cars remote keys killing people

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I think its more people with lower than average hearing, parking in the attached garage and are getting out of their super quiet lexus thinking they've shut it off with the push button start system. Then it idles for hours(days?), and CO gets into the house somehow.
 
Purging the gene pool. If someone is to stupid to turn their car off they are a real moron.
On the other hand if these were accidental pocket starts then the companies should be sued penniless IMO.
 
This isn't about the remote start systems, which btw all have a set time before they shut off. This is about the cars being equipped with the push button start systems where you can keep the proximity key in your pocket.

People, mostly older ones, probably with hearing troubles, park their car in the garage and walk away with the engine running, but they think the engine shut off. The key is in their pocket, so that is most likely a factor.

A push button equipped car only needs the proximity key to be started, once started it will keep running even if the key is not in the range.
 
A prudent thing to have in one's living quarters are carbon monoxide alarms. Some of today's fire alarms also double as a carbon monoxide alarm. Highly recommended.
 
Also so many people without CO detectors in the house. Really cheap insurance to have a little doodad near the bedroom that will screech at you long before there's enough CO to kill.

Still seems weird that there's not a more prominent chime when the door is opened with the engine running, just like how cars used to beep if you left keys in the ignition with the door open.
 
My mom left her 2018 Equinox running at work a month ago. It has the automatic start/stop system so when she got out, the engine was likely off, keys were in her pocket and she was probably distracted or something. A coworker told her that her car was still on within a short period of time so she walked outside and realized what she had done.

This was also happening to Chevy Volt owners. They would be driving around on battery, park and forget to hit the off button. Eventually it would run out of battery and the engine would start up. GM later did a software update to where it would turn off after a certain period of time instead of firing up the engine. I don't know if it was based on not receiving input from the steering wheel or something but they did the update. I think the car honks or something at you too if you leave the area with your key in your pocket.
 
what is the proximoty key range?

in a small apartment next to the garage if key is inside the room by the garage is that considered in proximity (allowing the engine to still run and not sounding a walking away alarm??
 
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This is easily fixed with a software change. Vehicle will idle for lets say 5 minutes. Time starts when seat belt is unhooked OR if no inputs are recognized within this period, then ECU shuts off engine. Simple.
 
I’ve never had remote start but I can something happening that happens to me maybe. My key is in my pocket and all of a sudden as I’m washing dishes my horn is blaring. As I leaned against the cabinet I pressed the button long enough in my pocket to cause the panic to go off. It’s not been just a one time thing. I have to remove my keys from my pocket because it’s happened many times. Mostly at night while people are sleeping. I can see this kind of thing happening and maybe a car starting in the garage unknown to the owner.
 
Originally Posted By: czbrian
My mom left her 2018 Equinox running at work a month ago. It has the automatic start/stop system so when she got out, the engine was likely off, keys were in her pocket and she was probably distracted or something. A coworker told her that her car was still on within a short period of time so she walked outside and realized what she had done.


Nope. As soon as the vehicle is shifted to P, the engine restarts if it was auto-stopped. Auto-stop only happens when the trans selector is in D. Anything else will leave the engine running or start it back up.
 
Our 2015 CR-V has the push button and if I get out while it's running, for example while dropping off people at the airport, and completely close the door, it beeps pretty insistently for a couple of seconds or three, so if that vehicle ever gets upgraded to a garage space am not too worried, at least yet.

But anyway, if I had a choice, it's not an option I'd choose next time; keys stuck in pocket while driving are a PIT-hip or I'm paranoid I'll drop the keys somewehre inside and have to rummage around to dig them out, or they'll fall out of a coat pocket or ...
 
Originally Posted By: oldhp
This is easily fixed with a software change. Vehicle will idle for lets say 5 minutes. Time starts when seat belt is unhooked OR if no inputs are recognized within this period, then ECU shuts off engine. Simple.

This would have its own unintended consequences. If a person wants to keep the engine running, say, to keep warm in the winter or a mechanic doing performance checks, it would be irritating.
 
Survival of the fittest.

My Sonata has a regular key, but I use the garage door opener to get into the house. I've actually never used my key to enter the house, just to open the side garage door sometimes while doing yard work.

So couldn't the same thing happen with a regular key for people who park in a garage?
 
Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
Originally Posted By: czbrian
My mom left her 2018 Equinox running at work a month ago. It has the automatic start/stop system so when she got out, the engine was likely off, keys were in her pocket and she was probably distracted or something. A coworker told her that her car was still on within a short period of time so she walked outside and realized what she had done.


Nope. As soon as the vehicle is shifted to P, the engine restarts if it was auto-stopped. Auto-stop only happens when the trans selector is in D. Anything else will leave the engine running or start it back up.


Are you sure? I haven't driven it that much but I could have swore it will turn off in park as well. She is supposed to wear a hearing aid but often doesn't so it could be she just didn't hear it.
 
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The one good thing about the emissions-micromanaged modern vehicles; they emit such low CO levels that it's much harder to kill a person than with older vehicles. One woman left her new DI car running overnight in her attached garage and simply shut it off the next day- no one died.
 
I find the Keyless piece in my wife's recent 2018 VW Tiguan occasionally confusing coupled to the auto start/stop. It does however turn on parking brake(electric) and stop running motor if you exit car without shutting it off, makes all sort of noises and warns on display. You are required to depress pedal, click start button to restart the car. I just wonder if the AC quits and the kid cooks in back seat or does it restart if interior temp rises.

My whole reason I had to jump out with car running was fasten my child's car seat as she could not get it done.
 
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