Left engine running by mistake

I just came back to the car, locked and with engine running (prob. about 45 mins).

Dose the Comfort Access not warn you in any way if you lock the car from outside with the engine running? Seems an easy mistake to make.

Doesn't it have autostop for shutting off the engine at stoplights?

I'm afraid the car expects you to be paying enough attention to know it is running and to turn it off.

Originally Posted by BMW220i

Doesn't it have autostop for shutting off the engine at stoplights?

The temps we have at the moment the ASS is not working all that often, if it had I would have noticed the engine starting as I was taking my foot off the brake. It's very quiet when idling when warmed up and it was raining hard I just jumped out without noticing I guess.

Originally Posted by sr5959

The temps we have at the moment the ASS is not working all that often, if it had I would have noticed the engine starting as I was taking my foot off the brake. It's very quiet when idling when warmed up and it was raining hard I just jumped out without noticing I guess.

I don't have CA, so my answer is just speculation, but I highly doubt it is normal operation for CA to allow you to lock the doors while the motor is running. Someone with specific knowledge will probably post soon.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

. . . I highly doubt it is normal operation for CA to allow you to lock the doors while the motor is running.

Completely normal. In fact, I just tried it.

People expect to be able to do things like starting the car and leave it while warming up, leave it running with the dog in the car and the heat on, etc.

Originally Posted by sr5959

I just came back to the car, locked and with engine running (prob. about 45 mins).

Dose the Comfort Access not warn you in any way if you lock the car from outside with the engine running? Seems an easy mistake to make.

Mine did...2006 330xi. Not sure if it's changed since then.

Edit: Let me clarify. The car warned me that I was exiting the vehicle while it was running. It did not warn me I was locking the vehicle while the vehicle was running.

Originally Posted by Elk

Completely normal. In fact, I just tried it.

People expect to be able to do things like starting the car and leave it while warming up, leave it running with the dog in the car and the heat on, etc.

Which is not possible with the vast majority of cars with some kind of key start, unless one uses a second key to lock the car. Many, many cars, including BMWs, will not let you lock the car with the remote in the car. I'm not sure if BMWs will let the doors lock with a remote in the car if the mechanical key is used.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Which is not possible with the vast majority of cars with some kind of key start, unless one uses a second key to lock the car. Many, many cars will not let you lock the car with the remote in the car. I'm not sure if BMWs will let the doors lock with a remote in the car if the mechanical key is used.

I don't believe he locked the key in the car with it running. He merely locked the car while the it was running. He had the key with him.

Originally Posted by sunny5280

I don't believe he locked the key in the car with it running. He merely locked the car while the it was running. He had the key with him.

Yes, I understand that. I was referring to the more typical circumstance. I see no reason BMW would suddenly abandon some kind of method that would warn a driver of locking the car with the motor running, just as you pointed out that your CA equipped '06 330ix did.

I've never given it any thought before as I never leave my car running without sitting in it.

I am not surprised it is allowed however as people like to pre-warm their cars, etc. This may be a change from past BMWs, but I never would have noticed.

Originally Posted by sr5959

The temps we have at the moment the ASS is not working all that often, if it had I would have noticed the engine starting as I was taking my foot off the brake. It's very quiet when idling when warmed up and it was raining hard I just jumped out without noticing I guess.

Did the car then let you unlock it while running just by grabbing the door handle?

Originally Posted by Elk

I've never given it any thought before as I never leave my car running without sitting in it.

I am not surprised it is allowed however as people like to pre-warm their cars, etc. This may be a change from past BMWs, but I never would have noticed.

The car does not warn you when you're exiting the vehicle while the engine is running? As tturedraider said it would be odd that BMW removed this warning.

Originally Posted by Elk

I've never given it any thought before as I never leave my car running without sitting in it.

I am not surprised it is allowed however as people like to pre-warm their cars, etc. This may be a change from past BMWs, but I never would have noticed.

