Remote start seems like such a great idea

[R Nilla]

Maybe the car was embarrassed and tried to remove the headlights and spoiler the only way it could.

Or thirsty and thought it would help itself to your nuclear holocaust water reserves.

:laugh:

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: RaiderJ
That's a stupid installation mistake. Almost all auto-starts have neutral safety switches.

+1

There should have been a switch that would only allow it to engage if the trans was in neutral.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Neutral safety switch FTW.

I know on my Suby there's a neutral safety on the trans so that you can't engage cruise control with the car in neutral. Wouldn't any manual trans car with cruise have such a safety device?

That said, I pondered installing one in mine since my turbo timer (yes, not necessary but better safe than sorry in my book) forces me to leave the car in neutral.

I think the only wires going to my car's transmission are for the backup lights. In my car though, the clutch has to be in for the starter to engage. He'll need some luck to get any money out of anyone for that.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
A starter motor has more than enough twist to move a car. Bear in mind that the handbrake only operates on the rear wheels, and this is a FWD car

Yes a starter will move a car. I doubt, however, that it would pull a car through a garage door. We're talking about 1 to 2 horsepower and a garage door isn't exactly crepe paper.

Yes it's FWD, and yes the parking brake is acting on the rear wheels. But if the parking brake is firmly on, it will take very aggressive throttle to drag the rear wheels. Set the parking brake on any FWD car with a manual transmission and then release the clutch. The car will stall.

ZV

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
A starter motor has more than enough twist to move a car. Bear in mind that the handbrake only operates on the rear wheels, and this is a FWD car

Yes a starter will move a car. I doubt, however, that it would pull a car through a garage door. We're talking about 1 to 2 horsepower and a garage door isn't exactly crepe paper.

Yes it's FWD, and yes the parking brake is acting on the rear wheels. But if the parking brake is firmly on, it will take very aggressive throttle to drag the rear wheels. Set the parking brake on any FWD car with a manual transmission and then release the clutch. The car will stall.

ZV

Get into a manual FWD car and start it in gear. You'll be amazed by the lurch. It's not fast but as you should know, electric motors are all about torque. I am not surprised that after the 1400Kg mass was moving the flimsy garage door had no chance.

I first did this back when I was 18 in my first car, a Mini (original, of course), and even the cranker in that was a little bitch. I did it after my driving instructor told me about it in case you are stranded in a dangerous position in a car that won't start. This won't work in cars that have start buttons, but that's the march of tech, taking over our driving experience.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
A starter motor has more than enough twist to move a car. Bear in mind that the handbrake only operates on the rear wheels, and this is a FWD car

Yes a starter will move a car. I doubt, however, that it would pull a car through a garage door. We're talking about 1 to 2 horsepower and a garage door isn't exactly crepe paper.

Yes it's FWD, and yes the parking brake is acting on the rear wheels. But if the parking brake is firmly on, it will take very aggressive throttle to drag the rear wheels. Set the parking brake on any FWD car with a manual transmission and then release the clutch. The car will stall.

ZV

Get into a manual FWD car and start it in gear. You'll be amazed by the lurch. It's not fast but as you should know, electric motors are all about torque. I am not surprised that after the 1400Kg mass was moving the flimsy garage door had no chance.

I first did this back when I was 18 in my first car, a Mini (original, of course), and even the cranker in that was a little bitch. I did it after my driving instructor told me about it in case you are stranded in a dangerous position in a car that won't start. This won't work in cars that have start buttons, but that's the march of tech, taking over our driving experience.

I've done it. It's a lurch, yes. But I sincerely doubt it's enough to pull a car through a garage door. Especially with the parking brake applied.

Of course, I'm not about to test my theory with my own cars.

ZV

 

[Demon-Xanth]

From the reading, it sounds like it wasn't a single sudden movement, but a slow labored movement. Which I can believe. It probably burned out the starter in the process. And I don't think it'd take much for a car to go through a garage door. They're not designed to be really strong or anything.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
A starter motor has more than enough twist to move a car. Bear in mind that the handbrake only operates on the rear wheels, and this is a FWD car

Yes a starter will move a car. I doubt, however, that it would pull a car through a garage door. We're talking about 1 to 2 horsepower and a garage door isn't exactly crepe paper.

Yes it's FWD, and yes the parking brake is acting on the rear wheels. But if the parking brake is firmly on, it will take very aggressive throttle to drag the rear wheels. Set the parking brake on any FWD car with a manual transmission and then release the clutch. The car will stall.

