Starting the engine without the Key Fob

For those who have test driven or are scheduled to test drive the e90 in the US can you verify if the engine will start without the key fob in the slot. This is a quote from the Edmunds board.

"Actually you can turn the engine on now without the FOB in the dash. You just cannot unlock and lock the vehicle. I test drove an E90 330 and placed the FOB on the center armrest while I checked out the stereo. I pushed the engine start/stop button and the 330 started without the FOB in the slot. A lot of sales people do not know this."

If this is true that would be great.

Originally Posted by Bimmer06

For those who have test driven or are scheduled to test drive the e90 in the US can you verify if the engine will start without the key fob in the slot. This is a quote from the Edmunds board.

"Actually you can turn the engine on now without the FOB in the dash. You just cannot unlock and lock the vehicle. I test drove an E90 330 and placed the FOB on the center armrest while I checked out the stereo. I pushed the engine start/stop button and the 330 started without the FOB in the slot. A lot of sales people do not know this."

If this is true that would be great.

Oops - I saw your note after my test drive today at lunch. Maybe someone else will try it.

sounds like that car has comfort access...

EDIT: You beat me to it!!!! I think we posted at exactly the same time :-)

"I think this only works if the vehicle is equipped with "Comfort Access," an option available on the E90."

Originally Posted by Pangearox

sounds like that car has comfort access...

I thought Comfort Access wasn't available until September?!

Originally Posted by bimmer4me

I thought Comfort Access wasn't available until September?!

I thought so too...cause i really wanted it on my car..but couldnt get it

I did a test drive today. Tried to start the car w/the fob on the consol but not in the slot.
Car would NOT start. Shoved the fob in the slot, car started.
330i w/sports package.

It would be great if that were true. From the quote it seems the car did not have the comfort access because the author wrote "you just cannot unlock and lock the vehicle". Last weekend I was at the dealership and played with stereo (comparing Logic 7 to standard). I used the Start button but I didn't have the fob in the car. I wish I have tried that.

On the vehicle I test drove (330i - no comfort access) you had to stick the fob in and then hit the button. If you have the clutch depressed on manuals, or brake pedal on the slushbox, then pushing the button fires the engine. Without the appropriate pedal fully depressed (engaging the safety switch) then congratulations - you just turned on the ACC mode . Which is, amazingly enough, exactly what it sounds like (radio, etc. works, engine not running).

Originally Posted by Sticman

I did a test drive today. Tried to start the car w/the fob on the consol but not in the slot.
Car would NOT start. Shoved the fob in the slot, car started.
330i w/sports package.

Thanks for checking. It sounded too good to be true.

Originally Posted by Sticman

I did a test drive today. Tried to start the car w/the fob on the consol but not in the slot.
Car would NOT start. Shoved the fob in the slot, car started.
330i w/sports package.

Yep, just back from another test drive. I had the exact same experience. I had to shove the FOB in the slot to start the car.

in my friends Corvette it lets you start the car without the key FOB but it will only turn on once.

Just stumbled across this today. In my non-comfort access 330i, I was parking the car and pressed the start/stop button to shut off the engine. Then took my fob out, but decided to fiddle with iDrive for a minute. So without reinserting the fob, i pressed the start button and was surprised to hear the engine start. I played with a few variations, and this is what I've come up with...

If you keep your foot on the brake after stopping the engine, you can restart the engine even after the fob is removed. This will not work if you take your foot off the brake before pressing the start button.

I'm not sure how useful this is, but it's kind off interesting.

they have comfort access in other countries, he might be from elsewhere

Originally Posted by slowrider

Just stumbled across this today. In my non-comfort access 330i, I was parking the car and pressed the start/stop button to shut off the engine. Then took my fob out, but decided to fiddle with iDrive for a minute. So without reinserting the fob, i pressed the start button and was surprised to hear the engine start. I played with a few variations, and this is what I've come up with...

If you keep your foot on the brake after stopping the engine, you can restart the engine even after the fob is removed. This will not work if you take your foot off the brake before pressing the start button.

I'm not sure how useful this is, but it's kind off interesting.

Is it possible to remove the FOB while the engine is running? That would be kind of interesting if you could do that.

Originally Posted by bimmer4me

Is it possible to remove the FOB while the engine is running? That would be kind of interesting if you could do that.

Great - automotive safety technology hasn't advanced since my '79 Honda Accord. You could pull the key out anytime, which is actually pretty dangerous since it leaves you without a way to shut the motor down (well, you could stall it I guess - or run out of gas). I didn't try it during my test drive, but maybe one of the current owners could check it out for us. You do have to insert the fob in all the way - you can tell when you've done it correctly. Plus, push it in to "eject" for removal.

I'm just curious to see what happens if I press the button while driving, but I don't want to wreck my car.

Originally Posted by bimmer4me

Is it possible to remove the FOB while the engine is running? That would be kind of interesting if you could do that.

It locks in while the engine is running, and you can't remove it without breaking something. (But if you did, the engine would still probably be running!)

Originally Posted by willpooted

I'm just curious to see what happens if I press the button while driving, but I don't want to wreck my car.

You won't wreck your care because nothing will happen. It's smart enough to keep the engine running while you are in gear. (Maybe if you slip it in to neutral? )

Originally Posted by slowrider

Just stumbled across this today. In my non-comfort access 330i, I was parking the car and pressed the start/stop button to shut off the engine. Then took my fob out, but decided to fiddle with iDrive for a minute. So without reinserting the fob, i pressed the start button and was surprised to hear the engine start. I played with a few variations, and this is what I've come up with...

If you keep your foot on the brake after stopping the engine, you can restart the engine even after the fob is removed. This will not work if you take your foot off the brake before pressing the start button.

I'm not sure how useful this is, but it's kind off interesting.

Just tried this on my manual transmission 330i. I could indeed start the car with the key fob out. With the manual transmission, you normally need to put the key fob in and depress the clutch to start the car. So to try this, I started with the car running, pressed the clutch and shut the engine off. I took the key fob out, set it on the passenger seat and, with the clutch still pressed, i hit the start/stop button and the car indeed started! I tried this one more time but this time I shut the engine off without having the clutch already pressed. After taking the key out, I pressed the clutch and pushed the start/stop button and the car still started. If you wait too long after you take the key out, you couldn't start the car without it.

Originally Posted by slowrider

You won't wreck your care because nothing will happen. It's smart enough to keep the engine running while you are in gear. (Maybe if you slip it in to neutral? )

I was coasting in neutral and my genious friend pressed the start/stop button and the car shut off. I had to press in the clutch and then the button to re-fire the car.

That will be dangerous in Steptronics, as you would need to press the brake to fire up the engine and if you are coasting you would need to pull the car over using the momentum.

Originally Posted by Aabid

That will be dangerous in Steptronics, as you would need to press the brake to fire up the engine and if you are coasting you would need to pull the car over using the momentum.

Without the hydrallic/eletronic assistance for the brake, you will feel the car is not stopping when you apply the brake normally to re-start the engine. It's still danger thought if the car is moving when the engine can be stopped.

I guess they didn't make it any different from a car with a normal starting mechanism. You can always shut the engine off while driving, but most people don't do it.

Originally Posted by Robbie!

I was coasting in neutral and my genious friend pressed the start/stop button and the car shut off. I had to press in the clutch and then the button to re-fire the car.

I just tried it and the engine won't stop if the car is moving (20km/h - 30km/h) unless you're really closed to stop.