I just checked my car and it turns out the car will let me lock it with the second remote, both with the fob in the slot and the motor running and with the motor not running and the fob sitting in the console. This is a little different though, because it has to be a pretty conscious choice to lock the car with one key inside while using the second key to do the locking. Pretty much impossible to do accidentally.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

I just checked my car and it turns out the car will let me lock it with the second remote, both with the fob in the slot and the motor running and with the motor not running and the fob sitting in the console. This is a little different though, because it has to be a pretty conscious choice to lock the car with one key inside while using the second key to do the locking. Pretty much impossible to do accidentally.

What does it do when you try to exit the car while the engine is running and the key is in your possession?

Originally Posted by sunny5280

What does it do when you try to exit the car while the engine is running and the key is in your possession?

I don't have CA, so I can't do that.

Originally Posted by sr5959

I just came back to the car, locked and with engine running (prob. about 45 mins). Dose the Comfort Access not warn you in any way if you lock the car from outside with the engine running? Seems an easy mistake to make.

I have BMW's equiv of Comfort Access on my JCW and I was sure that when I did this and walked away far enough that the key FOB lost wireless touch with the car, the car shut off. :shrug:

Originally Posted by m8o

I have BMW's equiv of Comfort Access on my JCW and I was sure that when I did this and walked away far enough that the key FOB lost wireless touch with the car, the car shut off. :shrug:

This makes the most sense.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Did the car then let you unlock it while running just by grabbing the door handle?

Yes it did. Glad I only left it a few minutes not overnight!

Just to explain the kind of situation how this can happen, it was pouring with rain, and as I parked in a noisy area with a lot of traffic I just saw my friend arriving separately across the street so waved and jumped out, concentrating on getting my umbrella open. This is why I missed it.

I still think there should be some kind of warning beep or something for this.

The dash would have display something like no key in car, but he would have not notice as he exited right away.
I had a Loaner with CA F30 328i and I gave the keys to my wife to go in the house to get something and the car was running just fine. got the message on dash no key in car but that's it no sound or nothing...and with how quiet this engines are I see how it can happen.

Originally Posted by 1naztyx5

The dash would have display something like no key in car, but he would have not notice as he exited right away.
I had a Loaner with CA F30 328i and I gave the keys to my wife to go in the house to get something and the car was running just fine. got the message on dash no key in car but that's it no sound or nothing...and with how quiet this engines are I see how it can happen.

I can see how it would happen. For example valeting the car could be such a situation. What would surprise me is the vehicle no longers warns the key is no longer present.

Originally Posted by m8o

I have BMW's equiv of Comfort Access on my JCW and I was sure that when I did this and walked away far enough that the key FOB lost wireless touch with the car, the car shut off. :shrug:

I don't think the FOB has to be in range for the car to keep running. Arriving home one day, my girlfriend decided to get some stuff at Walgreen's so I just said ok, you go and I stayed home...with the FOB still in my pocket. She got all the way to Walgreen's (about 3 miles) parking lot when she noticed the key wasn't in the slot so she drove back home knowing that if she shut the car off, she couldn't get it started again. Not only cute, I guess she's smart too.

Originally Posted by 408Racer

I don't think the FOB has to be in range for the car to keep running.

It will happily keep running without the fob present. Once started, the car doesn't care.

The F30 with CA will let you exit the car with it running, lock the door and walk away. Upon returning, the door unlocks as usual by simply touching it.

Hey I just realized this shows the N20 is pretty quiet at idle once it's warm. Remember when we were all complaining about the diesel-like idle???

Comfort access has nothing to do with this issue!! Comfort access is just another way to actuate the door lock/unlock button. Comfort Access is an option on the F30; but all F30 cars, whether or not comfort access, have keyless start. In fact, there is no place to put the key fob. So it is pretty easy to leave the car without shutting it down.

This is a potentially lethal problem and a serious liability for BMW. It's only a matter of time before one of these cars is left running in a closed garage that's attached to a house, causing death by CO poisoning.

That the car can be left locked with the engine running and no key or person inside is indefensible.