, it was impossible to forget that car was running with the rumbly exhaust.
 

Young04

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That's not a mistake that should be made, could potentially kill someone or yourself if that happens in a closed in area.

We all make mistakes, however, I have never heard of anyone mistakingly leave the vehicle running like that.
OP went for a bike ride. Presumably outdoors where there is more noise and bustle. Less likely to hear the running motor than in an enclosed space. No one is saying that what OP did was ok (OP admits as such). But it apparently happens with some frequency according to Google.
 

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That's not a mistake that should be made, could potentially kill someone or yourself if that happens in a closed in area.

We all make mistakes, however, I have never heard of anyone mistakingly leave the vehicle running like that.
you just read two...

lets leave the holier than thou shit at the door.
 

sanman357

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If you can’t hear a running engine, there are at least two options. Get hearing aids, or glance at the tachometer.
The real problem is the Stop Start. The engine isn't running when you leave the Jeep. It turns back on later due to climate or voltage needs.
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