Ask MF: Does the R56 Have a Real Key?
Here’s our first Ask MF regarding the new R56 (from reader JB):
>I’ve got an R56 on order and have had one pesky question that my MA hasn’t been able to answer. With only a key-fob and a push-button starter, how do I unlock my car if the battery dies?
Great question for a couple reasons. For one it’s so obvious yet no one has thought about despite all the R56 questions over the past few months. And the other reason… I can answer it with two phone cam pics I took recently:
That’s easy, each “key” has a concealed “real key”. Just press the small silver button to release.
Great idea in theory – but if your RFID chip dies – you can get into the car, but you won’t be able to start it. That’s what happened to my sister-in-law’s overly-complex Infiniti FX30, the Infiniti equivalent of comfort access, wasn’t working, so she used the key, got in, and the car just cranked and cranked but wouldn’t catch. Turns out the RFID chip died.
The fob recharges when in the ignition slot, so it shouldn’t be a problem. The Comfort Access fob has a replaceable battery. I’ve got to say, in all the years of owning cars with automatic locks and remotes, I’ve only had a battery die once. If you are worried, you might keep a spare in the glove box.
I wonder if the battery in the Comfort fob would recharge in the slot as well?
I truly enjoyed the coolness of the “proximity”key function to either open the driver’s door (with the comfort button) or start/stop the engine with the dash button. You don’t have to have the “key”in the slot to be able to start the car as long as you keep it in your shirt pocket or purse. Again very cool.
This is a minor quibble, however, and that is the loss of the key lock in the glovebox. Unless the lock has been moved elsewhere, the glovebox door no longer is lockable.
Also, with this push button ignition system how can you just turn on the electrical accessories, without having to start the engine? In the older cars with the regular and trusty key, the ignition had 3 positions accessory, start, engine, etc.
Just curious as I forgot to try this myself during the test drive.
You still have a key cylinder lock in the driver’s side handle, so the door can be opened if need be manually with the wallet key.
Drill:
No, that battery is not rechargable. It is a standard flat cell battery like used in digital writ watches.
C4:
Surprised you didn’t see this on NAM. Just push the start button and the aux comes on even without the key in the ignition. You can’t roll up the windows without the key fob in however.
Something I’ve noticed. To roll up the windows from outside the car you have to pull out the metal key from the fob and do it the same as before. Still can’t do it remotely.
I like how you can pop the boot with the remote though.
Picture this: Key in shirt pocket; MINI running. Get home, wife runs out the door and needs to take the car. You jump out, she jumps in. Gets to where she’s going-shuts car off. When she goes to restart it…..no key.
That’s very interesting you mention that. I was wondering if you only need the key in proximity to start the engine. I would seriously doubt it automatically turns off if the key is removed from the keyless zone.
Also, I did notice on my test drive that the R56 without keyless comfort puts power to the audio system before any key is inserted in the ignition. I assume it has a timer, and wouldn’t let you just run the battery out. Other than the radio though, I didn’t test anything else.
Wow.
We can come up with some pretty convoluted situations where this scenario wouldn’t work.
Might I suggest the wife keep the key in her purse? I mean, I could see this situation occurring while the comfort access is still a novelty and the “old school” way of starting the car is still the more familiar. But after that.. I dunno. Personal responsiblity needs to kick in at some point?
I never really regarded the standard car key as “idiot proofing”. In fact, I kind of thought the comfort access making you unable to lock a key inside the car without REALLY trying was kind of the idiot-proof option.
I would say keeping an extra battery someplace in the car would be a smart move. Otherwise, seems like a pretty sound system. This option has been around on other cars long enough that I imagine BMW got it right by now.
I remember reading somewhere (Here or NAM??) that a warning chime goes off and a warning light comes on when the car is on (accessories or engine running) and the key is moved out of range.
I know of that situation happening with a Lexus-I’m sure they won’t do it again, but it’s not something you’ve ever had to think about when changing drivers before….
When I had a 2006 BMW 325i loaner car for a while from the dealership, I got to play with the stop/start button convience feature.
I found that you could turn the engine off while the car is in motion. This was tested in a parking lot… and it surprised me tremendously. If someone reaches over and pushes that button while you are driving, not only will the car suddenly turn off, but the steering wheel lock will kick in too (if you try to turn the wheel)>
That’s pretty dangerous! I was surprised that they didn’t put in a safeguard that required the car to be completely motionless before the engine could be turned off.
Imagine… an R56 owner’s manual on a digital micro-SD card, one that you can pop into your cell phone or ipod, with all the solutions to these unique (and therefore very likely, says Murphy’s Law) situations.
Something goes amiss and you’re not sure how the technology is designed to handle your particular issue, just power up the cell and read all about it as you relax next to your turbo-charged wonder. All the answers are there. Press and hold for 7 seconds and you’re good to go, it says.
Oh, you meant to charge up that cell phone when you got home from work? See if you can find someone in the parking lot with a compatible memory card slot, and then…..
We’re under the control of machines.
“If someone reaches over and pushes that button while you are driving, not only will the car suddenly turn off, but the steering wheel lock will kick in too (if you try to turn the wheel)>
That’s pretty dangerous! I was surprised that they didn’t put in a safeguard that required the car to be completely motionless before the engine could be turned off.”
