So say you are driving your car equipped with smart access. You stop at your local convenience store and run in to grab some ice, all while leaving your car running. The key is in your pocket when you get out and the car beeps at you to let you know.

If someone gets in your car and drives off, what happens? Does the immobilizer take over at some point and shut the car down? Or does it just run until the ignition is shut off?

 

The car will continue to run until it is turned off (or out of gas).
It won't be able to restart without the smart key.

That's why I make sure my wife has the other set of keys in her purse when she drops me off while I have my key in my pocket

 

Good to know. I made the assumption that it would shut down on it's own after x amount of time/distance. I've driven the car a 1/4 block and it started flashing key warnings and the buzzer went off. I'll make sure to not leave it running when I get out of the car for now on.

 

I would imagine it runs "indefinite" because I've left the car running during cold with family inside while I ran off to the store (Target or Walmart) to pick up something. The range of the key isn't over 500 ft. so this situation would be like having it driven off.

As long as the theft keeps refueling without turning engine off, he can drive forever. Just leave car idling over night.

 

yup they can have it after.

 

This sux. Wish Lexus would thought about this. Maybe done something to help us out.

 

Assuming that most thieves are that smart..

 

I just thought of something.

Most aftermarket remote start shuts the engine when you step on the brake without inserting the key.

This should've been the safety system for lexus......if the key is not detected, it should shut down when you step on the brake to disengage it out of PARK

 

Not at all. More like 10-20feet, from front door to the driveway, unless you have a runway

I assume most people shut off their engine when refueling, unlike some countries overseas like ASIA

 

Asia?

lol..knew what u meant tho.

 

I was trying to be general

Yeah, when we we're in Vietnam and Thailand, the drivers just fill up, didn't bother to turn off the car
I was looking for an escape route with my wife

 

After a couple of weeks with the new LS I'm still not sure if I like the smart key as well as the old-fashioned key. I need to read up on all the details, but I know that I don't really like the fact that I can't leave the key in the car while in the garage without draining the battery prematurely, don't like the "is it locked or is it not locked?" when I walk away from it in parking lots, don't like the fact that it seems a bit balky at times when someone wants to open one of the other 3 doors or the trunk...

 

i think the smart access key feature is fine the way it is... this is same for most push button start cars as well...

 

my biggest q is why would you guys even leave the car running when you run into the store? granted there isnt anyone in the car?? maybe its where ive lived my life but still? im really stumped lol...

 

I only leave the car running in the winter when my wife is in the car and only for little quick runs (less than 5 min.). As for leaving the key in the car, I'm not sure why anyone would do that. The reason to have "keyless" entry and Smartaccess is so that the key is always on you and you don't ever need to take it out of your pant pockets... so yeah, not sure what other's complaints are about.