Went out and started my 2019 Blazer RS. Brought the key back into the house and left it on the kitchen table. Husband went out and took the Blazer uptown. After he had coffee he went out to start it and he couldn't because the key was at home. I want to know how he was able to drive it in the first place without having the key with him.
Drive 2019 Blazer RS Without Having the Key ?
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I believe that once you've started your vehicle and walked away from the car with the key fob, and out of range, the vehicle should turn off automatically after 10 minutes if still idling in the same spot from where it was originally started. Most vehicles will allow you to drive off without the key fob, but once you've reached the outer limits of the fob's range, there should be a warning indicator in the cluster letting you know the fob is out of range. However, it will allow you to drive it until you reach a point when you turn it off and then won't start until the fob is within range again.
Imagine a manufacturer allowing the vehicle to disable itself in the middle of a drive because the fob went out of range and the person crashed the car, maybe resulting in death. Hello, class action.
In another life, I used to sell GPS systems for mobile vehicles... cars, trucks, airplanes, shipping containers, etc. Sold many of them to Buy Here / Pay Here lots. These GPS modules were on every vehicle leased due to the high rate of default of payment. Many vehicles had to be located and retrieved from said customer due to payment default. Some manufacturers of these GPS mods had a built-in kill device that allowed the dealership to locate and kill the car's motor with the click of a button in the software. This made it easier for said dealership to go and get the car back with the tow truck. The GPS disabled the car and it was easy to locate... simple.
However, in one situation, a young woman's vehicle was disabled while she was shopping at a grocery store in a bad part of town one night. When she came back to her car, she couldn't start it. The young lady was unfortunately raped in the parking lot that night because she couldn't get away. Many GPS manufacturers stopped including that feature in these GPS systems to track vehicles due to obvious reasons.
So, considering the extreme liability of that technology, and the manufacturer on the hook if something happens to the consumer, the wise choice was not to build a kill function into the key fob allowing the vehicle to become disabled once the fob was out of range. The same technology that the GPS mods had, but not very wise.
Imagine a manufacturer allowing the vehicle to disable itself in the middle of a drive because the fob went out of range and the person crashed the car, maybe resulting in death. Hello, class action.
In another life, I used to sell GPS systems for mobile vehicles... cars, trucks, airplanes, shipping containers, etc. Sold many of them to Buy Here / Pay Here lots. These GPS modules were on every vehicle leased due to the high rate of default of payment. Many vehicles had to be located and retrieved from said customer due to payment default. Some manufacturers of these GPS mods had a built-in kill device that allowed the dealership to locate and kill the car's motor with the click of a button in the software. This made it easier for said dealership to go and get the car back with the tow truck. The GPS disabled the car and it was easy to locate... simple.
However, in one situation, a young woman's vehicle was disabled while she was shopping at a grocery store in a bad part of town one night. When she came back to her car, she couldn't start it. The young lady was unfortunately raped in the parking lot that night because she couldn't get away. Many GPS manufacturers stopped including that feature in these GPS systems to track vehicles due to obvious reasons.
So, considering the extreme liability of that technology, and the manufacturer on the hook if something happens to the consumer, the wise choice was not to build a kill function into the key fob allowing the vehicle to become disabled once the fob was out of range. The same technology that the GPS mods had, but not very wise.
If they are close enough to take it and it's unlocked... yes. If your vehicle has been started by Remote Start, from the fob, and idling for about 10 minutes, and you are out of range with your fob, then the vehicle should shut off automatically. I tested that theory to be sure it was around 10 minutes... it was. Remote Start your Blazer in your garage, then walk away at least 50 feet from it with the fob, and let time expire.
If you start your vehicle by pushing the button on the dash, then the vehicle should not shut off after ten minutes and stays on indefinitely. If you Remote Start, and get in without the fob, then you cannot even shift it into gear and move the car. You have to have the fob within range to shift it into gear. Actually, once you get into the vehicle, you have to depress the brake pedal and then push the button on the dash to enable the normal functions of the car.
If you push the button on the dash to start, get out, and leave the fob in the house away from the vehicle, you can still drive it normally without the fob. However, the second you put into reverse, or in gear to move it, you will hear the chime, and a warning comes up on the cluster notifying you the key fob is not in range. So, there is no way to drive the vehicle and not know your fob is away from the car unless you just aren't paying attention... that happens. Check in your vehicle settings menu to be sure your chime volume is set to a reasonable level to hear it.
Yes, someone could jump in your vehicle and take it if it is idling, and not Remote Started while you're away and the car is not locked. You can start your vehicle and lock it and walk away and then no one can jump in and take it.
