Imagine leaving a passenger and their car key accidentally remains in their pocket or falls out of the car. If the car is already running, it will usually not stop immediately and will not turn off. This does not mean that you can safely continue your journey. In most cases, the problem begins the moment you turn off the engine. Without a recognized key, the system will usually not allow a new start. Nissan describes the behavior of its cars as follows: “You can drive without the key until you turn off the car“. The manufacturer indicates that if the Intelligent Key is missing, the car will not suddenly turn off, but after the engine stops, it will not be possible to start it again without a recognized key. Ford uses similar logic in the manuals for various models. The driver may receive a warning that the key is not detected, but the system is not designed to simply interrupt the operation of an already running engine. In some models, the warning appears when a certain speed is reached or a beep is emitted.
A message such as “Key Not Detected“ may appear on the dashboard, and the car may emit a beep. The exact indication depends on the make, model, year of manufacture and system settings. Therefore, there is no single answer as to whether the car will travel five, 50 or more kilometers without the key. If the warning appears while driving, it is most reasonable for the driver to head to a suitable place to stop without turning off the engine immediately. After parking, pockets, bags, the space between the seats and luggage should be checked. It is possible that the key was left with a passenger or fell into the passenger compartment.
If the car is turned off without a key, pressing the start button will usually not help. In this case, it may be necessary to bring a spare key or seek help from a car locksmith. If the key battery is dead, some cars offer a backup way to start. This may involve placing the key next to the ignition button or in a designated area of the center console. This procedure does not resolve the case where the key is lost and not available at all.