car running with no key for no reason?

165

Asked by Keaton Aug 10, 2008 at 01:24 AM about the 1999 Honda Accord EX V6

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Recently, I walked out to my car to find that the parking lights were on and the engine was running.  It was doing so without a key in it, and the parking light switch was not turned to on, either.  The car was locked and I had to use my key rather than the keyless entry to open the door because they keyless wouldn't work.  I didn't know what to do, so I put my key in the ignition and found that the keyhole was turned to off, so I turned the key to on and put the vehicle out of park into drive. As soon as I moved the shifter, the vehicle turned itself off.

I'm very puzzled by this, and a mechanic I spoke with at the Honda dealership told me he had no clue why it would've done that.  I'd really appreciate it if someone could give me an answer as to why they think this could've happened!

20 Answers

55

it happened to me too. but are car was stolen and when we got it back. we could turn on the car and pull out the key. maybe something in the key slot broke and key is not locked and u can pull it out.

4 people found this helpful.
145

this sound like a remote start.

4 people found this helpful.
175

spot on...definitely reminescent of a remote start. Did you buy this car used?

6 people found this helpful.
165

well i bought the car used and i don't think it was equipped with remote start. but idk

2 people found this helpful.
270

well upon thinking about it more... it sounds like a remote start minus the part where you put the key in and it shut off when you took it out of park. with a remote start if the key was on when you took it out of gear it should have stayed running. I'll ask around and see if anybody i know has any ideas.

1 people found this helpful.
45

On some remote start systems the engine will turn off as soon as you depress the brake pedal if you don't turn the key all the way on, that is even if you have remote start

2 people found this helpful.
70

ive come upon this a few times as i work at carmax, some hondas, mostly accords will have a remote start programmed into the system, or sometimes there will be a short in the wires somewhere and pushing the lock button twice to set the alarm will turn on the remote start. once sets the alarm, twice will turn it on. is it possible that you pushed the lock button? this can get pretty annoying pretty quickly so take it to a different honda dealership and tell them to check the remote and the electrical around the starter.

7 people found this helpful.
35

next time this happens try to you, just get in the car and push on the brake and that should shut off the car and that is a sign that you have a remote start. so if it dose have one and you dont wanna use it put the car in park hold down the brake and take the key out and that should take care of it...

2 people found this helpful.
165

I'm still having this problem. It's gotten worse, and I have to disconnect the battery at times in order for it to stop driving me insane. No one seems to know what's causing it.

4 people found this helpful.
20

this happened to me too, I parked my car to go to the store and when I got back, I couldn't open the car, to my surprise I noticed that the car was running and looked to see if keys were in, but nope!!!! after trying a few times to unloked with the remote, the car turned off and I was able to getting in......I told my boyfriend who is a service manager for a dealer and he thinks I'm crazy!!!!!

2 people found this helpful.
10

I am currently facing the same problem, anyone having any idea in detail. What should I do. And mine is not remote car too.

165

Haven't owned this car in years, but my sister has it now. She says it still does it sometimes. No one has ever been able to figure it out. I think it must be an electrical short somewhere.

1 people found this helpful.
20

had this issue we replaced the radio bezel and it had a new clock and hazzard light button. the button was causing the car to run without the keys if you went to turn on hazards the car would stay running but if the button was in the off position it would shut off. the different button was either wired differently or had a short causing power to be ran back through the car

2 people found this helpful.

just happened to my moms car and the keys werent in it and the radio shuts on and off while we are driving in it. but the car also shut off by itself after i asked mom about it

10

this should be a dealer problem, park you honda in your basement garage and you might wake up dead

1 people found this helpful.

We just purchased a used 2012 civic coupe yesterday and this happened when trying to lock the car w/keyfob remote while not in the car. We were able to replicate it again a bit later. I am concerned about the possible wiring or short problem and since purchased from a dealership may return the car.... Any thoughts if anyone see's this today?

10

If you press the lock button 3 times in a row it will remote start and run for 10 minutes. You must insert key into door lock to enter car while running from remote start.

1 people found this helpful.

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