I tell you what I do that removes the risk of your concern from happening. I set my doors to auto-lock once I leave the vehicle. This forces you to have the fob with you to get back into the car. If you don't have the fob with you, the car stays locked, thus reminding you to go get the fob.
If you start your vehicle by pushing the button on the dash, then the vehicle should not shut off after ten minutes and stays on indefinitely. If you Remote Start, and get in without the fob, then you cannot even shift it into gear and move the car. You have to have the fob within range to shift it into gear. Actually, once you get into the vehicle, you have to depress the brake pedal and then push the button on the dash to enable the normal functions of the car.
If you push the button on the dash to start, get out, and leave the fob in the house away from the vehicle, you can still drive it normally without the fob. However, the second you put into reverse, or in gear to move it, you will hear the chime, and a warning comes up on the cluster notifying you the key fob is not in range. So, there is no way to drive the vehicle and not know your fob is away from the car unless you just aren't paying attention... that happens. Check in your vehicle settings menu to be sure your chime volume is set to a reasonable level to hear it.
Yes, someone could jump in your vehicle and take it if it is idling, and not Remote Started while you're away and the car is not locked. You can start your vehicle and lock it and walk away and then no one can jump in and take it.
I tell you what I do that removes the risk of your concern from happening. I set my doors to auto-lock once I leave the vehicle. This forces you to have the fob with you to get back into the car. If you don't have the fob with you, the car stays locked, thus reminding you to go get the fob.
I live where it gets very cold in winter and since I don't have a garage I have to go out and start the vehicle since the remote start won't get the defrost to come on full blast (that's another story) and I can't lock the vehicle when I don't use the remote starter, so I guess I am lucky no one has stolen it yet. Can I set it to auto-lock if I start the vehicle manually?
I don't think you can auto-lock once it's started. You can auto-lock after the car shuts down and you exit. I think it locks within around 5 seconds of exiting. Remember, you can have the car running, exit the vehicle, and then remote lock with the car running. It locks once you put the car in gear. Go into your settings and look at all your options for lock settings. I've played with all those settings a lot and don't think I saw an option to auto-lock when you start the car. Now you have me thinking about it, so I'm going to check that out again. When you remote start, vehicle settings are at a minimum, so you won't get the full benefit of AC / Heater / Defrost, etc. until you get in there and push the Start button on the dash and all the vehicle operations ramp up to 100%.
You can add time to a remote start from the fob. I was wrong about the time it takes to time out. It is actually 15 minutes. However, you can add another 15 minutes to that to have a total of 30 minutes of idle time before it shuts off automatically. Refer to page 14 in the Owners Manual (Extending Engine Run Time) and it explains how to do that. You can also download the manual online and reference it that way instead of getting the book out of your Blazer.
Help me understand, are you saying your key fob won't lock the vehicle? When you remote start from the fob, you press the lock button once, then start. Once that happens, the vehicle is in the lock position. So, when you get to the car, you'll have to unlock it to get it. Your car is locked after using the remote start from the fob. Remember though, the car will timeout and shut off after about 15 minutes if you don't get in and push the start button on the dash. I'm sorry if I'm redundant, but just being sure we're on the same page. How long does it take to defrost the windshield enough to drive? I'm seeing you live in Canada, so I imagine your car is loaded with ice. You might just go out and start your Blazer manually, lock it from the fob while it warms up, and go back in the house. That way it sits in the driveway warming up and locked.
I'm wondering if you don't have some features that I have. I have the Driver Comfort and Convenience Packages. Maybe you don't have some of the lock options I have? I can start my Blazer and then lock it while it's running. Can you do that? That would seem like a basic function no matter what trim level you have but check into it.
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I've done the same thing before. I believe that you can drive it without the fob once its started but, of course, unable to start it again if you shut it off.
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On several occasions I've stopped to talk with someone and left the car running since it was cold out. It will shut off by itself at around 15 minutes.
I'm glad you clarified that. I've only experienced it with remote start. I haven't been out of the car running that long to notice it turn off. The nice thing is you can extend it another 15 minutes if you remember to do it.
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I lock it after starting with the fob in my hand or i use the remote start so you have to have the fob to really start it
I have just realized that I can lock the doors with the key fob when the vehicle is running. Pressing the button on the door handle will not lock the doors when the vehicle is running, which is what I was doing. Thanks for the info!
When you remote start, you have to push the lock button once first, then start. The car is then locked after you've remote started. You have to unlock it from the fob, or go to the handle and unlock it from the button. Also, once you turn your vehicle off, you can hold the unlock button down on the fob for a couple of seconds and it will roll all your windows down. You have to restart to roll them up.
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I had the same experience, I turn on my Blazer, then return to grab my coffee and forget my key on the front door, then I drive arround 1.5hrs far from home 😔
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No problem 😊
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