How in the World Can a Car Lock Itself With the Key Still in the Car???

[TrvlBug]

This is what drives me nuts about technology. I love it, but arghhhh.

Brand new 2023 car (EV, however, I don't think that makes a difference) I've had for 3 weeks now. The other day the car managed to lock itself with my key in my backpack in the back seat. The doors are currently programmed to stay locked when the car is parked unless I also hit the unlock button upon exiting the car. Closed the front door and went to the back door to retrieve my backpack. I hear click, click, click and the lights on both doors turn red. No way to open any door.

Up until now, I have never had this problem. I forget many times to hit the unlock all doors button after I close the driver's door and have to go back and do so to retrieve my purse in the back.

I plan on reprogramming the doors to unlock all doors when the driver's door is opened.

Factoids that may help in diagnosing this issue: Both my and DH's key's are programmed/linked to each of us respectively. When the driver nears the door, the driver's door opens and some of the programmed settings recognize the particular driver at that time...seat position, heat/AC on and maybe some others. The other settings kick in once the driver starts the car...steering wheel position, music on, and the like.

This particular day, like many, many others, both DH and I were in the car with our respective keys. I was driving. All was normal until we got home. I let DH out in the driveway so he could pick up the mail and I pulled into the garage. DH was in the garage when I exited the car. I exited the car and the back door was still locked so I went to open the driver door and that's when I hear the clicks and see the red lights. Clearly, the car picked up on DH's key and locked the doors. IIRC he wasn't quite out of key range yet, but am not sure of that. He gave me his backpack and as I got near the driver door, it opened .

Clearly, the car at some point, picked up on his key and stopped recognizing mine. Has anyone else had this happen or something similar? I thought I'd get some thoughts from the experts here before I call BMW. This incident has me a bit concerned about what else could happen. I thought I'd try the driver assist today when I ran errands but freaked and hit the brake when it started forward as I was exiting a parking lot...pretty dumb of me to turn it on before I was on the street . I think I'll try it one Sunday with little traffic on the road.

 

[RobbieB]

Dunno.

Whenever I leave the fob in the car it honks loud 3 times if I try to lock it.

 

[jazz4cash]

I’m not quite sure I follow but I suspect the engine operation was based on DH’s key the whole time. Your key was not detected due to being buried in a backpack in the rear. Our car gets confused sometimes when DW and I ride together. Doors don’t autolock if a key ‘is detected’ inside. Never had an issue but I noticed the doors would not autolock for several days and the horn chirped when I left the car. Then I noticed a brief message display ‘remote left in vehicle’. I had accidentally left the spare keyfob in the vehicle. It fell into that inaccessible space between seat and console….never would have found it if the car wasn’t telling me it was in there somewhere.

Oh…is it possible the keyfob battery is weak?

 

[audreyh1]

Well that sounds like a pain. I guess you have to figure out a protocol.

Our Tesla won’t automatically lock itself if there are wireless keys left in the car. I think I can override this with the app to lock the car if I have my phone outside the car with me. But we generally always take phones and fobs with us when we exit the car at a location so that the car will automatically lock itself when we walk away. A couple of times we had walked away and the car didn’t automatically lock and realized that one of us had left our phone behind.

 

[TrvlBug]

I’m not quite sure I follow but I suspect the engine operation was based on DH’s key the whole time. Your key was not detected due to being buried in a backpack in the rear. Our car gets confused sometimes when DW and I ride together. Doors don’t autolock if a key ‘is detected’ inside. Never had an issue but I noticed the doors would not autolock for several days and the horn chirped when I left the car. Then I noticed a brief message display ‘remote left in vehicle’. I had accidentally left the spare keyfob in the vehicle. It fell into that inaccessible space between seat and console….never would have found it if the car wasn’t telling me it was in there somewhere.

Oh…is it possible the keyfob battery is weak?

Nope, car recognized me. It greeted me when I entered the car and made all the adjustments to my preferences, seat, heat, temperature, and said goodbye when I exited the car. It definitely recognized my key until it didn't.

This just reminded me of something else I need to check on, that there is no audible warning when an object is behind me when I'm in reverse, either sitting there or moving. Car, bicycle, or ped. I always look, but it's so nice to have that audible warning.

 

[TrvlBug]

Well that sounds like a pain. I guess you have to figure out a protocol.

