Can't lock truck while warming up?

So, this morning I discovered that I can't safely warm my truck before driving it. I started the truck up, removed my lock-fob, and tried to lock it from the outside. However, the buttons don't appear to do anything when the truck is running. Also, if I push the lock button on the door with it open and then try to shut it, it auto unlocks. I suppose I could probably take my spare and manually lock the door and unlock it when I'm ready, but that is just a total hassle.

Any work-arounds? Or do I have to move up the timeline on buying the Viper Alarm/Remote-Car-Starter?

 

I let my truck warm up outside this morning, but did not bother to lock it. I will try again tomorrow...luckily I am in a nice neighborhood and don't really need to worry about locking it. Now that I say that someone will drive off with my truck tomorrow morning!

 

gotta use a manual key, mines the same way

 

x2. You have to use a 2nd key and lock it from the outside. Only way to have it locked with the engine running unless you're inside the truck. The fob is disabled once the engine is running, it won't lock or unlock the doors. If you try to manually lock the door using the buttons, it just unlocks all the doors. Not sure if there's another way with an aftermarket remote start system or not, never looked into it.

 

I really hate to have to use both sets of keys just for that. Then I either have to run back into the house and drop them back off, or run the risk of losing my keys and having my 'Spare' locked safely within the truck. That would just be PERFECT!

 

Why would you warm the truck up for that long? Get in, start the truck, put your seat belt on and drive "GENTLY" till the whole truck warms up.

There is more to the drive train than just the motor. Until you start driving you are doing nothing to warm up the front diff, the rear diff, the t-case and the transmission. All these things are happier when the fluids are warm and flowing good. I've had to rebuild the trans in a customers (tube framed Porsche, 2000lbs, 350hp) race car, twice now, because he thought 15 mins of warm up in the pits meant he could skip the warm up lap and run WFO right out of the gate....... The damage was oil starvation because the cold gear oil couldn't get to "small" spaces in the synchros and gears......

 

just go buy a cheap spare key for locking /unlocking

 

Now I can't give up that info! I am just going to have to keep my loaded burglar alarm close now.

 

I'm sure the wiring could be reworked to allow the key fob to be active with the engine running but I wouldn't have the slightest idea where to start with that one and it may take some programming skills. If it can be built, it can be unbuilt or modified, just a matter of time, money and skills.

 

I have an Astrostart in my truck. I just have to hit the lock button twice to get it to lock with the key in the ignition.

 

lol, I was wondering if I would get a reply like this. Leave it to someone from Cali, J/K. You're from Northern California; you should know exactly what I mean.

What I'm referring to is WARMING it up for me, not the drive train. It was 14 degrees this morning and my windshield was frozen over. I warmed it up while I ate my breakfast.

 

Yeah no shit, it has been cold as heck here this morning. I am warming it up for my cold ass.

 

good tip about the key, I did not know that so thank you.
My warm up time depends on how well my morning is going.
Today was bundle up like the kid in the Christmas story with my snowmobile boots on, click the seatbelt and drive away.
Luckily no windshield scraping was required, the snow was light an blew off.

 

I'm glad you started this thread, I started to warm mine up yesterday but I was afraid with all this electronic locking junk that I'm not used to, I'd lock myself out some funky way or another

 

x2

 

The truck is designed specifically to avoid this from happening.

 

X3

Get a spare key.

To the OP - I have a karabeaner. Regular taco key & remote to start the truck, and spare key on the rest of the karabeaner with my house key.
I always lock my shit, no matter how long I'm away from the truck. I live in a respectable neighborhood but I still got burnt one night, someone broke into my truck when I forgot to lock it & stole my ipod.

 

80% of the cars stolen during the cold months have their keys inside them. I don't care how nice of a neighborhood you live in, this is a bad idea all the way around. These are complete crime of opportunity, and there's zero reason for it to happen. Car manufacturers put all sorts of electronic safeties on cars to prevent them from being stolen, and these are all over-ridden by leaving the keys in the vehicle.

I know people are going to jump all over this, but it makes zero difference if you use a second key to lock the doors. The bad guy's going to smash a widow and be gone in seconds. And, they are probably leaving with your laptop, cell phone, and any other daily items that were loaded up in the vehicle, while it was warming.

Almost all of these stolen vehicles are taken during the winter, either in front of a quiktrip or in front of the person's house. Many of them happened at 7am, when you would expect most bad guys to be sleeping. Well, they are not. They are driving around with their buddies looking to commit crimes, even in nice neighborhoods.

The only thing I would trust to start my vehicle is an auto-starter. No keys in vehicle, doors are locked, and system automatically disables if someone does manage to get in. Sorry for the rant guys, but I'm just trying to save more hurt feelings during the winter months.

 

I keep a flat (non-chip) key in my wallet. It's just for locking/unlocking the door.