Warming car up without key in

Tkirwan

Member
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2016 Mazda CX-5 GT
Ok, so I work nights 7p-7a and I'd like to warm my car up during the winters so I don't freeze for half my drive home. Does the CX-5 have a safety feature if someone tries to get in and drive off without the key in the vehicle? I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but I'm not used to these cars with push button starters. I just want to know my car is safe (except for being unlocked of course) while its warming up.
Tammy
 
You need to remove the metal key inside the fob and lock it from the outside. Make sure to leave the fob inside the car ao the car stays on.. Try this first with the window down just to be sure..goodluck!


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So there is no engine kill if someone tries to put it into drive with no key/fob in the car?!
 
Ok, so I work nights 7p-7a and I'd like to warm my car up during the winters so I don't freeze for half my drive home. Does the CX-5 have a safety feature if someone tries to get in and drive off without the key in the vehicle? I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but I'm not used to these cars with push button starters. I just want to know my car is safe (except for being unlocked of course) while its warming up.
Tammy

That's why you have heated seats.
 
I think this has been discussed in a previous thread. If you start the car with the key, then somehow remove the key from the vehicle, it will still run. Imagine if your battery dies and you have to put the key near the push button to start the car for a few days before you get the battery replaced, would you really want your engine to cut off just because your car can no longer detect the key?

You have four options:
1. Don't start the car and leave it unattended.
2. Hire someone to watch your car while you leave it unattended.
3. Start the car and lock the doors using the physical key.
4. Get a remote starter.
 
Ok, so I work nights 7p-7a and I'd like to warm my car up during the winters so I don't freeze for half my drive home.

Cis4 left out the most obvious option:

It sounds like your work might not be very physical? If not, it can help to find some desk exercises or something the last 15 minutes to increase your metabolism. I've found as long as I'm dressed appropriately for the weather and I haven't been completely sedentary, the car is comfortable from the beginning because it get's me out of the wind and weather. Then as the car heats up, and if the drive is more than 5 or 6 minutes, I just take off my winter jacket.

You might want to read this article about the wisdom (or lack of it) of letting your car idle when cold:
http://www.businessinsider.com/here...-doing-to-your-engine-and-its-not-good-2016-1
(credit to Brillo54 who posted this in another thread)

edit: I've found a brisk manual clearing of any snow/ice also warms me up a bit from the inside-out. It's much more satisfying kind of warmth than having warm air blow on cold skin. Also, make sure you have had enough water to drink before you leave work. Being a little dehydrated can make it difficult for your body to generate any warmth of it's own.
 
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I work at a paper mill and spend 12 hours on my feet lifting, pushing and pulling boxes and 900lb rolls of paper. In several hours when I get out, the temp will be in the single digits and the windchill wil be up to -30F. It's temps like this for which I warm up my car. Or when we get a 2 foot snow storm.
 
I work at a paper mill and spend 12 hours on my feet lifting, pushing and pulling boxes and 900lb rolls of paper. In several hours when I get out, the temp will be in the single digits and the windchill wil be up to -30F. It's temps like this for which I warm up my car. Or when we get a 2 foot snow storm.

Sounds like you're ideal candidate for Mazda Mobile Start. It allows you to remotely start your car from you cell phone, i.e., without line of site. You would be able to start your car from within your work facility 10 minutes before you get to the car, while keeping the doors locked.
 
I know (at least think I know, since it has never been mentioned on the forum) they are not very common in the US. But what about getting an engine warmer? Like the one from Webasto http://www.webasto.com/index.php?id=14841

This is much more effective than starting your engine and a lot better for the engine as well. It will warm the engine as well.
 
Cis4 left out the most obvious option:

It sounds like your work might not be very physical? If not, it can help to find some desk exercises or something the last 15 minutes to increase your metabolism. I've found as long as I'm dressed appropriately for the weather and I haven't been completely sedentary, the car is comfortable from the beginning because it get's me out of the wind and weather. Then as the car heats up, and if the drive is more than 5 or 6 minutes, I just take off my winter jacket.

You might want to read this article about the wisdom (or lack of it) of letting your car idle when cold:
http://www.businessinsider.com/here...-doing-to-your-engine-and-its-not-good-2016-1
(credit to Brillo54 who posted this in another thread)

edit: I've found a brisk manual clearing of any snow/ice also warms me up a bit from the inside-out. It's much more satisfying kind of warmth than having warm air blow on cold skin. Also, make sure you have had enough water to drink before you leave work. Being a little dehydrated can make it difficult for your body to generate any warmth of it's own.

To be fair, I walk probably 3-5 miles a night when I work, and lift a bunch of heavy dead weight, etc. and I'd like to have the ice gone when I leave, as well. That said, I never found a way to do it, either, aside using the metal key to lock the vehicle. Fob in/out of the vehicle doesn't matter. I take it with me. They will only drive off in it once, lol! Also, I live in a very low crime area, so it's less of a concern for me than it is others, although crime can happen anywhere.

Just curious...what about OP's post made you think he/she was sedentary?
 
To be fair, I walk probably 3-5 miles a night when I work, and lift a bunch of heavy dead weight, etc. and I'd like to have the ice gone when I leave, as well. That said, I never found a way to do it, either, aside using the metal key to lock the vehicle. Fob in/out of the vehicle doesn't matter. I take it with me. They will only drive off in it once, lol! Also, I live in a very low crime area, so it's less of a concern for me than it is others, although crime can happen anywhere.

