I think the fact that the Honda Fit is a super cheap subcompact econobox with less than 140hp is a great theft deterrent

 

I keep a spare key hidden on the underbody. My concern is it will unlock the doors/start the car "automatically".

 

I found out that if I stand by the driver's door (which would normally unlock when I grab the handle) that someone at the passenger side cannot open / unlock the door. It seems to know where the key is very accurately. It knows if the fob is inside or outside the vehicle, which is an annoyance for people that start their car and let it warm up. They either have to leave the fob in the vehicle or smash it against the window as the door is shut, else the car goes honk honk honk at 5:30 AM. I wouldn't leave a fob attached to the vehicle. There is a minimal physical key in my fob -- you could hide that to get inside, but I don't think it'll start the car. You could take the battery out, and hide the fob, there you go.

 

Though the Civic and Accord always are listed up there on the most stolen lists, so that may be less of a deterrant than you would think.

 

I remember the Top Gear episode where they were driving to Bonneville in muscle cars. Go 3 minutes in:

 

LOL, well lets hope THAT has changed! I have too many evil friends :-P

 

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...it-manual.html

The proximity key works when you're within 32 inches of the door.

 

That had to be a joke. The fob "wasn't" in the car (I'm sure it was).

 

Well, it *is* Top Gear!

OTOH, I wouldn't doubt that the keyless fob might work a bit further than advertised, and the RF levels are tiny at these distances. We're also looking at Chrysler engineering, not Honda.

 

Ford must triangulate the fob's position. It seems to know down to a couple inches. If I lock a fob inside the car, it won't grant access from the outside without a second fob.

 

When you buy a car with keyless entry, do they give you more than one fob? Or do you have to pay extra for a second one? With old school car keys I always got several copies made and stuck them various places (gave one to my boyfriend, put one in a drawer at home, put one in my desk at work) in case of emergencies. What happens if I'm mugged in downtown NOLA, and the thief takes my purse with my key fob inside? I doubt he'd be able to track down my particular car to steal it, but how would I ever get in my car? Will I be able to have a backup fob in a dresser drawer at home?

 

This is also a concern of mine. One thing I've seen in videos is that the key fob also has a key hidden inside, so perhaps you can keep the key in your pocket and keep the fob in your purse. I don't know.

Another question I have is do the 2015 fits with push button start also have an ignition? The fob comes with a key, so I'm hoping the key can be used with an ignition in case the fob goes missing or if it fails to work.

 

You get 2 FOB's. Damage or loose one and have to replace, than it will cost ya

 

The pushbutton is the ignition switch. The fob is the ignition key. The fob should have about as much chance of not working (for ignition purposes) as the immobilizer system, since it's more or less the same general technology, and you're in the same predicament if you lose it as if you lost a "normal" ignition key.

 

Does anyone know anything about the engine immobilizer? My friend and i were testing out my car; I stood outside with the fob in my pocket and he drove away. He said the car said "no key," but he drove it no problem. He didn't go very far, but probably 200-300 feet away. No "immobilization" to speak of...

 

I'm thinking the Immobilizer works when someone steals the car when you are not present, like sleeping, at work, not if someone takes the car when you are next to it.

 

Was the car already running, or did your friend start it and drive off?

If it's already running, I can understand why they wouldn't just shut down the engine when the fob goes out of range or on the fritz or whatever. It's not really a good situation to be hurling down the highway or halfway across some railroad tracks and then having it decide to shut itself off.

I would expect that the car wouldn't start with the fob very far away at all, but i don't know exactly how far the range is. It may depend on a bunch of factors (how much RF interference there is in the area, for instance).

 

I think if they steal a car and don't have the fob in it, they can drive. But once they turn it off, that's where the car will stay because they will not be able to restart it.

And, yes to the 32 inches proximity.

 

When I got my car, they went to fill it up while I had the fob in my pocket. About 20 feet the car stopped itself and wouldn't move until I gave the fob to the salesperson.

 

Right, this was my understanding of "engine immobilizer." In fact, I think you had posted this in another thread.

I hear what everyone is saying about the car being running already, but to me it should still immobilize the engine if the key isn't in the car. There's no "good" reason that somebody would be driving away without the key. Yes, I agree it would be less than ideal to have the engine turn off while in motion, but IMO, it's far less ideal to have somebody drive your car miles away from you while you stand there with a key fob in your pocket wondering when the "engine immobilizer" that you read about will activate...