Can a Car Be Locked Without Turning Off the Engine?
2 Answers
The car cannot be locked without turning off the engine. Methods to prevent forgetting to turn off the engine when exiting the car: 1. Check the tachometer and display screen: Before exiting the car, check if the display screen has turned off and darkened, and if the tachometer reads zero. 2. Steering wheel rising: When setting the steering wheel position, avoid setting it at the highest position. This way, when parking and turning off the engine, the steering wheel will rise. 3. Anti-theft indicator red light: When locking the door and leaving the car, make it a habit to check if a monitoring red light under the car's rearview mirror is flashing. If it is not, it means the engine is still running. 4. Front yellow light must flash once when locking the door: Set this in advance under "Settings" — "Car Lock Settings" — select "Light flashes when car is locked or unlocked." When locking the door, observe if the front yellow light flashes once. If it does not flash, it indicates the engine is still on.
It depends on the type of car key! For older cars with mechanical keys, you can manually lock the doors even if the engine is still running, because the key is just a separate metal piece and isn't linked to the engine's status. But never do this—two years ago, my friend left the key inside the car with the engine roaring, and ended up paying 800 bucks for a locksmith. Modern smart keys usually have a sensing function; if the key is inside the cabin (like tossed on the passenger seat), pressing the lock button won't work—the system will automatically cancel the lock command to protect you. However, some models are exceptions, like those that allow forced locking via a mobile app for remote locking. Check the manual for specifics.
