[woodnook123]

I discovered something about my 528i today that is a bit disturbing. I got in my car, started it and proceeded to drive about 45 miles from my home without the key fob in the car. Luckily, I did not shut the car off before I noticed that I did not have my key. I never dreamed this would be possible!!!

Near as I can figure, the key hangs on a hook just inside the door right by the garage. It must have been close enough for the car to start. What disturbs me is the car gave no warning whatsoever that the key fob was out of range until I opened my car door 45 miles from home!!

Anyone ever experience this? Know of a fix??

Obviously, I need to move the key fob further away from the car in the house. Otherwise, my car is a sitting duck for theft!!

[andrewtanko]

My keys are usually hanging just a few feet away from
my car, and it NEVER starts when I try, unless they are in my pocket
or hands.

[The Beast]

Something wrong with the proximity sensor setting in my opinion. My car won't even start if I'm getting into it and hit the start button whilst my hand holding the key is still just slightly outside of the car

[DutchM550d]

Originally Posted by andrewtanko

My keys are usually hanging just a few feet away from
my car, and it NEVER starts when I try, unless they are in my pocket
or hands.

Same here.

[HFW003]

Originally Posted by Mineral5

Same here.

Same here.

[martin mustang]

Nothing wrong with your car I don't remember the details but check my tread on this when my wife with her 2011 X3 experienced the same, I believe if you do not lock the car you able to start the car again and drive away, once engine switch off with no key around, starting again will not work.
bottom line this crazy, and at the same time not a fault as I checked the car with the dealer and run all checks all ok. see my original tread on this - http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=827263

[kinerin]

Our car (2014 F10) will display a "caution key fob not in car" if driven off without the fob present.

Happened a few weeks ago when I met my wife at her office, left the car running while I dropped some things off. In ensuing confusion I accidently drove off with her key fob (2011 E90) and left mine behind.

Pretty easy to do as fobs look similar.

[M5Beast_NYC]

I always wondered how far you can drive off without the keyfob but my car always gave me a warning of thekey is not inside the car even after starting the car and walking back inside the house.

Serious question and you probably already checked but you sure you dont have a spare key inside the car?

[mobilejo]

I get the warning the second I step out of the car with the key.

[Gilgorm]

I also get the warning if I leave the car.

I can't even start the car without the key inside the car. A tire guy tried to start the car with me (and the key) beside the car. No go until I put the fob through the open window. Then it started.
Some of the proximity sensors must have a larger range.

[woodnook123]

Tried it again today, car wouldn't start w/o key in the car. Not sure what happened, but that was just weird.

Must have been a timing thing? Car was only parked in garage for 15 min when I started it again and took off.

Sending email to my SM to see if he's ever heard of that. Good guy, he'll let me know.

[Aaron@Autosource]

Will never start without fob in car.
Once started, car can be driven without the fob inside but wont restart once you turn it off. I found out the hard way =(

[ezmaass]

Sounds like something went wrong there - not normal in my experience.

My car won't start without the fob actually inside the cabin. If I remove it, within 5 seconds it'll chime and warn on the navigation display that the fob is missing. Yes, it'll allow you to keep driving at that point but not restart if you shut it off.

I'd have the dealer check it out.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by Gilgorm

I also get the warning if I leave the car.

I can't even start the car without the key inside the car. A tire guy tried to start the car with me (and the key) beside the car. No go until I put the fob through the open window. Then it started.
Some of the proximity sensors must have a larger range.

I'll chime in! When I went to CVS I ran inside and my wife was still in the car and she said it sounded a chime sound and displayed something about the key FOB out of range but when I got back in the car the message went away

[EL Jeffe 5]

Originally Posted by mobilejo

I get the warning the second I step out of the car with the key.

Same here

[martin mustang]

Regardless of warnings, in the case of wife she missed the warning as she was on the phone as well as talking to my brother in law who give her a hand unloading stuff, him with the car key in his pocket was left behind while my wife managed to drive away our place 5 miles away, and when realised the key missing after switching the car off of course not locked, she managed to start again the car and go back to recover the keys, bottom line the warnings can easily be missed with kids or other distractions. I now always lock the car even if off for couple of minutes.

[Sailorbaz]

It's happened to me too.

Drove to the airport, hopped out the car, Wife left the airport driving 40 miles home. I got to security and yes, reached into pocket and found car keys. Quickly called Wife and told her to go straight home and do not switch the car off until she's in the driveway. After that she could use her own keys until I got home again.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by martin mustang

Regardless of warnings, in the case of wife she missed the warning as she was on the phone as well as talking to my brother in law who give her a hand unloading stuff, him with the car key in his pocket was left behind while my wife managed to drive away our place 5 miles away, and when realised the key missing after switching the car off of course not locked, she managed to start again the car and go back to recover the keys, bottom line the warnings can easily be missed with kids or other distractions. I now always lock the car even if off for couple of minutes.

If the car gave a warning but it was ignored what else do you want it to do? Stop dead in it's tracks? That could be dangerous.

[wrickem]

If you get out of our KIA Optima Hybrid with the key while the car is running, the horn beeps once, a warning flashes on the dash AND the key vibrates. Seems like a much much better system than a single dash warning.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by wrickem

If you get out of our KIA Optima Hybrid with the key while the car is running, the horn beeps once, a warning flashes on the dash AND the key vibrates. Seems like a much much better system than a single dash warning.

I wouldn't want a horn beep (I do it on purpose quite often and wouldn't want the noise) but I'd take a vibrating key any day

[550Reasons]

WTF !? I cant even start my car if my waist is outside of the frame of the car (wont recognize it at all), I have to fully sit in the car with the fob physically inside for it to recognize it

[M5Beast_NYC]

So from what i gathered in this post is that the car will not stop or stall on its own without the keys in the car. Good lesson to learn! thanks guys!