C7 starts without FOB (sometimes)
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA.
C7 starts without FOB (sometimes)
I started the car (2016 Z06, A8) with the FOB in my pocket. Got out of the car while it was warming up, FOB fell out of my pocket without me noticing it. Let passenger into the car and reentered the drivers side. Someone outside of the car said that something had fallen out of the car. I couldn't see anything so I drove to a location about 15 miles away and turned off the car and went into the house to visit a friend. I got back into the car and started it. When I arrived at my home some 10 miles away I shut the car off and later noticed that I had lost my FOB at the first stop (where someone had mentioned to me that something had fallen out of the car). When I tried to start the car again without the FOB it would not start again. Question 1: how did the car start at the second stop (without the FOB) and allow me to drive home? Question 2: Shouldn't there have been an alert of some kind indicating that a FOB was not in proximity of the car when it was driving out of FOB range? The Lexus car does.
thanx, gary
thanx, gary
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 719
From: Northeast MA & Mad Beach FL
Once the car is started with the FOB, it can be driven without it indefinitely.
If you then shut if off as you did, there's a certain amount of time it can be started again without a FOB.
Sounds like the first time you stopped, not enough time had passed and could start it without the FOB and drive home.
After that, it cannot be started a second time without a FOB.
If you then shut if off as you did, there's a certain amount of time it can be started again without a FOB.
Sounds like the first time you stopped, not enough time had passed and could start it without the FOB and drive home.
After that, it cannot be started a second time without a FOB.
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
Likes: 3,954
From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,884
Likes: 2,887
From: Toronto
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 719
From: Northeast MA & Mad Beach FL
Never noticed a warning and I've exited the car multiple times with the engine running with the fob/FOB/RKE thingy on me.
Not personally, but I have the A8 if that makes any difference.
And like the OP, there's been other posts about others being able to re-start the car after driving off with out the fob/FOB/RKE thingy being present
Here's one thread and quotes from the thread.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-the-fob.html
Post #13
""If you start your car with the fob and the fob is removed for whatever reason during the ignition cycle, you get one restart without the key fob. It's a safety feature so that you don't get stranded. I'm pretty sure it's covered in the manual ""
Post #18
""I started my car once. Put my jacket (with the fob) on my workbench and headed over the pass into Jackson Hole (15-20 miles away).
When I shut the engine down DIC had message that was something like: "no fob detected, you may restart the car in the next 30 seconds without fob present"
I restarted it and then like an idiot figured I could do that again so I shut it down.....no go. It's a one time option. Thankfully I was meeting my wife for breakfast and had a rid.""
Not personally, but I have the A8 if that makes any difference.
And like the OP, there's been other posts about others being able to re-start the car after driving off with out the fob/FOB/RKE thingy being present
Here's one thread and quotes from the thread.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-the-fob.html
Post #13
""If you start your car with the fob and the fob is removed for whatever reason during the ignition cycle, you get one restart without the key fob. It's a safety feature so that you don't get stranded. I'm pretty sure it's covered in the manual ""
Post #18
""I started my car once. Put my jacket (with the fob) on my workbench and headed over the pass into Jackson Hole (15-20 miles away).
When I shut the engine down DIC had message that was something like: "no fob detected, you may restart the car in the next 30 seconds without fob present"
I restarted it and then like an idiot figured I could do that again so I shut it down.....no go. It's a one time option. Thankfully I was meeting my wife for breakfast and had a rid.""
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 719
From: Northeast MA & Mad Beach FL
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA.
time not a factor in restarting the car
Once the car is started with the FOB, it can be driven without it indefinitely.
If you then shut if off as you did, there's a certain amount of time it can be started again without a FOB.
Sounds like the first time you stopped, not enough time had passed and could start it without the FOB and drive home.
After that, it cannot be started a second time without a FOB.
If you then shut if off as you did, there's a certain amount of time it can be started again without a FOB.
Sounds like the first time you stopped, not enough time had passed and could start it without the FOB and drive home.
After that, it cannot be started a second time without a FOB.
From the time that the car was turned off and the car was restarted without the FOB was about45 min. I was approximately 200ft. from the car during the time that the car was turned off and restarted without the FOB.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 437
Likes: 162
From: Southwestern FL
I remember reading somewhere that the car will allow one start without the FOB after it has been shut off and this was an intentional feature should the FOB be accidentally left behind. Once the doors are locked that is disabled. I have not tried this with my car.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA.
Thanx again
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
If the car is started with the RKE (aka FOB) present and then shut off WITHOUT it present it will allow one restart to avoid stranding the owner. This has been standard GM practice for many years and was also true of my 2008 Cadillac CTS. When I get out of my 2014 ATS with it running and the RKE in my pocket it will sound a horn triple beep to let me know that the RKE isn't in the car but I haven't tried it with my Z06 to see how it reacts.
On Edit: Page 125 of the owner's manual shows the message that you will get after shutting off with no RKE present: NO REMOTE PRESS BRAKE
TO RESTART
This message displays if the RKE
transmitter is no longer detected in
the vehicle. Press the brake pedal
to restart the vehicle.
On Edit: Page 125 of the owner's manual shows the message that you will get after shutting off with no RKE present: NO REMOTE PRESS BRAKE
TO RESTART
This message displays if the RKE
transmitter is no longer detected in
the vehicle. Press the brake pedal
to restart the vehicle.
Last edited by NSC5; Feb 9, 2017 at 07:36 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,744
Likes: 234
I really would like to know if this is true!!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
My 2014 Cadillac ATS manual states you have 5 minutes to restart after shutting the engine off without a FOB present however the Corvette manual doesn't state the time limit. Mine is still asleep for winter but I will try it in a month 
It is 65 today but the roads are messy with slush and salt so the Z06 will continue hibernating.
This feature also protects you if the FOB completely dies (not just a low battery) while you are out allowing you that one restart to get home or to a dealer.
The FOBs are pretty robust because I accidentally sent one through the washing machine after I did the first oil change for my 2008 CTS. I found it before it went into the dryer, took the battery out and wiped the insides down with WD-40 followed by a dry paper towel and then let it sit in the sun for a day. I put in a new battery and the FOB worked perfectly and was still fine when I traded the car in 2008 however there are better ways for washing the FOB and I don't recommend sending it through the laundry or dishwasher
It is 65 today but the roads are messy with slush and salt so the Z06 will continue hibernating.This feature also protects you if the FOB completely dies (not just a low battery) while you are out allowing you that one restart to get home or to a dealer.
The FOBs are pretty robust because I accidentally sent one through the washing machine after I did the first oil change for my 2008 CTS. I found it before it went into the dryer, took the battery out and wiped the insides down with WD-40 followed by a dry paper towel and then let it sit in the sun for a day. I put in a new battery and the FOB worked perfectly and was still fine when I traded the car in 2008 however there are better ways for washing the FOB and I don't recommend sending it through the laundry or dishwasher
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,002
Likes: 2,679
To be technical, the Corvette has both and RKE and PKE system (PKE is Passive Keyless Entry, which is the handles) as well as Push Button Start (PBS). RKE, PKE and PBS utilize a fob to work.
As you know you also still get a key, which is the actual physical key to unlock when the battery is dead. The key is located in the fob now, as opposed in the old days when the fob was a distinct unit from the key.