I have a 2019 RDX Adv. I started the car in the garage, and then drove about 5 miles to the store yesterday. I parked the car and got out of the car and tried to lock the door by touching the handle but the car didn’t lock. After searching my pockets I did not have the key fob. I remembered seeing the key fob on the kitchen counter before I left the house, but turns out I never picked up the key.

I was able to call my neighbor and got a lift back to the house and after climbing my neighbor’s fence to get to my unlocked back door, I found the keys right on the kitchen counter where I last saw them. Even the 2nd key was tucked away in the kitchen drawer.

Somehow I was able to start the car and drive away without any warnings lights or indicator that the key was not in the car. I called the Acura Roadside assistance and all they offered was to tow the car to the nearest dealer (200 miles away), but would not tow it back to the house. I’ve tried multiple times to replicate the scenario, with no success. I plan on calling Acura tomorrow, but I see this as a huge safety concern...can anyone just drive away with my car?!

Has anyone ever had this happen?

 

Are you SURE that you hadn't started the car prior, forgot to turn it off, and then left the FOB on the counter? So when you went out to drive the car, it was already on? This COULD explain the situation.

Please retrace all the steps prior in your mind.

 

What I read was that driving without the key fob the car will only travel 100 ft. This is to prevent theft if you leave the car idling.
Often I leave the car idling with the fob in my pocket.
I should try starting the car then place the fob inside the house and drive around the block. It would be good to know if the theft deterrent actually works.

Regarding your story, any chance you started the car with the fob, then went back in the house for something?

 

Nope, no chance. I actually have a dashcam too...just reviewed that. I pulled out the garage and drove off...no alert, chimes, or anything.

 

That's strange, I have a '20 RDX and the regular keyfob and tested this. I cannot start the car unless the keyfob is with me and inside the vehicle. If I set the keyfob on a workbench a few feet away, no dice. Once I have the keyfob inside the car and the car starts, if I remove the keyfob the car will beep several times and I get a message that the key was removed. So as far as how it could have possibly started when the key was nowhere near you, I'm afraid I can't help. That one really doesn't make any sense and I think you'd need to duplicate that one again. If it happens again, and particularly if you can cause it to happen reliably, contact the dealer.

I have also tested that when the car is driven, if you get out with the keyfob it again makes several beeps and has message on display saying key removed.

Out of curiosity, where did you read that? I looked at the RDX manual and was having trouble finding anything along these lines. I've had keyless start cars for many years now, and typically if you start the car with a key and then remove the key, the car will allow you to drive until it is turned off (albeit with warning on display) or until it runs out of fuel. Once it's turned off you'd need the key again but until then, sky's the limit. So far as I know, every keyless car is like that. So I sure hope you are locking your doors when you leave this car idling?

 

Never leave a car running without a driver present. A thugs early Christmas present!

 

this is the problem with technology in cars.. Drivers then forget to bring the keys, and then they blame the cars for 'leaving them stranded' when in reality, they stranded themselves by not making sure the key was not on their person before leaving the house.

 

Was the car possibly put (with fob present) in accessory or ignition ON mode, then started from there without the fob? Not sure if that's actually possible, just guesswork to explain something that shouldn't be possible.

​​​I'll be surprised if anyone else has experienced this combination of events.

 

My first test drive of the RDX was without the fob. Salesman started car had me get in drivers seat. Told me he had the key and not to turn off car and sent me on my way. Drove several miles without issue.

 

This strikes me as irresponsible of the salesman. There's loads of ways that could have gone wrong. Though it's good to establish that car will drive so long as engine is running, it's more of a safeguard than something to be relied upon like that.

 

This. I smell BS. The car will rapidly beep at you and show a message in the CID saying the key isn't present. You'll still be able to drive off though, and not just 100ft. Don't blame the car for your own mistakes.

 

Hi, we have similar issue with our 2016 RDX. We lost all two set of keys, but the car still can drive. We took to the dealer and ask them to find. One one could find them. All they said the key must be inside the car otherwise it would not start. In reality, it can start and drive without the key fobs. Apparently, I am not the only person who have the issue. The manufacture should take a look at this issue seriously. I will definitely not buy Acura anymore!

 

There is now way that the key can be missing and the car will start. Are you 100% sure that the keys are not in some deep pockets or dropped somewhere in the car and you simply failed to remember?

 

We are 1000% sure that the keys are not in the car. We searched every single corner, almost tear the car apart. There are few other people have the same issue. So, it should question whether this is true or not.

 

Alright, let's think about this from the pov of personal experiences. Who has NEVER had technology fail or function in some way we know is not how it was designed? We DEFINITELY know the security system is designed specifically NOT to work this way, but can we truly say this is absolutely impossible?

 

My question to Acura then is what is the computer seeing that lets it start the car?

 

I was showing my 2020 RDX to a friend of mine. I let him sit in the drivers seat as I stood outside of the car with the key in my right front pants pocket. He was unfamiliar with push button starters So I told him to put his foot on the brake and push the button. The car did not start and a message appeared on the dash that the key was not in the car. He then started the car when I handed him the key. The car knew the key was more than 2 feet from the start button.

 

Yep, that's how it's designed to work. As we know, technology doesn't always work as designed.

 

Just to give you something to think about.........not saying anything else.

It's quite a coincidence to find that the car will start without a key being present at the same time you lost both your keys.

I know the exterior door antennas are transmitting continuously, and the FOB will transmit it's ID code when it receives the door signal. So if you store your keys within range of the door antennas, they will be constantly transmitting and drain the battery in 1-2 weeks.

Thinking along the same lines, if the keys were within the range of the interior antenna, they would be transmitting all the time, which would also cause the FOB's battery to fail, and then the car would no longer start.. However I don't think the interior antenna begins transmitting until you step on the brake, so a set of keys lost in the interior would continue to operate for the normal 2-3 years.

Do you still have this 2016 model? Did you ever get replacement keys? When they reprogrammed the new keys, the RDX would have forgotten all the previous keys, and the problem should have resolved itself.

 

My only point, and I'll let the discussion continue: I don't think we need to fully understand the technical cause to believe a technology fault is a possibilty.

I'm not taking a set on one cause over another, I just don't buy into the argument that this MUST be user error.

There are a solid number of discussion threads in this forum describing various unexplained technology failures, it's possible this could be another.

Carry on...

 

AND, we haven't heard back from the ORIGINAL poster and thread starter since June 21......