ZV

Get into a manual FWD car and start it in gear. You'll be amazed by the lurch. It's not fast but as you should know, electric motors are all about torque. I am not surprised that after the 1400Kg mass was moving the flimsy garage door had no chance.

I first did this back when I was 18 in my first car, a Mini (original, of course), and even the cranker in that was a little bitch. I did it after my driving instructor told me about it in case you are stranded in a dangerous position in a car that won't start. This won't work in cars that have start buttons, but that's the march of tech, taking over our driving experience.

I've done it. It's a lurch, yes. But I sincerely doubt it's enough to pull a car through a garage door. Especially with the parking brake applied.

Of course, I'm not about to test my theory with my own cars.

ZV

ZV is right. My 88 VW will crank and move on the starter, and with only 2-3 clicks, it won't. There just isn't enough there to pull it forward with any parking brake applied, let alone pull it through the door. I didn't look to hard at the pictures, but many garages/driveways are on a slope too, so it was uphill. The guy is lying, he put it in first instead of reverse and gunned it (or something like that, I would guess) or he is lying about the parking brake. With the parking brake off, then I could see this happening easily.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Neutral safety switch FTW.

I know on my Suby there's a neutral safety on the trans so that you can't engage cruise control with the car in neutral. Wouldn't any manual trans car with cruise have such a safety device?

That said, I pondered installing one in mine since my turbo timer (yes, not necessary but better safe than sorry in my book) forces me to leave the car in neutral.

I think the only wires going to my car's transmission are for the backup lights. In my car though, the clutch has to be in for the starter to engage. He'll need some luck to get any money out of anyone for that.

I'm 99% sure that every manual trans car built in the last 20 years has such a clutch interlock.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Yeah I'm thinking he DIDN'T have the parking brake on, or something is wrong with it. "I knew I wasn't going to remote start it, so why not leave it in gear?" Yeah right, maybe he knew something was wrong with the parking brake and thus put it in gear to keep it in the driveway. Something doesn't add up...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Neutral safety switch FTW.

I know on my Suby there's a neutral safety on the trans so that you can't engage cruise control with the car in neutral. Wouldn't any manual trans car with cruise have such a safety device?

That said, I pondered installing one in mine since my turbo timer (yes, not necessary but better safe than sorry in my book) forces me to leave the car in neutral.

I think the only wires going to my car's transmission are for the backup lights. In my car though, the clutch has to be in for the starter to engage. He'll need some luck to get any money out of anyone for that.

I'm 99% sure that every manual trans car built in the last 20 years has such a clutch interlock.

Clutch yes, neutral no. To install a remote starter the clutch safety lock must be disabled, but that still doesn't help in the issue of where the lever is.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: nweaver
The guy is lying, he put it in first instead of reverse and gunned it (or something like that, I would guess) or he is lying about the parking brake. With the parking brake off, then I could see this happening easily.

I agree that this is what most likely happened.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Neutral safety switch FTW.

I know on my Suby there's a neutral safety on the trans so that you can't engage cruise control with the car in neutral. Wouldn't any manual trans car with cruise have such a safety device?

That said, I pondered installing one in mine since my turbo timer (yes, not necessary but better safe than sorry in my book) forces me to leave the car in neutral.

I think the only wires going to my car's transmission are for the backup lights. In my car though, the clutch has to be in for the starter to engage. He'll need some luck to get any money out of anyone for that.

I'm 99% sure that every manual trans car built in the last 20 years has such a clutch interlock.

Nope. Not on my E46 M3. I can start it with it in gear and the clutch out. :Q My GF's car has keyless ignition and detects if you are in gear or neutral or if you have it in gear and the clutch depressed.

 

[thirdeye]

^^ I believe it's more of a USDM vehicle thing than worldwide. I could be wrong though.

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
A starter motor has more than enough twist to move a car. Bear in mind that the handbrake only operates on the rear wheels, and this is a FWD car

Yes a starter will move a car. I doubt, however, that it would pull a car through a garage door. We're talking about 1 to 2 horsepower and a garage door isn't exactly crepe paper.

Yes it's FWD, and yes the parking brake is acting on the rear wheels. But if the parking brake is firmly on, it will take very aggressive throttle to drag the rear wheels. Set the parking brake on any FWD car with a manual transmission and then release the clutch. The car will stall.

ZV

Get into a manual FWD car and start it in gear. You'll be amazed by the lurch. It's not fast but as you should know, electric motors are all about torque. I am not surprised that after the 1400Kg mass was moving the flimsy garage door had no chance.

I first did this back when I was 18 in my first car, a Mini (original, of course), and even the cranker in that was a little bitch. I did it after my driving instructor told me about it in case you are stranded in a dangerous position in a car that won't start. This won't work in cars that have start buttons, but that's the march of tech, taking over our driving experience.

I've done it. It's a lurch, yes. But I sincerely doubt it's enough to pull a car through a garage door. Especially with the parking brake applied.

Of course, I'm not about to test my theory with my own cars.

ZV

someone should submit this idea to mythbusters. See if they can get a car with a remote start to lurch through a garage door with the parking break on.

 

[steppinthrax]

I remember they used to say if your stuck on train tracks to put your car in neutral and turn the key. Also, do we know how far he was from the garage door to began with. Most modern cars only take two cranks or so to start. I'm sure it was the engine that was plowing the car through the garage.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax
I remember they used to say if your stuck on train tracks to put your car in neutral and turn the key. Also, do we know how far he was from the garage door to began with. Most modern cars only take two cranks or so to start. I'm sure it was the engine that was plowing the car through the garage.

You mean put the car in gear? I've used that trick to pull an old Land Rover around an uphill 180 (it had stalled, and I needed to coast back downhill to the village to fix it). Of course, most US cars won't do it anymore, since they have an idiot switch in the clutch...

 

[Regs]

At least it looks like just a paint job and maybe a new front bumper.

 

[dirtboy]

I love remote start. I almost never start my car before getting in it now. lol

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax
I remember they used to say if your stuck on train tracks to put your car in neutral and turn the key. Also, do we know how far he was from the garage door to began with. Most modern cars only take two cranks or so to start. I'm sure it was the engine that was plowing the car through the garage.

First of all, if the parking brake was set, the car wouldn't move at all.

Second of all, it's unlikely that a car could start by the starter with first gear engaged. The starter isn't going to get the car up to idle speed in 1st gear.

Yes, a starter will move a car. In fact, in the 1962 Daytona Continental Dan Gurney crossed the finish line with his Lotus on the starter alone. But it's one thing to inch forward and it's quite another to build sufficient momentum with the car in gear that the engine will catch and start running.

ZV

 

[f1r3s1d3]

Originally posted by: Sluggo
Remote start seems like such a great idea...

Until it costs you a few grand in repairs

Text

I did search, so I hope its not a repost

Maybe not a repost, but posted in the wrong forum - Anandtech Moderator DrPizza

I thought you can't start most manual tranny cars w/o clutch pedal down first anyways, and even if that wasn't the case, the parking brake should've stopped it and at least made it stall, its just a Honda Accord.

 

[steppinthrax]

I think it's time someone needs to do a little experiment. Someone with a Honda Accord bypass your neutral safety switch and try it. Different combinations as well (i.e parking brake, hill, etc..). I think the only way we can find out is by doing.

 

[BUTCH1]

My car has remote start from factory and it's a really useful feature. I start it
when I leave a store and by the time I get in it's already blowing ice cold AC.
For those who live in northern climes it automatically sets the heater on full blast
when it starts...

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax
I remember they used to say if your stuck on train tracks to put your car in neutral and turn the key. Also, do we know how far he was from the garage door to began with. Most modern cars only take two cranks or so to start. I'm sure it was the engine that was plowing the car through the garage.

That is true actually, i can start my in 1st gear using the starter, it takes about 8 metres of road to do it but it is possible

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: steppinthrax
I remember they used to say if your stuck on train tracks to put your car in neutral and turn the key. Also, do we know how far he was from the garage door to began with. Most modern cars only take two cranks or so to start. I'm sure it was the engine that was plowing the car through the garage.

First of all, if the parking brake was set, the car wouldn't move at all.

Second of all, it's unlikely that a car could start by the starter with first gear engaged. The starter isn't going to get the car up to idle speed in 1st gear.

Yes, a starter will move a car. In fact, in the 1962 Daytona Continental Dan Gurney crossed the finish line with his Lotus on the starter alone. But it's one thing to inch forward and it's quite another to build sufficient momentum with the car in gear that the engine will catch and start running.

ZV

It can be done, i've done it and seen it be done. I think what happened here was the handbrake wasn't on or wasn't on tight enough.