Just curious...what about OP's post made you think he/she was sedentary?

I just did the math. On an average 12 hour shift, I lift about 12,000lbs and walk 8-10 miles! With that sort of workout, I'm not sure how I still need to lose more weight, lol.

I'd like the answer to that too! I don't know of too many 12 hour shift jobs that are sedentary. Most of them are industrial based!

After my long shifts, I hate scraping ice and snow off my car and shivering until it warms up. All I want to do is get home and get my 4-5 hours of sleep.
 
I just did the math. On an average 12 hour shift, I lift about 12,000lbs and walk 8-10 miles! With that sort of workout, I'm not sure how I still need to lose more weight, lol.

I'd like the answer to that too! I don't know of too many 12 hour shift jobs that are sedentary. Most of them are industrial based!

After my long shifts, I hate scraping ice and snow off my car and shivering until it warms up. All I want to do is get home and get my 4-5 hours of sleep.

It might have to do with the intensity of your labor at work. I know a lot of people who do what I do that are obese. This is why when I leave work, I head to the gym and do about 20-40 minutes of high intensity Olympic lifts. Also, you can consider calories in vs. calories out. It's simple math.

Example:
My co-workers order out/grab fast food on the way to work.
I cook salmon, chicken, sweet potato, etc. and BRING it to work.
 
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I work at a paper mill and spend 12 hours on my feet lifting, pushing and pulling boxes and 900lb rolls of paper. In several hours when I get out, the temp will be in the single digits and the windchill wil be up to -30F. It's temps like this for which I warm up my car. Or when we get a 2 foot snow storm.

Wind-chill factors are calculated based on wind sapping body heat and are not actual temperatures. For example, let's say the wind is blowing up to 45 mph and the windchill factor is -30. The temperature inside your car will only be 0 degrees, not -30. As soon as you close the door, the windchill will not be relevant (except that your car will warm up at a slower rate). If you are dressed reasonably for the -30 windchill factor, once inside your body heat should start to take over. However, if you get chilled walking to your car, yes, it's a problem because your body heat was sapped on the way to the car.

I was on a cross-country delivery trip once and driving through a blizzard in North Dakota with a windchill of -71 (but I didn't know exactly how cold it was because we were sitting in a cab that was super warm). I was getting way too hot so at the fuel stop I thought I would fill up the truck wearing just my jeans and t-shirt. I felt like I almost expired just getting the nozzle in the truck. I jumped back in the cab, put my sweater and jacket on, waited for the nozzle to shut off and jumped out, finished the fueling and immediately jumped back in the cab. My friend paid the fuel bill and we were back on the road with the heater cranked in no time. And it was a HOT heater. But I was shivering for at least 5 minutes even though the cab was probably 85 degrees. It can take a while to warm up once your body heat has been zapped away.

So, it will help conserve your core temperature to dress more warmly (and more windproof) for the walk to your car. If you can maintain your core temperature until you get in your car and out of the wind, you should start to warm up. I know NY doesn't get nearly as cold as N. Dakota in January.
 
I did that once, albeit in much warmer conditions. Auto shut off failed. I hosed about half a gallon all over the side of the car, lol
 
I came home a few months ago and pulled into my driveway, before I shut off the car my wife met me outside and said she needed to go to the local convenience store, so I jumped out and she got in. I went in the house and saw her keys sitting on the coffee table, discovering mine were in my pocket. I quickly called her and said, "don't shut off the car I have your keys" and met her at the store. So yes you can drive the car without the key after its started.
 
I can't believe how ridiculous this thread is...

But like many have said, you seem to be a prime candidate for remote start. I have remote start on my '14 and love it. This is the second vehicle I have owned with remote start and after my first vehicle with it, I swore to myself to never live without it again. It is worth the cost. It's great to warm the car up and have defrost set especially when covered in snow and ice. I too work 12 hour shifts (rotating between day and night shifts) and I do not want to go into a cold car or have to scrape off ice, I just want to get home as quickly as possible!

I have a 20-30 minute commute home, and by the time I am getting home is when the car is finally warm on the inside. While yes, the blue coolant light goes off within 10 min or so of driving, the interior of the car is not warm and it takes a bit longer for the heat to start pumping to the temperature I like. I have the heated seats, and for me they are what I consider barely hot on the highest setting.
 
I always viewed remote start as standard equipment on SUV type vehicles. Don't hte 2016's come with it in the upper trim levels?
 
I have the Compustar RF-2W9000-SS on both my CX-5 and Accord, it works great. My wife can start the car in the basement of a brick building a block away, with 2-way confirmation. I usually have it remotely started for within 5 minutes (e.g. as the bus approaching the station) on cold days (below 10F). I'm not sure if that's good or bad for the car.

Because of security, as soon as I open the door, the engine will shut off, then I'll start the car again to drive. Is that bad for the engine to have it shut off then start again within a minute?
 
Another +1 for Mazda Mobile Start that you can do from your cell phone.

As to why they do not shut off automatically, it is due to potential lawsuits. If the car shutoff and someone then lost control due to this they could sue and probably win even though they were stealing the car to begin with.

Stupid I know. (screwy)
 
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