Wife had her key so did not bother to go back in house for it. Stayed in car as she went to the Post office. About 30 seconds after she left, the car shut down. Not remembering my goof on taking my key, hit the power up button. Display reminded me, no key present in the car. Had the car 6 months and still learning features.

Thanks tjq

Did the car actually shutdown, or did the ICE just shut off? The car shouldn't be shutting down just because the key is no longer present.

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Randy

Car shut down completely. Think the lights went off. Pressed power on button, screen said no key in vehicle.

You should test to see if that is repeatable, and if so take it to the dealer. That shouldn't be happening. The car is specifically supposed to remain drivable if someone walks away with the key - until you press the power button to shut it off.

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Randy

Finally had time to check the manual and the only thing found that pertains to no key present in the car was found on page 146 (N). Also could not find anything on taking it to the dealer if car shuts down and will not restart with no key present in the vehicle.

Maybe someone who has come across the part of the manual saying it should go back to the dealer if it shuts down, can direct me to the page explaining it.

(The car is specifically supposed to remain drivable if someone walks away with the key - until you press the power button to shut it off.)

What Randy wrote is what I experience often. When I am with my girlfriend she may stay in the car at times. I don't shut it off -- I leave it running. When I exit the car, it beeps saying "hey you with the key, get back here..."

I have been gone for 10 or more minutes without the car automatically turning off. If it truly turned off and not just shutdown the ICE, it is not performing as it should.

But then you mentioned the lights were off as well. This should have not happened until a minute or so after the car was OFF. It sounds like your wife hit the power button while exiting with out you noticing. Did you have the radio or heat/ac on at all? That would give a clue as to if the car was turned off or if something went wrong.

No, wife did not hit the fob shut down. Will try to duplicate it again. Leave my fob home and drop the wife off and see if it happens again.
Has anyone found anything in the manual to explain if it should not have happpened?

Thanks, Tom

Here's a couple of passages that make it fairly clear that the car is expected to continue running if you remove the smart key. Note that the first passage cleary states that the system may not be restarted after having turned it off. The second passage indicates that it is possible for the driver to continue driving even if the key has been removed.

Pg 295 in the manual:
"When using the smart key system, it is
possible to start or stop the hybrid system
as long as the key is on your person.
For this reason, it is possible that a pas-
senger may remove the key from the ve-
hicle without the driver being aware of the
fact. In such a case, it is not possible to
restart the hybrid system after having
turned it off. In addition, it is possible that
one may get out of the vehicle without
being aware that the “POWER” switch has
not been turned off completely.
When driving or getting in or out of the
vehicle, drivers should make sure that
they are carrying the key. "

Pg. 297 in the manual:
"(F) A warning buzzer sounds once from
the instrument cluster and three
times from the vehicle when a pas-
senger is getting out of the vehicle.
This indicates that the passenger is
attempting to leave the vehicle carrying
the key, without turning the hybrid system
off. The message “KEY IS NOT
DETECTED” will also appear on the
multi!information display and the master
warning light will come on.
When passengers get out of the vehicle,
care should be taken to leave the key
with the driver. If the driver begins driving
after a passenger gets out of the vehicle
carrying the key, a warning buzzer will
sound once more.

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Randy

If you leave the lights on, you can easily get fooled into thinking the car is on, when it's not since there is no difference on dashboard except "Ready" light is missing. I got confused by that many times when parking attendant brings up my car from garage at my work. I'm 90% sure your wife shut down the car without even realizing it and after 30 seconds lights auto shutdown making you think it was the car. Test it again if you don't believe me. And yes, if the car shuts down on it's own after 30 seconds without the key , take it to the dealer to get it fix. It's not very often, but I had couple times message come up that the key is not detected, while driving with key in my pocket (could be heavy RF interference, cellphone close by or even weak battery causing that) and if the car shutdown miss detecting the key while driving you could crash since there will be no power steering and no power breaks, at least the steering wheel shouldn't lock up until you put it into P

Pete4 — The quickest and easiest way to tell whethet the TCH is "on" is to look at the clock display on the top of the dashboard. If it's "on," the car is not "off." Conversely, if it's "off," so is the car (even if the instrument lights are still "on" because the headlights are still "on").

Stan