M3 card stolen, new iPhone not yet setup as key...but still can drive?

[JeffK]

Something similar happened to my mom's car earlier this week. I met with her for lunch, as we were about to finish lunch, she mentioned that she had left her cell phone at home. My first question was "How did you drive the car?". We figured she must have had her phone in her purse. We search thoroughly and didn't find it. Our next guess was that it had fallen out of her purse and into the car. I went outside to look for it. Her car was unlocked, when I got in the screen and AC started up normally. I looked everywhere and could not find her cell phone. I went back into the restaurant and we called my dad and he confirmed her cell phone was at home.

Luckily she had her key card with her. She used it to lock the car while we finished lunch. We haven't had a chance to try and reproduce this scenario.

She did not swipe her key card to start driving when she left home to go to the restaurant. In fact, she had to dig through her purse a lot to find the card. I'm not sure how she was able to drive.

I wonder if she has walk away lock on.

If so, I wonder if her purse was up against the B pillar as she tried to get in. This would have given here two minutes to put the car into gear. Mine reads my card all the way through my wallet.

If she doesn't have walk away lock on and the vehicle was unlocked, I wonder if she put her purse close enough to the center console to start the 30 second authentication window.

 

[SoCalMom]

I wonder if she has walk away lock on.

If so, I wonder if her purse was up against the B pillar as she tried to get in. This would have given here two minutes to put the car into gear. Mine reads my card all the way through my wallet.

If she doesn't have walk away lock on and the vehicle was unlocked, I wonder if she put her purse close enough to the center console to start the 30 second authentication window.

1. She says she has walk away lock on. I'm pretty sure she does. The car is always locked when I go over to their place. And they have confirmed that even though it's in the garage, when they need to access the car, they always have to bring their phone out to unlock it.
2. I don't see why she would put her purse next to the B pillar. Plus she is short, unless she purposely lifted her purse up, it would not be near the B pillar. But I can't rule it out completely.
3. I haven't asked her where her purse was. I imagine it would be in the passenger seat. However, she had a friend with her. I'm not sure where she would put it if someone was sitting there.

Another very very small possibility is that my dad had his cell phone near the car when she started it? But he never has his phone on him when he's at home. It's always on the countertop.

 

[Big Earl]

1. She says she has walk away lock on. I'm pretty sure she does. The car is always locked when I go over to their place. And they have confirmed that even though it's in the garage, when they need to access the car, they always have to bring their phone out to unlock it.
2. I don't see why she would put her purse next to the B pillar. Plus she is short, unless she purposely lifted her purse up, it would not be near the B pillar. But I can't rule it out completely.
3. I haven't asked her where her purse was. I imagine it would be in the passenger seat. However, she had a friend with her. I'm not sure where she would put it if someone was sitting there.

Another very very small possibility is that my dad had his cell phone near the car when she started it? But he never has his phone on him when he's at home. It's always on the countertop.

Please post a screen shot of the security screen showing recent key usage. I'm curious to know what the car thinks is happening.

 

[SoCalMom]

Please post a screen shot of the security screen showing recent key usage. I'm curious to know what the car thinks is happening.

Darn. It's been over a week now. However, I convinced her to let me borrow it for a bit to see if I can reproduce the error. I will try this weekend.

 

[SoCalMom]

Another very very small possibility is that my dad had his cell phone near the car when she started it? But he never has his phone on him when he's at home. It's always on the countertop.

I think our scenario is different from OPs. (sorry for hijacking your thread)

I was wrong about my assumption about my dad's phone. I am now pretty sure he had his cell phone near the car when she started it. My husband and I were able to reproduce this scenario:

My husband had his phone with him as he stood next to me while I entered the car and drove away. Halfway out the garage, I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to grab the key card. He went in the house and grabbed it for me. I put in the passenger seat. I was able to drive away normally. I parked the car down the street and exited the car. I stood outside for a bit. The car stayed on for about a minute (fans or something were running) and then went quiet. The car did not lock itself. I was able to enter the car again and it started up but I was unable to put it in "gear". I had to tap the card against the cupholder area in order to drive away.