Is Keyless Start really safe?

[Beep Beep]

Hi All,

I tried looking through the FAQ's and previous posts about this query but it doesn't seem that it's been brought up before.

Ok, here goes. This may be a very unlikely scenario but I'd really like to know what would happen if it DID occur. My query is related to the keyless push button start for the Aurion Presara.

Just to be clear, there is a button in the Presara which you push once to start the engine, and when you've arrived at your destination, you push this button again, to turn off the engine.

My query is this :-

What happens if this button is inadvertently pressed while you're driving?

I'm not game to try it, but is there some sort of inbuilt safety feature where this button is disabled while the vehicle is in motion?

I know that when you push this button to turn the engine off at your destination, the steering lock also kicks in. If this happens while you're driving, and you happen to be going into/out of a bend, you can end up slightly (or very) dead.

The reason I'm asking about the push button start is because I had a friend with her 2 yr old in the car being a curious s**t climbing all over the car and pressing buttons everywhere. The kid, I mean, not her. She's very lovely.

It just started me thinking about how safe the push button start/stop is........... Btw, the kid totally messed up my seating memory too... nearly had a very nice imprint of the steering wheel on my stomach and my face squashed up against the windscreen. Kids are evil!

Cheers,

BB

PS. Yes, I know the inevitable, "What dumba$$ would press the button while driving anyway??" questions will come up. This is merely a HYPOTHETICAL question for a possible scenario, however unlikely it may be.

[DJKOR]

It is completely safe. When the car is rolling, pressing the START button briefly will not kill the ignition. I have tested this as well and can confirm that.

You can however kill the ignition while moving by pressing and holding the START button for a few seconds. As for the steering wheel lock, this only engages when the gear selector is in park and after the driver's door is opened after turning the car off.

[Vijith555]

Good question mate...i have an Aurion ZR6 and this has the same keyless button start option that you have on your Presara..i actually had the same doubt and tried it out..i selected a road that is pretty much clear and gave it a go..the car does not turn off mate..it has a safety feature not to turn off while you are driving..i think you will need to have the car on P or not moving at all to be able to turn it off..i had the same concern as you because a kid in the front seat could do this someday..but Toyota has thought about it and built it safe..this answers your question i guess :)

[Vijith555]

It is completely safe. When the car is rolling, pressing the START button briefly will not kill the ignition. I have tested this as well and can confirm that.

You can however kill the ignition while moving by pressing and holding the START button for a few seconds. As for the steering wheel lock, this only engages when the gear selector is in park and after the driver's door is opened after turning the car off.

haha you beat me to the reply :)..and a more informative version of my reply which is good..cheers

[450HP/tonne]

I have also tested this and it took around 5 seconds of pressing for the engine to switch off, with the steering not locking.

[Foss]

You can however kill the ignition while moving by pressing and holding the START button for a few seconds.

What possible use could this have?

[DJKOR]

You can however kill the ignition while moving by pressing and holding the START button for a few seconds.

What possible use could this have?

If your accelerator pedal gets stuck

[johnnieboi]

Hrmm.. interesting. Never actually tested this or tried it. So thats a nice new tibid of information to know for future reference.

[Steven]

I'm not in a position to test this myself to be sure, but a while ago I had the same idea and pushed the start button and immediately the engine shut off, however I was only doing 30km/h at the time - perhaps it is linked to road speed as to whether it will work or not (like cruise control).

[DJKOR]

I'm not in a position to test this myself to be sure, but a while ago I had the same idea and pushed the start button and immediately the engine shut off, however I was only doing 30km/h at the time - perhaps it is linked to road speed as to whether it will work or not (like cruise control).

Interesting. Of all the times I took my TRD to the drags, I have not been able to stop the engine while it was rolling. This was at very low speeds as well like when in the staging lanes and you are rolling closer when the cars in front move. On my Sportivo, I used to just put it in drive and as I was approaching the stop, I would put the gear selector into neutral and flick the ignition to ACC. The TRD would only turn off when the car came to a complete stop.

[Beep Beep]

Thanks everyone for the fantastic response!

And thank you to the "test pilots" who actually pushed the button while driving along to see what it does! You're nuts, but hey I'm grateful for the results you got from your experiment!!!

Cheers,

BB

[juvenile]

Ive wondered about all this too, wouldnt be much difference with the Levin ZR manual,would it?

Ive also wondered about having the car running,standing away from it, key in pocket and someone jumping in and driving off..

I'd like to press the remote and it switches off before they get away ,or have I been watching to many 007 movies?

[johnnieboi]

Ive wondered about all this too, wouldnt be much difference with the Levin ZR manual,would it?

Ive also wondered about having the car running,standing away from it, key in pocket and someone jumping in and driving off..

I'd like to press the remote and it switches off before they get away ,or have I been watching to many 007 movies?

I've tried that John! In 2008 while showing off my new corolla levin ZR with smart start keyless entry.. key in pocket, friend jumped in and drove away about 200mtrs. FAIL

[juvenile]

I've tried that John! In 2008 while showing off my new corolla levin ZR with smart start keyless entry.. key in pocket, friend jumped in and drove away about 200mtrs. FAIL

:D :D I shouldn't laugh but i pictured you standing there watching your new car leaving...

Seems way to easy to steal I think..not good

[Vijith555]

I've tried that John! In 2008 while showing off my new corolla levin ZR with smart start keyless entry.. key in pocket, friend jumped in and drove away about 200mtrs. FAIL

:D :D I shouldn't laugh but i pictured you standing there watching your new car leaving...

Seems way to easy to steal I think..not good

well imagine you have a car with normal keys in the ignition and the motor is running..if a thief gets in it and drives it away its the same thing..i think keyless or with a key its best not to leave the car running and go for a walk :P

[ToyotaFreak]

well imagine you have a car with normal keys in the ignition and the motor is running..if a thief gets in it and drives it away its the same thing..i think keyless or with a key its best not to leave the car running and go for a walk :P

From what I can remember on ClubLexus a year or two ago, once the smart key is out of range, the car can't be restarted once it is switched off.

[Beep Beep]

I've tried that John! In 2008 while showing off my new corolla levin ZR with smart start keyless entry.. key in pocket, friend jumped in and drove away about 200mtrs. FAIL

:D :D I shouldn't laugh but i pictured you standing there watching your new car leaving...

Seems way to easy to steal I think..not good

well imagine you have a car with normal keys in the ignition and the motor is running..if a thief gets in it and drives it away its the same thing..i think keyless or with a key its best not to leave the car running and go for a walk :P

What WOULD be awesome is to somehow have the Keyless FOB act like some sort of wireless killswitch.... eg, if they steal your car, once it gets out of range of the FOB (say..... 50m?) the car shuts down, and all the doors LOCK and (in the case of a presara) Toyota Link gets sent an automated distress message which includes location and status of vehicle. The cops can be immediately notified, and all they need to do is pick up the crims who are locked in the car.

I s'pose it'd probably be too much to ask for nerve gas to knock out the occupants of the car too until the cops come.............

Anyway, if it were possible and legal, that would make a pretty awesome security feature!!

TGIF.... ......... Fridays are for dreaming up cool ideas...... this is also the most productive day of the week for me! LOL!!

Cheers,

BB

[johnnieboi]

they can drive away without the smartkey but they wont be able to restart the engine once its switched off.