Engine Running No Key Present

[bobgnt]

Hi,

I am curious about the expected behavior of the following condition. If the engine is running and one leaves the vehicle (2008 IS250 AWD)? How long will the engine run? What happens if I were to drive off with no key in the vehicle. Will the engine shut down?

[MiAyEsTuFifty]

I have stepped out and walked away a good distance with the key in my pocket and left the car for a couple minutes at a time running...Less then 5min max. As for HOW LONG til it shuts off, "IF IT SHUTS OFF?"? Idk.. and as for someone being able to drive away... Get yourself a assistant... Start the car (or have the assistant play the driver with possession of the key...) then have them leave the vehicle a good distance as you play the "Theif" and enter the car to make your attempt of driving off... Then see what happens... I am sure the car will, OR SHOULD turn off as part as a theift security device or option... Idk... Good Luck!

[tex2670]

It will keep running until the gas runs out. And yes, the car can be driven away. Leaving your IS with the engine running is exactly the same as if you left the key in the ignition EXCEPT THAT once it's turned off, whoever is driving it won't be able to re-start it.

[smooth1]

Although I know this is not the case, I would have thought it very simple to have the car shut itself off when put into gear with out the key present to add to the security of the car. The key is already being sensed by the car with the courtesy lighting coming on as you approach as evidence of that. Also, the key has to be near the car for it to start in the first place. They must have thought it unnecassary for some reason? Are there any circumstances that would benefit from being able to drive the car without the key fob? Emergency or other wise that I'm just not thinking of?

[tex2670]

Although I know this is not the case, I would have thought it very simple to have the car shut itself off when put into gear with out the key present to add to the security of the car. The key is already being sensed by the car with the courtesy lighting coming on as you approach as evidence of that. Also, the key has to be near the car for it to start in the first place. They must have thought it unnecassary for some reason? Are there any circumstances that would benefit from being able to drive the car without the key fob? Emergency or other wise that I'm just not thinking of?

I think it's a balancing act--if you lost your key, but wanted to make it home, or wherever you were going, would you want the car to shut down? If you get out of the car and leave it running, you are at risk that someone's going to jump in and take off--and that's not Lexus' fault.

[ngomore]

so today i picked my fiance up from work in my is250, then we went to the store to pick up something, then i told her i was too lazy to take her home so she dropped me off at my house, then she went home in my car... she didnt have her cell phone with her today so when she got home, she called me to let me know she could find my key fob anywhere.. i checked my pocket and there it was! holy *BLEEP*! she said that during the entire drive home, the car was jerky. since it was raining really bad outside, she did not pull over and just drove all the way home.. YIKES!!

should this be a recall?

[SW03ES]

The car would not be "jerky" because your key wasn't in the vehicle. It would operate exactly the same.

No need for a recall, nothing wrong...

[LEX-SV]

Agreed, car should not be jerky. The operation of keyless start system in Lexus works exactly as designed. The car will not turn itself off.

[Papamike]

So I just started my 2016 IS350 F Sport, got out of the car and handed the key fob to my wife in the driveway, drove away to validate the car will not shut off.   It can be driven (as also described here) to where the person driving wants to take it or till it runs out of gas.  Also agree with the other comment seems it would have been an easy programing issue to shut off the car when it gets put in drive (at lease for the automatic version).  I sent in a query to Lexus cumtomer support and they just told me to go look in the manual to see about customization options which it was no where to be found.....love the effort from those on the old contact us option.  Translated....dont be bothering me...go figure it out for yourself......not very nice.