Our Tesla won’t automatically lock itself if there are wireless keys left in the car. I think I can override this with the app to lock the car if I have my phone outside the car with me. But we generally always take phones and fobs with us when we exit the car at a location so that the car will automatically lock itself when we walk away. A couple of times we had walked away and the car didn’t automatically lock and realized that one of us had left our phone behind.

I'll have to test the phone thing. DH has a habit of leaving his phone in the car .

I'm really surprised that the car would lock itself with a key still in it. My previous car which was nowhere near as techie as this one, would not allow it to be locked with key fob in car.

 

[savory]

Just a thought. We purchased a Honda Insight last year and found there was an online user group. It has been terrific for asking questions and learning hacks from improving mileage, installing hitches, learning about rattles and most any question. Perhaps there is a BMW group for your model?

 

[street]

Just a thought. We purchased a Honda Insight last year and found there was an online user group. It has been terrific for asking questions and learning hacks from improving mileage, installing hitches, learning about rattles and most any question. Perhaps there is a BMW group for your model?

I did this when we bought a new car a couple years ago. Just goggled brand name and forums and I had all the answers I needed. A great source for guru for any brand out there.

 

[Aerides]

My 2015 Audi did that to me once.

Like yours, my car is not supposed to lock with the fob inside. I didn't touch the handle to lock it. My phone was in the car too...I was just popping into a store to drop something off that I expected to take 30 seconds.

As soon as I shut the door, I heard that Beep that told me it was locked. DH and his key were a mile away.

 

[easysurfer]

Another example or all the smart tech "out smarting" us.

I don't have a fancy car, but still had a door key made to keep in my wallet in case my car gets too smart.

The key doesn't work for driving, just for opening the door .

 

[Car-Guy]

I've never had that happen but I have thought about that happening. In my case my cars are typically keyless entry and keyless start and the FOB is always in my pocket. If I ever take the FOB out of my pocket for any reason while I'm still in the car, the "thought" of that happening does cross my mind.


Another benefit of not carrying a purse.

 

[user5027]

I plan on reprogramming the doors to unlock all doors when the driver's door is opened.

You may want to reconsider doing this to prevent being car jacked.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Perhaps there is an antenna that isn't working correctly and because of the relative position of the key, it wasn't detected. Many new cars have multiple antennas for these systems.

I would *think* that the dealer could pull any diagnostic code history that might show what could be causing the error.

Also, try a search using Reddit. I know it sounds odd...but anything that seems to be a "new issue", Google is often silent (or outdated) whereas if someone out there has had a similar issue, a Redditor will have posted about it.

 

[Ronstar]

I think I would reprogram it so that the doors are not locked unless locked by a person using a FOB. It's best to let humans take control.

 

[Sunset]

Another example or all the smart tech "out smarting" us.

I don't have a fancy car, but still had a door key made to keep in my wallet in case my car gets too smart.

The key doesn't work for driving, just for opening the door .

This locking of the car with key inside is a tradition by auto makers.

Around 1975, I was at a mall, nice summer day, left the car running and shut the door.
When I got back to the car, I realized I had locked the car, it allowed me to lock it while running.
It was a 2 mile walk/run/jog home, get the spare key and walk/run/jog back.

 

[cathy63]

Nope, car recognized me. It greeted me when I entered the car and made all the adjustments to my preferences, seat, heat, temperature, and said goodbye when I exited the car. It definitely recognized my key until it didn't...

Where was the key when you entered the car and it recognized you? Was it already in the backpack on the back seat? Any chance that's on the edge of its range and it moved slightly while you were driving? My car has locked itself with a fob inside when the fob was in a bag in the back seat or cargo area. It also won't start if the only fob is in those areas though.

 

[thod]

Does the key fob have a battery? If so, then that might explain the different behaviors between the 2 keys.

 

[ERD50]

I think I would reprogram it so that the doors are not locked unless locked by a person using a FOB. It's best to let humans take control.

+1

An option on my 2017 Buick Encore is to have the doors lock automatically, and it is *supposed* to not lock them when a key is detected inside. But that detection can (and does) fail. I don't want to be locked out.

-ERD50

 

[Alan]

This happened in 2001 at our daughter’s wedding when we were living in Baton Rouge. Loads of family over from England including DW’s sister and husband with their 2 year old and 6 week old baby. BIL went on a short drive in their hire car to get the 2 year old asleep immediately before we left for the church. He arrived with 2 year old asleep in the rear car seat and we all went out to leave for the church. The car was under the car port, engine running, key obviously in ignition but all doors locked. We all left for the church with BIL on the phone to Enterprise and the number for pop-a-lock on hand plus instructions that if the toddler woke up he could always call 911 for help.