And someone could also turn off the ignition key in a normal car. These are not your friends. They should not be in your car. But MINI can’t control what kind of idiot is in the passenger seat, not even electronically.
<blockquote>I would say keeping an extra battery someplace in the car would be a smart move. Otherwise, seems like a pretty sound system. This option has been around on other cars long enough that I imagine BMW got it right by now.</blockquote>
easy to do since the battery is so thin. you could even keep one in your wallet. The back of the fob is easily removed with a fingernail also. No screwdriver required.
<blockquote>If someone reaches over and pushes that button while you are driving, not only will the car suddenly turn off, but the steering wheel lock will kick in too (if you try to turn the wheel)</blockquote>
same thing happens if someone reaches over and turns off the key. Then same reaction – kick their @$$ after the excitement is over..
<blockquote>Something goes amiss and you’re not sure how the technology is designed to handle your particular issue, just power up the cell and read all about it as you relax next to your turbo-charged wonder. All the answers are there. Press and hold for 7 seconds and you’re good to go, it says.</blockquote>
or reach into the glovebox and grab your owners manual. The battery never dies in it. =)
Sometimes older technology has it’s advantages.
I hate digital only owners manuals when I buy a new product.
<blockquote>And someone could also turn off the ignition key in a normal car. These are not your friends. They should not be in your car. But MINI can’t control what kind of idiot is in the passenger seat, not even electronically.</blockquote>
Yes but the difference here is that it’s a simple electrical/electronic switch, not a physical one like the key. It’s much easier to implement programmed behavior with the new start/stop button.
Also, it’s a LOT easier to accidentally push or knock a button like that (not to mention the hands of a curious and unrestrained child – although bad parenting causes that) than to turn a key.
I just think it was a bad design decision. Note that this is not an anti-R56 comment, because the same design exists in the BMW cars.
The start/stop button is cool and trendy but not a necessity IMHO.
MINI has to conform to current automotive trends. Push button starters are all the rage now days.
Frank – it has nothing to do with MINI playing catch-up. BMW introduced push-button starting on the 7 Series in 2001 and had planned on transitioning all it’s cars to the method as each one was redesigned.
Since MINI uses the same electronics system as the 1 Series and 3 Series, designers and engineers had to work with certain parameters when creating the MINI electronics system. For instance the cumbersome on-screen interface for the radio is essentially the same one found in the 1 and 3 Series. Likewise, the push-button starter is also the same system.
MINI engineers didn’t set out to create a push button system, they were told that’s what the next MINI would have and they simply stylized it.
<blockquote>MINI engineers didn’t set out to create a push button system, they were told that’s what the next MINI would have and they simply stylized it.</blockquote>
Exactly… and just to clarify, when I said “I just think it was a bad design decision”, I wasn’t referring to the existence of a start/stop button for the engine (I think it’s pretty cool actually), but I was specifically referring to the behavior that allows you to turn off the car while it is still in motion.
Since the button is just that much easier to activate accidentally (compared to turning the key), I see it as a safety concern.
<blockquote>Also, it’s a LOT easier to accidentally push or knock a button like that (not to mention the hands of a curious and unrestrained child – although bad parenting causes that) than to turn a key.</blockquote>
Children should be in the back seat and locked down like a prison block. (Yes, I can say this with good conscience since I have small children and work in law enforcement.)
I have used the start button, and you can’t “accidentally” bump into it. It is up on the dash somewhat behind the steering wheel. And a tap or bump won’t do it. You have to fully depress that sucker.
Let’s not let corporations and gov’t completely legislate out every possible danger. Many things are “possible” but few of them are probable. And yes, you should definitely b*tch slap anyone who tries to play with your buttons.
I think it’s great if you add the Comfort Access option. I have played with the system on the new 335i and I like it. If you’re curious about how it works, go to <a href="http://www.e90post.com" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.e90post.com</a> and then within the forums, theres downloadable owners manuals for the 3-Series both with and without iDrive.
As for the “accessory position”, that one is easy.
Mash the start button with either the fob in the dash or with optional Comfort Access, you’re in “accessory” mode
Mash the start button with the fob in the dash or with Comfort Access while the clutch is fully depressed (or brake for the shiftless), the engine starts.
Simple and intuitive once you actually experience it. I love Comfort Access, but I don’t like the Start Button at all on cars without Comfort Access.
I have a buddy with a Dodge Ram SRT-10 (Viper Ram Truck) On that truck, you have to insert the key, twist it, then mash the start button. It’s convoluted and gets old after the 2nd or 3rd time you use it.
Rawhyde
I’m personally not a huge fan of the push-start; without the comfort access (or whatever it’s called) it requires two motions to start the car. But it’s also not the end of civilized society that some of you are predicting. Some days I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at some of the things I read here (and on NAM and MINI2). Take a deep breath, a couple of stiff drinks, and then think “does this statement sound like the ravings of a mentally unhinged person with a tenuous grasp on reality?” before pressing the “Submit Comment” button. Please.
FrankInMiami
umm, seems my whole post didn’t go through…
put key in.
push button = electrics.
press clutch down and press button = car start.
Thanks both Gabe and Rec.
I have a question. In cars without the comfort access will the car still start if the fob is not inserted into the dash, or is that a unique function of the Comfort Access?
The fob must be inserted into the dash for any vehicle without Comfort Access.