igeorge

I would like to know if once the car is started, and i am away from it with the key fob in my pocket, anybody can drive it away or not ?
Some dealers told me that after a certain distance the car will shut off.
Others, told me that the thief can enjoy the raid until he stops the engine.
I know that it can not be restarted, but i am confuse if the car will stop or not on it's own.
Does anybody which own a 2010 RX350 did this test ?

Thanks

The G Man

I have driven it 10 mins without the fob in a GS. If a car shuts while driving, thats a big safety issue, I dont think Lexus will allow that to happen.

igeorge

I do not mean driving out of town or 20 km, i mean just start going out of the parking lot, or whatever place you stop. I was told that will be not more then few hundreds of meters.

tfischer

I had the same question, and have asked people with these systems (not Lexus), and have never received an answer because nobody ever did that. Surely you would not do that on purpose, but it could happen by accident if two people got in the car, and only the passenger had the fob in a pocket or purse, but the driver thought he had one also, and then dropped off the passenger and continued on to a different location. If so, the driver would be stranded as soon he hit the off button.
Could happen, but we lock ourselves out of cars all the time with regular keys (at least those who do not keep a spare hidden on the car).
I would think that the owner's manual for cars with this system would explain the rules which govern its operation. If I had one, I would sure want to know.

jim256

It is probably the same as the 08 IS which I have--the car continues to run, but when you depart the vehicle with the key, a loud whistle occurs and you get a dash display. I don't think you'd miss the tone, as it is both outside and in. It's no different than if you stopped a normal car, key in ignition, and left it running.

igeorge

Thank you all of you for input, BUT, it seems to me that i did not explained enough.
I mean that:
Got to the car, enter, start engine, remember to get something from the house, left car running without locking the door , get in the house, return, CAR IS GONE ((.... STOLEN.
The same thing might happen when i pick up the mail from the mail box at the corner of street.
Thanks

The G Man

Imagine, if you are driving without the fob and all of the sudden you car shuts off. You lost power brake and no electric steering and you got into an accident. That would be a good law suit againt Lexus.

igeorge

The same thing will happen if you run out of gas. I did not saw yet a law suit for stopping in the middle of traffic because of that.
They just can shut off the ignition system , the incoming gas, or put the car in the first gear only, regardless what is your shifter.

The G Man

If you run out of gas, thats your own stupidity, If Lexus design a car that shuts off while on the highway, then its Lexus' stupidity, also a law suit waiting to happen. Lexus, being a car company that is run by lawyers will never let that happen.

igeorge

Thanks G Man for your " helpful and educated " answers.
My question was in general addresed to peoples which own the car and can do the test.
Guesing or compare is good but not always the correct answer.
I start already learning that Lexus club has the same rules like any other forums .... the more you post .... useful or not , the more you advance on rank. I am a programmer and member of few large programing forums, and there is the same.

tfischer

Running out of gas is fairly infrequent these days; there are low fuel warnings (there are two or three different ones on each of my cars), and you will get that sputtering for a while, if my memory serves me correctly.
Designing a car that shuts off suddenly while being driven (for any reason) has litigation and ambulance written all over it.
As for having your car taken from your driveway while you leave it running unattended: really? That should be rare. It it happens a lot in your neighborhood, and you don't want to move, then maybe you should just lock the car when you leave it unattended. But really, that has got to be rare.
I think the audible warning that the fob has left the car is an excellent way to deal with the accidental or unintended departure of the fob.
And why are we calling it a "fob"? I thought that was a shipping term (acronym). Couldn't we (they) have come up with something better?

igeorge

Thank you tfischer

tfischer

You are welcome.
I'm still working on a better term for the "fob."
"Dangling thing" is too awkward and could be confusing.
This may take a while.

igeorge

Merriam Webster definition and etymology:
Etymology: perhaps akin to German dialect Fuppe pocket.
Originally was refereed to the watch pocket in the old times, attached with a chain, then was probably imported from a German car manufacturer. I will research more on it and its history.

tfischer

Oh, yes.
The old watch fob, which went into the vest pocket on the left, I think.
I don't think it started any cars, though. In fact, I don't think it did anything except reflect your membership in Phi Beta Kappa.