[croaker]

I'm selling a car, and about a week ago I enlisted one of my friends to ride with me to my house so I could pick it up and take it to the lemon lot on base. The plan being that I'd drive the “for sale” car and he'd follow me in my car.

Anyway, all went as planned. I picked up the other car and my friend was following me back to base in mine. We were at a stop sign when I realized that my keys were still in my pocket. I have CA, but I guess I was always under the assumption that the car would not go anywhere if the keys where not in the car. Even if it was running already.

Anyway, once he pulled up behind me at the stop sign I ran back and gave him the keys just to be on the safe side.

I'll be keeping this in mind when I leave my car warming up in the driveway in the winter. Not that I would ever do that here in Germany since they consider it an environmental sin.

[RANJHA]

lol would have been funny if u were to go out of range

didn't know that was possible

[pokerface]

The car would still run if the CA key was removed from the interior with the engine running

This would make sense as if your CA key was barely holding a charge, you wouldn't want the car to conk out if the signal dies. You would want it to last til you got home.

I have tried this on my Camry Hybrid as well. Although the Toyota version uses replaceable batteries and is not on-board chargeable like BMW's.

[pokerface]

I'm still uncertain though on how the BMW charges its keys when plugged in when there are no contacts on the unit to take a current.

[LyriCeZ]

Originally Posted by croaker

I'm selling a car, and about a week ago I enlisted one of my friends to ride with me to my house so I could pick it up and take it to the lemon lot on base. The plan being that I'd drive the “for sale” car and he'd follow me in my car.

Anyway, all went as planned. I picked up the other car and my friend was following me back to base in mine. We were at a stop sign when I realized that my keys were still in my pocket. I have CA, but I guess I was always under the assumption that the car would not go anywhere if the keys where not in the car. Even if it was running already.

Anyway, once he pulled up behind me at the stop sign I ran back and gave him the keys just to be on the safe side.

I'll be keeping this in mind when I leave my car warming up in the driveway in the winter. Not that I would ever do that here in Germany since they consider it an environmental sin.

, if only I could see the look on your face when you realized you still had the keys lol..

[voerman]

Originally Posted by pokerface

I'm still uncertain though on how the BMW charges its keys when plugged in when there are no contacts on the unit to take a current.

Via induction. An alternating magnetic field in a coil located around/near the key slot induces an electrical current in a coil located in the the key fob.

You asked.

Lou

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by pokerface

The car would still run if the CA key was removed from the interior with the engine running

This would make sense as if your CA key was barely holding a charge, you wouldn't want the car to conk out if the signal dies. You would want it to last til you got home.

I have tried this on my Camry Hybrid as well. Although the Toyota version uses replaceable batteries and is not on-board chargeable like BMW's.

Key is NOT rechargeable.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by voerman

Via induction. An alternating magnetic field in a coil located around/near the key slot induces an electrical current in a coil located in the the key fob.

You asked.

Lou

Key is not rechargeable. Battery has to be replaced.

[DDTAN]

Originally Posted by croaker

I'll be keeping this in mind when I leave my car warming up in the driveway in the winter. Not that I would ever do that here in Germany since they consider it an environmental sin.

I wouldn't do that here anyway, especially since it's an "environmental sin"

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Key is not rechargeable. Battery has to be replaced.

+1. This has been discussed before. If you have CA, you have to replace the battery. If you dont, you have to insert it into the dash to charge it.

Regardless, Ive left my car running a few times in my driveway while I ran into the house. Once its started, theres no limit as to how far you go with the keys. The car just wont be able to be started again if it gets shut off without the keys in range.

[LyriCeZ]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

+1. This has been discussed before. If you have CA, you have to replace the battery. If you dont, you have to insert it into the dash to charge it.

Regardless, Ive left my car running a few times in my driveway while I ran into the house. Once its started, theres no limit as to how far you go with the keys. The car just wont be able to be started again if it gets shut off without the keys in range.

Imagine how much that would suck if you left your keys at home

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by LyriCeZ

Imagine how much that would suck if you left your keys at home

As funny as that thought is, how would you leave your keys at home if they are in your pocket to begin with? Why would you take them out?

