View Single Post
      04-05-2011, 06:33 AM   #4
BMWrules7
Lieutenant Colonel
306
Rep
1,684
Posts

Drives: 2015, 740 LdX, Alpine White
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Boston Area

iTrader: (0)

Actually, this is easy to do and one of my greatest fears after having comfort access for a long time.

The fear, of course, has nothing to do with the harm on the engine. As one poster astutely put it that we can easily be in a traffic jam for hours. So, there is no physical harm to the engine unless you run out of gas.

However, the obvious concern is carbon monoxide should you leave the car running in your garage.

The use of checklists can prevent this. The only way to know with a high degree of certainty that the engine is off is to look at the rpm indicator and verify it is at zero.

The problem is that you can lock the doors with comfort access whilst the engine is running. This is normally a good thing.

But, it is not so good if you get distracted with say a cell phone call after pulling into the garage. So, at some point you forgot the engine was on thinking you already turned it off. Next, while still distracted you hop out of the car and lock the car with the door handle.

Yes, you see the lights on in the cluster, but you know that locking the car will extinguish the lights, right?

Not this time since you did not notice the engine running since you were talking on the phone. Your garage and house slowly fill up with co gas and you wipe out your entire family.

This is not far fetched since there are other scenarios that can make you accidentally leave the engine on.

I will post a checklist later, but for now always, always follow these two steps:

1. Force yourself to look at the tach to make sure it is at zero before exiting the car every time you exit.

2. After locking the car force yourself to look at the red led alarm light below the mirror until it flashes once.

Following these two steps will avert tragedy and always ensure your car is locked and ensuring the engine is off in your seven.
Appreciate 0