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Can you drive the car without the keys inside?

52K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  supercell 
#1 ·
I believe I read that the car will die after "x" number of feet if it's driven without the keys inside. It was a few months ago and I can't locate the thread. Can the car be driven if the keys aren't in it? Like if I start it then get out of the car and go in the house with the keys in my pocket.
 
#2 ·
You can't get very far

"Actually after a few hundred feet of driving away with no key fob the car shuts down. I had my car on at the parking lot at work. As I was leaving my coworker said I had a huge nail on the passenger rear tire. Of course instead of turning the car off I get out to look. The car made it's 5 second long beep as usual. Thing was my buddy is a bit of a prankster, so he jumps into my car laughing and yelling "look I got me a new hybrid!". As he was accelerating off (to the side entrance by the time clock) I remembered I had the fob in my pocket. Sure enough about 200 feet away the car rolled to a stop. My buddy gets out laughing and I asked what happened. He said the car just stopped accelerating even though he was hitting the gas. So yes if your car gets jacked while running and you have the keys it will stop."

http://www.hyundai-forums.com/229-sonata-yf-hybrid/214745-sonata-hidden-features-3.html
 
#3 ·
Thanks Tom! That's where I saw it! :)

Does the car show off or will it just stop accelerating? It's only 200' so I can try this one my own to see what happens.
 
#4 ·
Ok, I gave it a try tonight. Was picking my daughter up so I handed her the keys and told her I'd be right back. Drove about a quarter mile down the street and back without the keys. No problem.
 
#6 ·
I did tried it too some time ago...

I read about it when I had my Infiniti which was one of the first cars on the market with keyless start..

The engine would not shut down, it's a safety issue...imagine your key battery drains on the hwy...(not all of the cars have a key slot like ours, and not everyone is aware of it)

However as we all know without key the the thief won't be able to restart the car once is turned of....
 
#8 ·
I take my mini schnauzers with me a lot so when I have to stop I leave it running with the air on and lock the doors via bluelink app and go into stores where I can be quite a ways away from the car and come back to the car still running so no, it won't shut off if the key isn't in it after a certain distance. I don't like the lights flashing like a beacon using the bluelink start so I just do it this way and it has never shut off on me.
 
#10 ·
Yes. I get out of the car a lot when it's running and the key fob is in my pocket. The reminder goes off. Maybe others can try it to see if the car will die after a few hundred feet.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Would be a useful feature if you think about it. Safety concern if you die in the road though. At least an option to set a warning, please!

Our son drove our keyless Ford then we swapped in the driveway and we drove quite a ways without the fob before we realized once we stop the car we cannot start it back up!
 
#12 ·
I believe how it works is if you stay in the car with out opening the door the car will continue to function as a safety net in case fob battery dies while driving. In the anti hijack scenario if you get out of your vehicle with the fob and car still on it will chime "missing key". So if someone jumped in and drove off the car will disable itself due to the missing key alarm being triggered.
 
#13 ·
Found out the hard way that the car DOES NOT need the key once it is started.

I work about 40 miles from home. During our wonderful winter this year, I was starting my car and letting it warm up before work. Of course, I get the loud beep when I walk about 10 feet from the car with the fob in my pocket.

For some reason, the key fob did not make it back into my pocket before leaving from home. Got to work in my warm car and pulled into the parking lot. Shut the car down, got out, and went to lock the door via handle on the button. Nothing happened. Fearing the worst (car problem), I try to start the car. Get the key light on the dash and instantly feel very stupid.

Luckily my dear fiance was at home and drove my key to me. (another reason she got the ring and a nice bottle of wine as a thank-you-for-rescuing-dumb-Dogg present!)

I would be all for the car either shutting off if the key is not present or at least displaying the "Key Not Present" message on the center screen until you go get the key. Also, maybe the shift interlock could be programmed not to disengage unless the key is present or inserted into the center console slot if it is not working properly.

Of course if the d**n car just had factory remote start I could have avoided all of this!
 
#15 ·
I handed the fob to my daughter though the window when I tested this last week. I'll have to try opening the door and getting out with it to see if my results are different. Seems that most people can still drive the car though.
 
#18 ·
I am trying to see if I can use the KEY, not just the fob, to start my Sonata hybird?

I want to see if there is a key slot to start my 2014 Sonata Hybrid. I see that I can use the fob for parking attendants and keep the key separate to lock the glove compartment, but I cannot find out WHERE I can use the KEY - in case the fob battery decides to die on me in the outer limits. thanks for any responses!
 
#20 ·
I want to see if there is a key slot to start my 2014 Sonata Hybrid. I see that I can use the fob for parking attendants and keep the key separate to lock the glove compartment, but I cannot find out WHERE I can use the KEY - in case the fob battery decides to die on me in the outer limits. thanks for any responses!
On the 2011, the key slot is hidden in the console. You insert the fob, not the key.
 
#19 ·
I havent seen a keyless car yet that allows you to start it with the physical key.
My C6 Corvette could not do it and neither can my 2012 Sonata Hybrid. I always wondered why there wasnt a place to use the real key instead of the hidden slot where you place the fob for a "close connection."
I have had a low battery in my fobs on several occasions between owning my Corvette for 6 years and my Sonata for almost 6 years. Each time the car DID start using the hidden fob slot. Still, just to be sure that I dont get stuck somewhere I now keep an extra fob battery in my glove box. (you can easily pop open the fob with a house key)
 
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