[matt_435xi]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

+1. This has been discussed before. If you have CA, you have to replace the battery. If you dont, you have to insert it into the dash to charge it.

Regardless, Ive left my car running a few times in my driveway while I ran into the house. Once its started, theres no limit as to how far you go with the keys. The car just wont be able to be started again if it gets shut off without the keys in range.

+1 i had my car valet'ed when i first got her, and i had my keys in my pocket. the valet guy almost crapped himself when he exited the car. he was like "did i give you the keys already?" i said "no", and just stared at him...its fun to play jokes like this. he was touching his pockets and then started to walk back to my car to look inside. i then showed him the keys and he looked at my like was David Blane (sp?)

[LyriCeZ]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

As funny as that thought is, how would you leave your keys at home if they are in your pocket to begin with? Why would you take them out?

Well if you ran back into the house to get something with your car already running you could easily put them down on a table. or something.. I mean its highly unlikely you would.. but I can't say its impossible...

[PiperD]

Originally Posted by croaker

I'll be keeping this in mind when I leave my car warming up in the driveway in the winter.

It's no worse than doing so without CA. Without CA, a thief can smash your window and drive off, and have the key to restart the car at any time. With CA, a thief can smash your window and drive off, and then have no way to restart the car.

[Ninjaneer]

I think someone here had posted where his wife was driving the car w/o the key (he started the car for her and had it in his possession) and the car eventually stopped. IIRC he said it let her drive for 18 miles before shutting down.

[Maestro]

Besides being environmentally unfriendly leaving your car running unattended, in PA they have a law against it, get cough doing it in your driveway or anywhere it is $25 fine, and if your car is stolen because of this and your insurance company is allow not to pay for the lost.

Some guy recently found out the hard way in PA, let his car running ran in to 7-11 came out to find the car gone, call the police reports it, finds out later it was used in a bank robbery, and wrecked. After all said and done, police wrote him a ticket for leaving the car running, and his insurance company refuse his claim because it happen due to breaking this law.

[jrod1014]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Besides being environmentally unfriendly leaving your car running unattended, in PA they have a law against it, get cough doing it in your driveway or anywhere it is $25 fine, and if your car is stolen because of this and your insurance company is allow not to pay for the lost.

Some guy recently found out the hard way in PA, let his car running ran in to 7-11 came out to find the car gone, call the police reports it, finds out later it was used in a bank robbery, and wrecked. After all said and done, police wrote him a ticket for leaving the car running, and his insurance company refuse his claim because it happen due to breaking this law.

Came across this in San Francisco...

[Javier]

Originally Posted by voerman

Via induction. An alternating magnetic field in a coil located around/near the key slot induces an electrical current in a coil located in the the key fob.

You asked.

Lou

Beat me to it....

[Revlis]

Originally Posted by croaker

I'm selling a car, and about a week ago I enlisted one of my friends to ride with me to my house so I could pick it up and take it to the lemon lot on base. The plan being that I'd drive the “for sale” car and he'd follow me in my car.

Anyway, all went as planned. I picked up the other car and my friend was following me back to base in mine. We were at a stop sign when I realized that my keys were still in my pocket. I have CA, but I guess I was always under the assumption that the car would not go anywhere if the keys where not in the car. Even if it was running already.

Anyway, once he pulled up behind me at the stop sign I ran back and gave him the keys just to be on the safe side.

I'll be keeping this in mind when I leave my car warming up in the driveway in the winter. Not that I would ever do that here in Germany since they consider it an environmental sin.

Just lock your CA equipped car like you normally do as you step out of the running car. This way no one can hop in and ride off.

[noktekniq]

from what i know, a mercedes benz with confort access has it set so the car would shut off if the key was not in the car for 30min

[voltron1011]

Originally Posted by voerman

Via induction. An alternating magnetic field in a coil located around/near the key slot induces an electrical current in a coil located in the the key fob.

You asked.

Lou

It's the same principal that charges my Sonicare toothbrush...