[Rena]

Just this weekend I had a HUGE issue with my QX30 not detecting my key. I made a dumbass mistake but the car did not catch it, and allowed me to drive 108 miles without my key. I was stranded with no key far from home.

I was driving from San Diego to Los Angeles (123 miles). I left my driveway in San Diego with a car full of food to cook in Los Angeles at my sister’s house. She called and asked me a favor to stop at a store in Anaheim along the way to pick something up for her. I did. When I returned to the car to continue the journey another 35 miles to her house, the car did not start. The dashboard read “Key Not Detected”. How could I not have the key on me if I drove 108 miles to Anaheim already? I called AAA and got a tow from Anaheim to my destination in Los Angeles ($$$). I had my spare key FedEx'd to me In Los Angeles.

When putting the pieces to the puzzle together, I determined that I must have put my coffee and keys on top of my car; I loaded the car, then grabbed the coffee and drove off. I converted the key turn to a push button (I learned that from this forum last year), so the car started by pushing the button even though the keys were on the roof of the car. The keys dropped off the roof about 5 blocks away and were picked up by someone who posted on the NextDoor app that they found a set of key. I have my keys, and my spare key and a little bit of pride left, but not much, so everything worked out well. However, Why does the car allow me to drive 108 miles away from my key? Why doesn’t the same message that says “Key Not Detected” show up immediately when my car and key are separated from each other? I think this is a flaw that should be corrected. I admit I was dingy and left my keys on the roof, but the car should not drive away from the key without a message.

 

[p07r0457]

This may be a problem because you had a 2017 that did not come with push-button start, originally.

You post prompted me to test this in my 2018 -- which came from the factory with push-button start -- and I had slightly different results.

Issue #1: Can you start the vehicle with the key on the roof?
Confirmed. I placed my key on the roof, above the drivers area, and was able to successfully start the vehicle.

Issue #2: Can you drive a distance without the key present?
Confirmed. The vehicle does NOT shut off when it does not detect the key. I left the key in my garage and drove a couple miles. This is likely for safety purposes. Theoretically, you could drive until your ran out of gas. However, once you turn the ignition off, the vehicle will not restart until it detects the key. Engine auto stop/start remained functional, however.

Issue #3: Can you drive a distance without realizing that you don't have the key?
Busted. The vehicle puts a red visual warning on the instrument cluster, and it beeps at you every second to alert you that the key is not present. I don't think anyone could miss this.

It's possible that #3 was implemented in the 2018 model, when Infiniti started including the push button start. People who didn't have push-button start, and have added it after-the-fact, may have vehicle software without the warning. I guess those people will need to be extra vigilant.

 

[pavy]

In my 2017 model, I've left my car running, got out of my car (with the key in my pocket), a passenger was in the car, and the passenger witnessed the Key Not Detected message and warning beep. I don't believe I could drive without seeing that warning come up pretty much right away.

 

[drob003]

I wish they had something like this with the Apple Watch and the Apple iPhone. With the Apple Watch strapped to your wrist, it wouldn't allow you to leave your phone behind much like the QX30 key!

 

[p07r0457]

I wish they had something like this with the Apple Watch and the Apple iPhone. With the Apple Watch strapped to your wrist, it wouldn't allow you to leave your phone behind much like the QX30 key!

I have an Apple Watch and it does not do anything if you walk away from your phone. No alerts. No messages.

 

[drob003]

I have an Apple Watch and it does not do anything if you walk away from your phone. No alerts. No messages.

Yes thats why I said "I wish there was something like this...." I do think there may be an application for the watch that can do it though called Lookout.

 

[fastrack]

I have 2017 QX30 w/ 3rd party push button, and I get the warning screaming in my dash when the car doesn't detects the key.

I left my son in the car while I was grabbing something from the house, and he told me that.

 

[8410]

This may be a problem because you had a 2017 that did not come with push-button start, originally.

I doubt that.

It's possible that #3 was implemented in the 2018 model, when Infiniti started including the push button start. People who didn't have push-button start, and have added it after-the-fact, may have vehicle software without the warning. I guess those people will need to be extra vigilant.

Nope, nothing changed for the 2018 model and the 2017 model shows the "Key Not Detected" message (with warning beep) as well.

So the problem must be something else.

