Jt starting on its own ?

[uplandgunner]

I expirienced something strange the other day with my JT. It has me wondering how and if this a securityissue also. My JT started on its own.
It happened when I stopped to fill the gas tank at a truck stop. I pulled up to the pumps, killed the engine and got out and filled the tank. I then thought I'd better take a leak while I was there so I pushed the button on the drivers door handle to lock the JT, heard them lock and headed inside.

When I came back out the first thing I noticed as I walked back to the JT was the fender lights were on and thought " Why is that?". As got nearer I could hear the engine running. When I reached the JT it was still locked and unlocked when I put my hand behind the door handle like it should and got in.

A bit confused I started to rehash the sequence of the whole episode. The JT is a almost fully loaded Rubicon with the proximity key fob with remote start.

At first I thought maybe I hadn't really turned the truck off but when you do this if you have the radio on it will not go off when you open the door. But the radio turned off when I opened the door. My next thought was there a way the engine could still run with the radio turning off as the door opens it was then I noticed the seat was warm and the steering wheel also and looked sure enough the seat heaters and steering heat was on.

Now I knowed I killed the engine when I pulled in. I have the JT set so the seat and steering wheel heat comes at start when it's below 40F out and before I pulled into the truck stop they were both off.
My next thought was I somehow tripped the remote start with the fob. Highly unlikely. It was in the pocket of a vest with a lighter jacket over that. If you have to fob with remote start you know it takes a substantial effort to push the indented button twice to get the engine to tip over. I thought about my sequence in the store and trip to the john and back out. I don't think it was possible to trip the remote start.

Now I'm thinking two other possible scenarios
,
#1, It's a truck stop, lots of trucks with lots of different types of radios and signals and such. Could that have tripped the start?

#2, Is this a new way to steal autos with remote start by radio and I got lucky I locked my doors or was not in the store very long.

This was at about noon in a busy truck stop and not a likely time in my mind to try a theft this way (#2). If #1 it still concerns me if the doors were unlocked it was inviting someone to steal the Jeep.

What am I missing here and what are your thoughts on this?

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[Factoid]

Have you tried to replicate the exact scenario and see if the same thing happens? I would start there. Repeatability of defect is one of the best ways to start troubleshooting.

 

[spazzyfry123]

Did you need to push the start button inside the Jeep as if you did do the remote start? Or was the Jeep ready to when you got inside?

 

[TennesseePA]

Did you need to push the start button inside the Jeep as if you did do the remote start? Or was the Jeep ready to when you got inside?

That’s where my thought process took me. I have never actually heard of it happening but it seems plausible that the remote start button could have been pushed in a pocket. I have set my alarm off by pocket pushing the panic button on several different remotes to include my Gladiator.

 

[uplandgunner]

Did you need to push the start button inside the Jeep as if you did do the remote start? Or was the Jeep ready to when you got inside?

No, it was ready to go. That was another reason I did not think it was because I hit the remote start button. If you use the remote start you still have to hit the start button for it to go into gear. I just put it in gear and drove off.

 

[uplandgunner]

Have you tried to replicate the exact scenario and see if the same thing happens? I would start there. Repeatability of defect is one of the best ways to start troubleshooting.

See reply #5

 

[Factoid]

What? That didn’t answer the question as to did you try to replicate conditions and see if it happened again.

 

[Adawg1203]

No, it was ready to go. That was another reason I did not think it was because I hit the remote start button. If you use the remote start you still have to hit the start button for it to go into gear. I just put it in gear and drove off.

It seems maybe you did not turn the vehicle off.

When you stopped, did you have the heating elements on???

For the vehicle to be ready to go, even if we assume it turned on by itself, the brake needs to be pressed for it to be ready. If your heated seats and wheel were on when you stopped and were on when you thought the vehicle started itself then, you probably never turned the vehicle off.

There are too many factors that need to come into play for a vehicle to start itself. Brake pressed, key fob in range, engine acknowledgement of code, start button pushed etc. Somehow all of that (and more) happened by itself?

 

[GlacierGladiator]

My thought is you forgot to turn it off. If you were using satellite radio it may have just cut out cause you were parked under the metal roof for the pumps at the exact time you got out of the vehicle. As far as the heated seat & wheel.. well I can't explain that one. If it were remote started or thru the sirius guardian app you would have had to push the start button to drive away.

 

[canyonrat]

Remote start is neat but I would trade it for having a key you need to turn for the ignition. That way you cannot leave the vehicle holding the key unless it is certainly off.

 

[uplandgunner]

What? That didn’t answer the question as to did you try to replicate conditions and see if it happened again.

Yes I tried to replicate the conditions. Not much to replicate other than using the remote start from the locked and not running and locked but running. Other than going back to the truck stop and letting it sit there till it happens again from the locked and not running state.

Locked and not running. Starting it with the key fob and then unlocking the doors by placing hand through the door handle, this will not allow you to move the gear shift into drive without first pushing the start button and stepping on the brake. This also causes the heated steering wheel, the seat heater and defrost to come on. When I returned to the JT when this episode took place the heated seats and steering wheel were on but not the defrost. and I could move the gear shifter into drive without pressing the start button first. The heated seats and steering wheel were off when I entered the truck stop to refuel.

Locked and running. First it was pretty obvious the engine was running as soon as I stepped out, upon unlocking and entering the heated seats and steering wheel was off as was the defrost and I could put it into drive without pressing start button. When I returned to the JT when this episode took place the heated seats and steering wheel were on but not the defrost.

What other scenarios are there to replicate.

 

[uplandgunner]

My thought is you forgot to turn it off. If you were using satellite radio it may have just cut out cause you were parked under the metal roof for the pumps at the exact time you got out of the vehicle. As far as the heated seat & wheel.. well I can't explain that one. If it were remote started or thru the sirius guardian app you would have had to push the start button to drive away.

Not using satellite radio, had the HU on and playing music off an iPod, I was also standing next to vehicle while I refueled it is pretty evident when the vehicle is running to hear it running.

 

[Adawg1203]

Not using satellite radio, had the HU on and playing music off an iPod, I was also standing next to vehicle while I refueled it is pretty evident when the vehicle is running to hear it running.

But you did say you were at a truck stop. Im asssuming it was loud.

I can't envision how the vehicle can start itself automatically and be fully ready to drive without you doing anything.

 

[Factoid]

Thanks for the reply. This may be one of those things where you will never know the cause until it happens again if ever. I say relax and enjoy your truck!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I am used to the button location on my wife's GC.
I drove a Compass as a loaner while they dug into my box cover. Same button location almost as my wife's GC.
The button for the JT is in a totally different place, different angle.
After driving the compass to return it, I got home with the JT and pushed....... and pushed, what the heck? Oops, button is over here.......
Now I watch for the dash to indicate it's off. With my hearing in loud places it's hard to go by sound.

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