This is strange - CEG Archives

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On my 96 Riviera I can pull the key out while the engine is on. I can hold the key in my hand and drive. I can also then turn the car off without the key. The only time I need the key is when turning it on, I have to turn the key one click. I can then pull it out and actually start it.

WTF is this? It uses PASS-key

if it is like the contour it only checks the key when the car is starting, not all the time

Sounds like your ingnition switch is busted. I don't think the computer continually checks for the transponder after the car is started. Just on the initial start. That would explain why it continues to run after the key is removed.

That is a pretty awesome feature i suppose. Though I don't know what I would ever use it for. I guess if you forgot something in the house or wanted to warm up your car while you went back inside, and your house keys were on the same key ring you could lock the doors behing you and never have to turn the car off.

I just use a carabiner. Works for me.

Interesting to say the least. It's one of those features you don't see a reason to have, but it's pretty cool when you're showing off.

Originally posted by Geddup Noise:
It's one of those features you don't see a reason to have, but it's pretty cool when you're showing off.

It's not a feature, it's a busted switch.

Originally posted by NO 4 EVR:
On my 96 Riviera I can pull the key out while the engine is on........... I can also then turn the car off without the key. The only time I need the key is when turning it on, I have to turn the key one click. I can then pull it out and actually start it.
......

Ignition lock is broken.

Originally posted by IRingTwyce:

Originally posted by Geddup Noise:
It's one of those features you don't see a reason to have, but it's pretty cool when you're showing off.

It's not a feature, it's a busted switch.

LOL so true though!

Had a Grand Marquis that did that. Pretty cool feature for a warm Florida climate. No worries about locking the keys in the car with it running & the air conditioner on while I zip into the store for beer.

Originally posted by TourDeForce:
Had a Grand Marquis that did that. Pretty cool feature for a warm Florida climate. No worries about locking the keys in the car with it running & the air conditioner on while I zip into the store for beer.

Only issue with this is that the car was left running and if someone jumps in and takes off your SOL cause insurance won't cover it.

That's why I went with a remote start alarm. The car kills if you step on the break with out the key in the ignition.

lol i had that happen with my old corolla. Wasnt a busted switch, it was me breaking the key off in the ignition. I could just slide in the broken key, turn it on and take they key out. Was handy for running into the store quick.

My zetec and my escort do the same. It's useful if I want to leave the car running but need to run back in the house.

Originally posted by loggerbomb:
lol i had that happen with my old corolla. Wasnt a busted switch, it was me breaking the key off in the ignition. I could just slide in the broken key, turn it on and take they key out. Was handy for running into the store quick.

yeah that happened in my explorer. At first, i didn't need to insert the stump into the ignition, but after a while the cylinger broke free, so i needed to stick the broken key in there to start it. But i had to take it out because it wouldn't stay in there. I had goten pulled over a couple of times for various things, and always had to explain that it was indeed my car and the key was broken.

it's since been fixed.

My mom's old 68 Electra 225 did it. She would pull the key out and open her beer with it. That was back when I was allowed [and small enough] to sit on the rear armrest while driving.

BTW, the Electra looked like this, but was brown:

My cars that have done it... 83 Tercel, 89 Grand Prix, and 96 Contour.

In the Contour, I would leave the car running (like mentioned above), but sometimes the car would be locked when I got back. I was probably subconsciously locking it since the power locks didn't work, but it sucked none the less. So I would take the keys with me.

My brother in law's parent's 90 Silhouette had a similar problem except for one difference... you didn't need the key at all to start it! Key was not broken off inside the cylinder either...

My Parents 1995 Ford Windstar does the same thing. Pretty sure something is broken as sometimes I can turn the engine on without the KEY LOL, but nonetheless thats rare and its a cool little feature, if it is a feature at all, but either way, ya, its weird.

So is it a feature? or a problem that acts as a feature? Maybe some manufacturers have this as a feature while in other instances it is broken?

Originally posted by XKontour98:

Only issue with this is that the car was left running and if someone jumps in and takes off your SOL cause insurance won't cover it.

eh, I have the keyless remote, i'll lock it while its running. That'll confuse some people.

The car is one step closer to being truely keyless

I dont care if it is broken, i'm not fixing that!

Originally posted by NO 4 EVR:
So is it a feature? or a problem that acts as a feature? Maybe some manufacturers have this as a feature while in other instances it is broken?

Hahah

Why would it be a feature?

Ya'll are funny.

Originally posted by NO 4 EVR:

eh, I have the keyless remote, i'll lock it while its running. That'll confuse some people.
The car is one step closer to being truely keyless

I dont care if it is broken, i'm not fixing that!

Umm, good luck with that. I found out the hard way that when the car is running, the keyless system is disabled. Try it with the trunk or the door locks if you dont believe me.

My 1988 escort use to turn on with out a key. It was great. Never had to carry keys with me.

My mom's '86 Sable was the same way.

--T.J.

Originally posted by EuroTour:

Originally posted by NO 4 EVR:

eh, I have the keyless remote, i'll lock it while its running. That'll confuse some people.
The car is one step closer to being truely keyless

I dont care if it is broken, i'm not fixing that!

Umm, good luck with that. I found out the hard way that when the car is running, the keyless system is disabled. Try it with the trunk or the door locks if you dont believe me.

Not an issue with the '88 Merc. Might be with the '96 Riviera... good point. But there's always that key in your pocket.

Originally posted by EuroTour:

Umm, good luck with that. I found out the hard way that when the car is running, the keyless system is disabled. Try it with the trunk or the door locks if you dont believe me.

Part of me didnt believe you because in my 92 bonnie the keyless worked all the time. And low and behold the keyless works while the Riv is running with the key in my hand!!

Originally posted by NO 4 EVR:

Originally posted by EuroTour:

Umm, good luck with that. I found out the hard way that when the car is running, the keyless system is disabled. Try it with the trunk or the door locks if you dont believe me.

Part of me didnt believe you because in my 92 bonnie the keyless worked all the time. And low and behold the keyless works while the Riv is running with the key in my hand!!

With the Mercury Villager, you can lock and unlock the doors using the factory FOB while the engine is running. You can't lock it by sliding the lock on the door while the key in the ignition. This is to prevent accidental lock outs.

I bet most of you guys are too young to remember that Chevvies from the early 60's had an ignition lock that would let you turn on and off the ignition without a key. You could use the key to optionally lock the ignition, but otherwise, you could drive the car forever without ever inserting the key in the ignition. It was a neat feature for a simpler time when most folks never took their keys out of the ignition, much less locked the doors.