C6 starts without key fob

[WhalePirot]

It is quite easy to shut down the car in a gear other than Reverse, as there is no steering wheel interlock to prevent key removal, as in prior years. In climes as I frequent, it is also common to leave the windows at least partially down while just popping into a store for a quick item. It is NOT my practice to leave my keys in the car, whatever form that key takes.

Hence, it would be possible to steal MY Vette, unless I learned from the manual (I DO read them), that unless the car is placed into reverse prior to shutting down the engine and/or the windows are fully raised, the security system will not prevent it from starting AND it will drain the battery. The biggest threat is the loss of theft protection; lesser being the power drain.

Until the electronic key becomes the KEY (no pun) to whether the car starts or not, an amendment to the manual stating the theft exposure, is certainly in order.

 

[WhalePirot]

Wow. The dealer REALLY stresses, upon delivery, and at Chevrolet's insistance, the proper shutdown!

 

[tonyhood]

Dealer Explanation

I agree Whale Pirot. I just took delivery of my new C6 yesterday and the dealer must have pointed out 4 or 5 times about the importance of putting the car in reverse to lock it. He didn't talk about the theft issue, but never the less he emphasized several times how important it was and the car wasn't completely shut down until you put it in reverse. And they put a tag tied around the shifter reminding you again.

It just doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me to put it in reverse. You have to put it in some gear, why not reverse? A lot of writing about what seems to me to be a pretty small issue.

 

[motorman]

I agree Whale Pirot. I just took delivery of my new C6 yesterday and the dealer must have pointed out 4 or 5 times about the importance of putting the car in reverse to lock it. He didn't talk about the theft issue, but never the less he emphasized several times how important it was and the car wasn't completely shut down until you put it in reverse. And they put a tag tied around the shifter reminding you again.

It just doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me to put it in reverse. You have to put it in some gear, why not reverse? A lot of writing about what seems to me to be a pretty small issue.

it is the same guys who whined about the exposed headlights. whats next????

 

[WhalePirot]

it is the same guys who whined about the exposed headlights. whats next????

Chill out Motor. I never said BOO about the headlights. Geeeez!

You claimed to be friendly? Why are you all over our butts when making simple comments about how carefully the dealer is explaining the car?

I WAS DEFENDING THE DEALER; a dealer who delivers, on average, one new Corvette every day; a dealer who has gone beyond Chevrolet's standards by training every single sales person on their staff, yet was not aware that the car could be started as described in this thread!

How many fingers do you use when passing a friendly wave to the rest of us?

 

[motorman]

Chill out Motor. I never said BOO about the headlights. Geeeez!

You claimed to be friendly? Why are you all over our butts when making simple comments about how carefully the dealer is explaining the car?

I WAS DEFENDING THE DEALER; a dealer who delivers, on average, one new Corvette every day; a dealer who has gone beyond Chevrolet's standards by training every single sales person on their staff, yet was not aware that the car could be started as described in this thread!

How many fingers do you use when passing a friendly wave to the rest of us?

i was referring to the last sentence in the quote.

 

[WhalePirot]

Cool. I just learned how 'ignore user' works.

 

[motorman]

Cool. I just learned how 'ignore user' works.

how do you expect to be educated if you miss the better postings

 

[Dad]

I hate to keep this dreadful thread alive but even when Tonyhood is agreeing there is mis-information in the post.

I agree Whale Pirot. I just took delivery of my new C6 yesterday and the dealer must have pointed out 4 or 5 times about the importance of putting the car in reverse to lock it.
Snip

It may be more correct to have said "shut down the electricals", I don't think putting it in reverse locks anything. You must put it in reverse and push the stop button to shut down the car in a proper sequence for your battery not to be damaged. It is now locked as far as being able to restart the car without the FOB present. I know what was meant but we seem to have people that want to read only what makes them correct and not what is reality or a possibility.

Beautiful day out there, headed out to drive the C6, now where are my keys, oops, fob, memory, manual, and reverse, must remember, reverse, then the stop button. Going shopping for a bobblehead.

 

[tonyhood]

Locking ??

OK, since we all have one thing in common, we are all nuts about our Corvettes, and we don't have much else to do, I'll jump in one more time just to give everyone something else to read.

Actuallly, LOCK may not have been the right word, it was the term the dealer used. However when you put the car in reverse and turn it off, it does LOCK the steering wheel, and keeps the car from being restarted without the fob, so I guess you could say it was "locked out".

Anyway, I don't see that putting it in reverse is a big deal.

 

[Dad]

Anyway, I don't see that putting it in reverse is a big deal.

Then why do it?

 

[EHS]

More "at the risk of keeping this thread alive:"

"Owners and testers alike expressed a hesitation in fully trusting the keyless access feature, though it is a hoot to start up a car with the keys still pocketed. One owner reported he had driven off in his own car with the XLR keys still on him after a dealer test drive, and yet an employee at the dealership was able to start the XLR."

http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=100992

So, at least it's not just the Corvette.

 

[gatorp]

Having read all this "start without fob articles" I was curious too. My car will not start without the fob present...tried and I hear a series of "clicks" and then the message "no fob detected". I do own a 2006...and most of the discussion here was about 2005`s...so GM must have fixed the glitch. A note about "reverse" when parking...I was informed by my salesman the day I picked up my car...that I SHOULD leave the car in reverse when parking it because if left for an extended time,the battery will die unless it is in reverse. The owners manual does state to leave in reverse but without an explanation as to why. I am thinking that there is an electrical shut-down in reverse...so more than likely the 2005 owners may want to try the start without fob AFTER the car was parked in reverse....of course I cant say what to do with an automatic. Just thought I would add my two cents...not any kind of an electronics expert here....Gator

 

[TAG_SK]

The reason the c6 still starts if you dont follow the instructions are for a reason. What if the battery goes dead in the fob and you stall the engine in traffic. Should you have to stick the fob in the glove box slot to restart the engine? When you follow the instructions, you are telling the computer that you are leaving the vehicle and it shuts everything down. Just my thoughts on this thread.

 

[gatorp]

The reason the c6 still starts if you dont follow the instructions are for a reason. What if the battery goes dead in the fob and you stall the engine in traffic. Should you have to stick the fob in the glove box slot to restart the engine? When you follow the instructions, you are telling the computer that you are leaving the vehicle and it shuts everything down. Just my thoughts on this thread.

Hmmmm...My thinking is that if you started the car with an already dead fob,then it would already be in the glove box...so if you stalled,restarting would be just a button push,yes?? If one was so unlucky as to actually have the fob go dead as you were driving and then you stalled,well I guess thats what they make fourway flashers for. anyway,the minute chance of all that happening isn`t going to keep me awake at night...

 

[audioi]

Set it up so the car locks when no fob is near and your good to go even if you forget to put it in reverse.