NHTSA Complaint #10706287 — 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3

MY VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STANDARD "PUSH-BUTTON" START WHICH IS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A RADIO CONTROLLED "KEY FOB." WHILE STANDING WITHIN A CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS WILL UNLOCK WITH THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON ON THE DOOR HANDLE AND THE VEHICLE WILL START WITH THE TOUCH OF THE INTERIOR START BUTTON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED DOWN. THE SAME INTERIOR START BUTTON IS PUSHED AGAIN TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. ON APRIL 15, 2015, AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, ENGAGED THE HAND BRAKE, AND EXITTED THE CAR, FORGETTING TO PUSH THE INTERIOR START BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I LEFT THE VICINITY OF THE VEHICLE (ABOUT 100 YARDS AWAY) AND THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL I RETURNED, 2 HOURS AND 40 MINUTES LATER TO TURN THE CAR OFF. MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO BUILT-IN SAFETY MECHANISM TO PREVENT THE CAR ENGINE FROM RUNNING WHILE THE "KEY FOB" WAS NO WHERE NEAR THE CAR. IMAGINE THE SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS? IF THE CAR WERE PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS. WHY DOESN'T THE ENGINE AUTOMATICALLY CUT OFF WHEN THE KEY FOB IS A CERTAIN DISTANCE FROM THE VEHICLE? WHY ISN'T THE ALERT (A SHORT SERIES OF BEEPS IDENTICAL TO OTHER BEEPS THE CAR MAKES WHEN LOCKED) DISTINCTIVE AND ALARMING? THIS IS A SERIOUS, LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF KEYLESS START ENGINES THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR