Has anyone else's Jeep started itself? Bizarre.

[cbetter]

This is going to sound crazy. Wondering if anyone else has experienced their Jeep starting itself -- without an auto-starting system installed!

Wife drove the 2005 Liberty Limited home last night, shut it off, took the key out, got out, locked the door.

Baby was whining to hold the keys, so my wife obliged.

Baby started pressing the buttons on the factory key (lock, unlock, etc.) as she always does....and the Jeep started up again.

Wife got back in, tried all manner of shutting it off (putting key back in the ignition, turning forward and back, turning the wheel, locking/unlocking doors again, etc.) to no avail.

On my advice, she just left it running until I could get home, but after walking the dog around the block, the Jeep shut itself off.

We bought this 05 Jeep Liberty Limited in 06, and to my knowledge, the first owner did NOT have an auto-starter installed. And as stated before, we only have the factory keyset.

Has anyone else heard of this bizarre behavior? Could the baby have pressed some combination of buttons on the key that started the car, or is there something else at play here?

By the way, my wife assures me the car was completely OFF before she got out.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

 

[sleeve]

Sorry - this is the first incident I have ever read about on this site and LOST and I've been browsing Liberty forums for a couple years. This does not sound normal at all.

 

[ephantmon]

Who's seen the movie "Maximum Overdrive"?

 

[Atrus]

Try this - hit the lock or unlock button two or three times.

You can have an aftermarket start system sense a feed from an external source to fire up...for instance, have it "listen" for the door to lock three times in a few seconds, and then it'd fire up.

I'd try the lock x2 or lock x3 (maybe even lockx4) and see if it starts back up. It logically makes the most sense - who wants to remote start their vehicle by unlocking it? Most installers would hook to the lock sequence.

If it does start, the same sequence should shut it down. If that doesn't work, it SHOULD shut down if you hit the brake with the key out of the ignition - it's a safety feature.

 

[mag03kj]

it could be after market...

 

[twack]

i had this happen on my talon, i knew for a fact there was no remote starter in the car. but it kept happening and was freaking me out. I took apart the dash and steering colum, and way up there hidden very well was a remote starter wired terribly. i felt 100% there was no remote starter yet in the end there was. other then that it would have to be bad wiring.

 

[kjweston]

Where can one find one of these remote starters that start from a sequence of locks? doesn't sound like it would be very expensive.

 

[Atrus]

Where can one find one of these remote starters that start from a sequence of locks? doesn't sound like it would be very expensive.

It's pretty much just as expensive. Just saves from having to hook up keyless entry as you can use your stock fob to activate the system, and obviously, your stock fob controls keyless entry.

I know the DEI 561R and 562T have this functionality. I've never actually tried it though, as I prefer to use their fob.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Sounds like an aftermarket remote start as said before. I've seen a few at work, I'll be playing with their FACTORY keyfob and next thing you know, their car just starts out of nowhere. A lot of them are set up to start after 3 presses of the "LOCK" button and there you go, your vehicle starts. Take the panel off under the steering column (it just snaps off with a little force and is hinged) and you should see the wires and the box.

With that said I would LOVE to program mine to have this capability because I can't stand the aftermarket fob.

 

[Atrus]

Sounds like an aftermarket remote start as said before. I've seen a few at work, I'll be playing with their FACTORY keyfob and next thing you know, their car just starts out of nowhere. A lot of them are set up to start after 3 presses of the "LOCK" button and there you go, your vehicle starts. Take the panel off under the steering column (it just snaps off with a little force and is hinged) and you should see the wires and the box.

With that said I would LOVE to program mine to have this capability because I can't stand the aftermarket fob.

What kind do you have man? I *possibly* can help.

 

[kjweston]

It's pretty much just as expensive. Just saves from having to hook up keyless entry as you can use your stock fob to activate the system, and obviously, your stock fob controls keyless entry.

I know the DEI 561R and 562T have this functionality. I've never actually tried it though, as I prefer to use their fob.

so even though it comes with keyfobs you don't have to hook the keyless entry part up and you can program it to work with stock key fob?

reason im asking is i searched the DEI 561R and it showed a picture of all kinds of stuff including the key fobs and what not..

sorry to thread jack a little

 

[ptsb5a]

You must be registered for see images attach

Now that was a cool car. '58 Plymouth Fury with a 350 Y blocked Gloden Commando. SWEEEEEET.

 

[kb0nly]

I saw a system installed like that before, it was actually wired to the door lock circuit so that if it saw four pulses to the locks it would then remote start. Pretty simple wiring setup, battery power, ground, tapped into the ignition, the sense wire to the locks, and a wire to the brake light switch. So like it was mentioned you tap the brake without first putting in the key and turning it to the on position then the remote start system shuts off the engine because it doesnt see the ignition switched power before the brake light power.

I thought about putting one in my KJ, but honestly i don't mind walking out to start it up and make sure everything is ok and then walk back in the house for five minutes if its really cold. Otherwise i just drive off taking it easy for the first few miles across town.

Try playing with the remote and looking up under the dash around the steering column, i bet its got a remote start installed.

 

[Atrus]

so even though it comes with keyfobs you don't have to hook the keyless entry part up and you can program it to work with stock key fob?

reason im asking is i searched the DEI 561R and it showed a picture of all kinds of stuff including the key fobs and what not..

sorry to thread jack a little

561R will come with 1 keyfob. It'll have a single lock/unlock button (press once for lock, press again for unlock), a center button for remote start, and a right AUX button (for example, hook to pop rear glass).

So, yes, I'd have to look at the installation manual to be 110% certain, but I believe there's a remote input wire that you could hook to the lock actuator. The unit could be programmed to look for 2 or 3 pulses - therefore, hit the lock button on the OEM fob 3 times and it'd trigger a remote start.

They can be pretty complex to install if you want the parking lights to run and whatnot. I installed the 562T in my KJ. You'll need to use resistors and relays. If you're not comfortable with electronics, pay someone. This was basically at my electrical knowledge threshold.

 

[ptsb5a]

A remoter start hooked up to the factory key fob is an awesome idea. Too bad it has such a short tx range.

 

[Atrus]

A remoter start hooked up to the factory key fob is an awesome idea. Too bad it has such a short tx range.

Right. I specifically didn't want the factory fob because I had that ginorlous key/fob combo BS.

So, I picked up a grey-headed Sentry key and use the DEI fob. Better range, and a smaller key

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Kevin, Viper 5601.

 

[Atrus]

Kevin, Viper 5601.

We may be able to take care of that

I'll try to look for the installation manual and whatnot.

Of course, if you're selling it to TBJ so you can buy a Focus, deal's off.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Of course, if you're selling it to TBJ so you can buy a Focus, deal's off.

Tee hehehehehehehehehe. lol3.gif

I already admitted that I was kidding. I couldn't take it anymore, got tired of people PMing me!!!

 

[jnaut]

This is going to sound crazy. Wondering if anyone else has experienced their Jeep starting itself -- without an auto-starting system installed!

Wife drove the 2005 Liberty Limited home last night, shut it off, took the key out, got out, locked the door.

Baby was whining to hold the keys, so my wife obliged.

Baby started pressing the buttons on the factory key (lock, unlock, etc.) as she always does....and the Jeep started up again.

Wife got back in, tried all manner of shutting it off (putting key back in the ignition, turning forward and back, turning the wheel, locking/unlocking doors again, etc.) to no avail.

On my advice, she just left it running until I could get home, but after walking the dog around the block, the Jeep shut itself off.

We bought this 05 Jeep Liberty Limited in 06, and to my knowledge, the first owner did NOT have an auto-starter installed. And as stated before, we only have the factory keyset.

Has anyone else heard of this bizarre behavior? Could the baby have pressed some combination of buttons on the key that started the car, or is there something else at play here?

By the way, my wife assures me the car was completely OFF before she got out.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

As a professional engineer (not in realm of automobiles, I admit) I'm apt to think that there's a piece of the story, some detail, some data that we don't have here. Something that happened in that garage, a flash, in an instant, something that your wife didn't tell you.

As a software engineer, networking engineer and computer technician, we often find that when a user reports "the impossible", if you spend enough time digging, you discover that there was a critical piece of information that was missing from the initial report that gives you that palm-to-the-forehead moment where you say "Oooooooooooh, ok, then yes, in that circumstance, that could happen"

EDIT: For instance, if we take things we know about a car, and in particular, the jeep, for an engine to start it must be physically turned over-- cranked. To crank an engine you'd have to engage the starter.

We know that gas engines can 'diesel', basically a situation where some fuel is still getting into the combustion chamber and the latent heat of the engine is continuing to detonate the incoming residual fuel. But to continue running, the fuel pump would have to still be engaged. The Liberty's fuel pump is electric. Also, with the key no longer in the 'on' position, several other systems would have to be engaged. Meaning that a perfect storm of circumstances (and failures) would have to be in place for the car to spontaneously start when the key was out.

EDIT2: And like others are saying, you might have a remote start (aftermarket installed) which would be that critical piece of 'missing data'.