Key FOB - Will CX5 drive away without FOB?

[littlebear]

In the 2016 CX5 once the vehicle is started, if the driver walks away with the FOB, can the vehicle be driven without the FOB in the car?

I did that to my 2014 Mazda3. I went back inside the home and left the key FOB on the counter after I started the car. I was able to drive away WITHOUT the FOB in my pocket. It wasn't until a few miles I noticed the red flashing light on the dash.

 

[Skorpio]

I believe this to be true. I haven't tested it for long distances in my '15, but I have driven around the corner of my neighborhood without my fob [emoji16]

 

[dergibog]

On my '14, you can drive without the fob, but once you turn off the engine, you can't restart without the fob.

 

[Unobtanium]

Can you lock the running vehicle without the FOB in it? I have been unable to figure out how to do so.

 

[Capsfan84]

Can you lock the running vehicle without the FOB in it? I have been unable to figure out how to do so.

Yes you can, at least in the '14, by starting the car and then locking it from the outside with the actual key that's inside the FOB.

 

[inlinev]

Yes you can. But once the engine is stopped, it won't restart without the key. This is a safety feature. If your key suddenly stopped transmitting and your engine shut off, say when you are doing 75 MPH on the highway, it is hardly a safe situation. You will lose steering and braking capacity. That would be a major liability for the manufacturer.

 

[waicool]

My dealer verified that you can drive without the keyfob in the car. I wish there was some security feature that would turn off the engine if the gear is shifted out of park. Or at least an easier way for me to lock my car when the engine is on and the key is out of it.

 

[dergibog]

I think that it's because of this, the remote start systems turn off the engine upon opening the door.

 

[craigo]

Yes you can. But once the engine is stopped, it won't restart without the key. This is a safety feature. If your key suddenly stopped transmitting and your engine shut off, say when you are doing 75 MPH on the highway, it is hardly a safe situation. You will lose steering and braking capacity. That would be a major liability for the manufacturer.

This. It would be impossible to start the car and keep it running with a dead key battery.

Also, the transmitter is fairly weak. There are many situations where the key will be in the car but not within transmission range. The manual even warns that a key in the cupholder may not start the car reliably. I've read a few situations around here where I suspect a key in a purse of certain construction and in certain locations would also be unable to start the car.

 

[GP 2004]

It be impossible to start the car and keep it running with a dead key battery.

I tried this as an experiment. I pushed the start button with the key fob (with the fob battery removed) and my CX-5 GT started and ran. The car will not start with the fob (with the fob battery removed) in your pocket, but will start with the fob very close the the start button and will continue to run. You do not have to keep the fob near the start button to keep it running.

 

[MikeM.]

I tried this as an experiment. I pushed the start button with the key fob (with the fob battery removed) and my CX-5 GT started and ran. The car will not start with the fob (with the fob battery removed) in your pocket, but will start with the fob very close the the start button and will continue to run. You do not have to keep the fob near the start button to keep it running.

True. The start button puts out an inductive field strong enough to power the chip in the key fob when it's close enough to the field (a matter of inches). It works on the same principle as the wireless charging pad for your phone.

 

[craigo]

I tried this as an experiment. I pushed the start button with the key fob (with the fob battery removed) and my CX-5 GT started and ran. The car will not start with the fob (with the fob battery removed) in your pocket, but will start with the fob very close the the start button and will continue to run. You do not have to keep the fob near the start button to keep it running.

Right, that's the backup method for starting the car with a dead fob battery. My point was that if the car required continuous communication with the fob to run, this would not work if the battery were dead.

 

[MikeM.]

Right, that's the backup method for starting the car with a dead fob battery. My point was that if the car required continuous communication with the fob to run, this would not work if the battery were dead.

True, unless you taped the key to the start button (spin)

 

[Peterabram]

I agree that I've also heard that it will run until the engine is shut off, then you can't do anything with it. If it shut off after a certain distance, that would be quite dangerous.So before this worst condition would came you have to contact Sunrise Locksmith ,they are quite honest and reliable.

 

[Unobtanium]

Yeah, I drove mine without the FOB once. Worked fine. Glad I noticed before I got to work.

 

[Buddywh2]

I've gotten out of my vehicle - with the fob in my pocket - at the car wash and walked away some considerable distance (several hundred feet). The attendants are able to move it throughout and it stays running the entire time, although once they had to come get me when they shut it off and I was too far away.

What's curious is my phone bleeps at me as it disconnects and reconnects to blue tooth as I walk around and it moves through the process. It IS a bit concerning, though, since an attendant could use it while I - and it - are sitting inside sipping a coffee.