At the church, after the photos were taken and we were ready to go in he arrived on time. Cudos to Enterprise who responded very quickly to get there with a spare key, and the toddler never woke up during the episode.

 

[rk911]

sounds like a hassle. give me a "dumb" car with doors with actual key locks. i don't need or want most of the new comveniences or nanny features. i'm perfectly capable of locking and unlocking my doors, adjusting my seat and mirrors, etc. my buddy has a new Jeep Wrangler that has the silly auto start/stop "feature". we figured out a way to permanently disable that.

 

[TrvlBug]

Thank you for all the replies. Interesting to learn that this has happened to others, so maybe it was the car causing all the problems rather than me assuming it was DH's key the car had picked up on. Out of range when the doors lock automatically is about 10 feet and I don't think DH was out of range yet but am not absolutely sure. My key was not buried in the backpack. The backpack is a small, very lightweight one I use for the gym to hold the few things I absolutely need to take with me...the key was less buried in the backpack than it would be in my purse.

DH always used his fob to lock the doors (on my old and his current car) but I refuse to dig mine out of my purse, so used to use one of the buttons on the door in my previous car. This one I just walk away . I do love technology!

I've decided to keep the doors programmed as they are because of the safety the locked doors provide. Instead of putting my purse/gym backpack into the back, I'll keep it in front of the console where there's a huge space just for such items. My PT taught me the proper, ergonomic way to get into and out of a car and putting your stuff in the back is part of that process...I'll need to break the habit but it shouldn't be too hard.

Wrt to forums, there is a forum specific to the car. I'm discovering some other oddball hiccups and will post there to see if others have had similar experiences. The car is the BMW iX and it hasn't been out that long. Mine just got off the boat a few days before I got it. Not the one I wanted/ordered but very close. The dealership had a cancellation and I was the next one on the list to call. With the chip shortage, I was lucky to get one close to what I wanted. It was that or wait until who knows when to get exactly what I wanted.

I'll also check out Reddit. It sounds like a great site to explore.

 

[audreyh1]

Wrt to forums, there is a forum specific to the car. I'm discovering some other oddball hiccups and will post there to see if others have had similar experiences. The car is the BMW iX and it hasn't been out that long. Mine just got off the boat a few days before I got it. Not the one I wanted/ordered but very close. The dealership had a cancellation and I was the next one on the list to call. With the chip shortage, I was lucky to get one close to what I wanted. It was that or wait until who knows when to get exactly what I wanted.

I'll also check out Reddit. It sounds like a great site to explore.

Since it’s such a new car design I’m sure people sharing on a car specific forum will really help.

 

[TrvlBug]

Since it’s such a new car design I’m sure people sharing on a car specific forum will really help.

Very true. Never having a car that automatically locks itself, I was curious to see if others have experienced something similar and it sounds like it's not that uncommon. The other 'hiccup' I'll post about on the iX forum is why the car at times recognizes the key as I get into range and other times only when I'm very close to the door . My previous, not outrageously techie car did something similar in that at times I had to juggle my purse right at the door before it would auto unlock, while most other times it would do so once I got into range.

 

[Andre1969]

sounds like a hassle. give me a "dumb" car with doors with actual key locks. i don't need or want most of the new comveniences or nanny features. i'm perfectly capable of locking and unlocking my doors, adjusting my seat and mirrors, etc. my buddy has a new Jeep Wrangler that has the silly auto start/stop "feature". we figured out a way to permanently disable that.

The only way to lock your keys in a 1957 DeSoto is to roll down the window and throw them back in! That's because you need the key, to lock the door! Chrysler did it that way at least through 1969, as I had a Dart that was the same way.

I actually discovered, the other day, that my 2003 Regal won't let you lock the doors, if the key is in the ignition. The remote fob on that car stopped working years ago. On Sunday, I was running errands with my housemate, and had to run in the grocery store. I left the key in the ignition, but when I hopped out I jokingly said, "I'll lock it so the gypsies don't steal you". And, damn if it would not lock!

Those Buicks do look out for old people. There's also a warning chime for when you leave the turn signal on for too long. Sounds kinda like you're playing a level in Mario World, and about to run out of time.

 

[street]

On your car we have a keypad also if something like that happened. I also have your car programed that it doesn't lock automatically.