PaJaHa1

Kaius- I think I'm detecting sarcasm with the blanket comment.. but just in case you are serious, if you've ever sat on cold leather you would know that blankets wouldn't help you at all. Not to mention how ghetto that would look riding around in a Lexus with blankets on!

Why do we live in the NE again??

Nextourer

Use the key my friend lol. Unfortunately, your keyhole is hidden behind a cover so you'd have to prop the cover everytime you want to use the mechanical key to lock the door while the car is still running.

PaJaHa1

There is a keyhole under there? I never bothered to look... I thought the key that's in the fob only worked the glove box.

Nextourer

there's always a mechanical backup just in case...

twister

Here you go:

Lexucan

I agree. I used to live in a city which had the infamous reputation of being the car theft capitol of North American.....not the greatest claim to fame. And just about every winter morning there were fresh news reports of cars being stolen from driveways where the owners had gone out, started the car, and then left it running to warm up while they went back the house. And so, they come out 5-10 minutes later to find no car at all. The thieves are laughing their butts off, of course, at these dim-bulbs who are not only handing over their car, keys and all, but are even warming the car up for them !! But do you think the daily news reports of 3-4 more car thefts from driveways every morning would wake them up? ......nope......cuz they're lifetime members of the "would't happen to me" club.

Kaius88

how come every time im serious people think im either being sarcastic or BSing? It must be the way i word things.... anyway. If the leather is too cold, the blanket can cushion your butt/back so you dont get the initial coldness. Coldest ive ever been in a car was 49 degrees, at 5am when i had to catch a flight somewhere. I was like "man...how can anyone survive in this coldness!"

twister

Half'a'dozen of replies, all irrelevant to the main question of keeping ES350 running while LOCKING IT with a key fob from OUTSIDE when you step out

Kaius88

ya know i tried the button today and it works great. I dunno why the dealership person told me to hold it until it locks. I mean it just needs a push and thats it. Nice tip man....Im glad this thread occured.

twister

Bizarro-bro, did you try locking the door while car was on? I forgot to try it myself, and now too lazy to get out

Nextourer

alright guys, here's something to add.

I don't know how you guys lock your doors but there are probably some of you who would close the door, turn around then press the black button. Give this a shot:

When you're going to close the door, have one finger on the black button. Push the button as you close the door. If you time it right, the door will shut and the car will lock (and the accompanying beep will sound). If you don't close fast enough, you'll get the door ajar beep or if it's just too slow, you'll hear the beep but the doors won't lock. Once you get the hang of it, it's simple and you just simply "close the door and walk away" so to speak without having to turn around and press the button. It just makes exiting just that smoother :P

AlexusAnja

I don't understand all the chatter in here... I leave my car running all day long even when parked over night, I've never had any issues. My issues are when I accidentally stop the car and can't start it up again...

LexBob2

How is your Peterbuilt running these days?

tstead

The discussion has turned from the strictly technical question I had to one of a philosophical discussion of right vs. wrong. If I want to leave my car running while running into a gas station to grab a cup of Joe, then that's my business. Maybe I made the conscious decision of weighing the risks of the car getting stolen vs. the benefit of less wear and tear on the engine by avoiding another (unnecessary in my opinion) engine start and decided that for me, the risk of car theft was sufficiently low enough. Maybe you did the same thing and felt that the risk was too great. That's fine because we each have our own car and we are allowed to make our own decisions (within the confines of the law) in this country.

As far as legality, that will vary from locality to locality. As for my locality, I have neither looked it up nor care to spend the time to even find out because I seriously doubt it is. I have left many a running car beside a cop car and have never heard anything about it from the cop operating the vehicle.

Another poster commented on it being dangerous but I fail to see how that is so. The only way I forsee it could be dangerous is if you postulate the car suddenly going into gear without you there to intervene or if you leave the car running in some sort of enclosed non-ventillated area. Since we don't hear too much about cars slipping out of park and since gas station parking lots are outside, I fail to see any safety issues involved. ...and before you mention it, no I do not leave my children in the car - running or otherwise. There is the possibility that the car could overheat if left idling long enough but that time frame far exceeds a 2-minute stop at my local Speedway (but that still is not a safety issue).

So, unless I am missing something, the only issue I can see is the increased risk of theft because a thief would probably be more apt to bust the window of a running car than to try and jump start it knowing the owner is a mere 50 ft away with a cup of (very) hot coffee. But, as stated before, that risk is a personal decision YOU need to make.

Tim

LexBob2

I don't know how it is in OH, but around here in IL there are signs at ALL gas stations that read - "Shut Off Engine Before Fueling". They must be there for a reason, probably safety.