 

[8410]

Issue #2: Can you drive a distance without the key present?
Confirmed. The vehicle does NOT shut off when it does not detect the key. I left the key in my garage and drove a couple miles. This is likely for safety purposes. Theoretically, you could drive until your ran out of gas. However, once you turn the ignition off, the vehicle will not restart until it detects the key. Engine auto stop/start remained functional, however.

Issue #3: Can you drive a distance without realizing that you don't have the key?
Busted. The vehicle puts a red visual warning on the instrument cluster, and it beeps at you every second to alert you that the key is not present. I don't think anyone could miss this.

This is different from the original description. Rena drove her car while the key was still on the roof and only a few blocks later did the key fall off. So you would have to drive off and then throw the key out of the car at some point while driving, then you would have recreated the same situation.

 

[p07r0457]

This is different from the original description. Rena drove her car while the key was still on the roof and only a few blocks later did the key fall off. So you would have to drive off and then throw the key out of the car at some point while driving, then you would have recreated the same situation.

The scenario is the same. In both instances, the vehicle was started in the presence of the key, and then driven away from the key. Exact. Same. Thing.

 

[8410]

The scenario is the same. In both instances, the vehicle was started in the presence of the key, and then driven away from the key. Exact. Same. Thing.

Nope. Not. Exact. Same. Thing.

 

[p07r0457]

Nope. Not. Exact. Same. Thing.

Then explain how it's different???

 

[8410]

Then explain how it's different???

I will try to explain it, but please keep in mind that English is not my native language, so some sentences may seem a bit unpolished.

The biggest difference is that Rena was already driving and the system mistakenly recognized that the key was in the car even though it was on the roof of the car. Rena was driving for a while (some blocks) before the key fell off the roof, at this point the system doesn't seem to check if the key is still in the car, this makes sense as the probability that someone loses his key while driving is very low and it is better for the battery in the key if the key doesn't have to transmit data all the time.

You, on the other hand, left the key in the garage before driving (the car had not yet moved), so the system in the car had the possibility to determine that the key was missing either before or very shortly (seconds) after starting the journey.

So if you want to test the same situation then you have to start the car - no matter if the key is on the roof or in the car, the system thinks anyway that the key is in the car - drive some blocks and then put the key e.g. into a box (while you drive on) which blocks all radio signals. Btw. it doesn't work to turn off the key with a double click on the lock button (I assume you know this way you can disable the keyless go function for opening the car), the KeyLess Access and checking if there is a key in the car - for ignition - seem to be independent of each other.
If you don't get a message that the key is missing - if you remove the key while driving (key is in the box blocking the radio signals) - then you have created the same situation that Rena had.

I think the real problem is that the radius is too large to recognize that the key is in the car, the roof of the car should not be counted as "inside the car". This way the car could not be started at all and the problem would not arise. Of course, one could now think of further scenarios, which then become a problem again, but this possibility always exists. Actually, the people from QA were supposed to come up with the "impossible" scenarios, but apparently this did not happen at Mercedes or Nissan.

 

[Rena]

I believe that Jumo is on to something. My key went missing after driving 5 blocks, not at start out.

However, how does it make sense that some respondents here who have the same 2017 QX30 have said that their dashboard alerts visually and with a beeping sound if the key moves away? Is it possible I do not have a software update of some sort? Full disclosure as in the original post, I did create the 3rd party push button (which I have now removed) so the car would not have thought that I didn't have the key since the intention on manufacture was to have it in the key slot and not elsewhere.

 

[q50aggie]

I believe that Jumo is on to something. My key went missing after driving 5 blocks, not at start out.

However, how does it make sense that some respondents here who have the same 2017 QX30 have said that their dashboard alerts visually and with a beeping sound if the key moves away? Is it possible I do not have a software update of some sort? Full disclosure as in the original post, I did create the 3rd party push button (which I have now removed) so the car would not have thought that I didn't have the key since the intention on manufacture was to have it in the key slot and not elsewhere.

I bought one of the first QX30's, and I added the push-button myself. I also get an alert if I drive off without the key detected. It happens every time I stop at the mailbox and get out to unlock the mailbox.

 

[Chris92SE]

Mine has the alert, but I have only seen it when I have the car in park (like getting out to go to an ATM) and it drives my wife crazy. I have an early car, as well, where I added the push button.

Similarly, I have had a "key not detected" as well as a low key battery warning on my dash when the key was alongside my phone (android) a few times. The key not detected would not go away, even when I pulled the key out and held it in front of the dash.