DViOuS

Does anyone know if the RX8 can be programmed to automatically lock the doors after you move over a certain speed like 8mph?

I used to have this feature in my VW GTI, but its noticably absent in the 8 and I keep forgetting to lock the damn door.

A friend with a MiniCooper said it was alarm/dealer programmable, and you can even program it to have the lights remain on for 30seconds after you arm your car and other nifty stuff.

Has anyone done this before on their 8?

eccles

That feature has always bugged me, I guess because I grew up in a country where carjackings were far less of an everyday occurence. On vehicles that have such a thing, do the doors automatically unlock in an accident?

DViOuS

How come the feature bugs you? The GTI was always nice enought to automatically unlock the door for you when you pulled on the handle inside to open it, so its not an annoying 2-step process.

And nope, they remain lock in an accident (past experience )

eccles

Because I'd rather have the doors unlocked so that I could get out (or a rescuer could get in) in the case of an accident, which was considerably more likely to occur where I grew up than an attempted carjacking.

In fact, I'd wager that accidents are more common than carjackings even in the USA, which leaves me to wonder why the "security" of locking the doors outweighs the need for unimpeded egress from a wrecked vehicle.

93rdcurrent

I agree that it is more likely that you will be in an accident than experience a carjacking. Plus here in WA. we can get our Concealed Pistol License and stop a carjacker anyway. No need to lock the door and risk nor being rescued quick enough from an accident. I would rather the rescuers not have to use the "Jaws of Life" to get me out of my car. Oh and I think I would like the pleasure of keeping a potential carjacker at bay myself.

DViOuS

for those without the concealed pistol license, i would still prefer auto lock...

But considering the cases that an accident would render your lock inoperable, wouldnt that impact also most likely have crumbled your door that you couldnt even open it without the jaws of life, regardless of whether it was locked or not?

Outlaws eXtreme

Or it could be like the Mercedes' doors where it's locked, but you can still unlock it, but outside people cannot open it. Also it will auto lock when driving 7-10mph.

JeRKy 8 Owner

Yes I would likethat feature as well. The lock-unlock button is in a very awkwardplace in the Rx8 so I frequently forget tolock the doors and I usuallydont notice Im driving w/unlocked doors until Im at a stoplight.

8_wannabe

So can anyone answer the original question: "Can the RX8 be programmed to automatically lock the doors after you move over a certain speed?" I've been wondering this myself.

Omicron

No, the RX-8 does not have a auto-lock-after-you-start-driving capability. I wish it did. It will, however, relock the doors after 30 seconds if you unlock them with the keyfob remote and then don't open one of the doors within that time.

Hope this helps.

zerobanger

you can do this if you want, its complicated and you need some relays.

www.the12volt.com has some detailed instructions. It involves adding 3 relays to each door, some diodes and some other stuff. I wish It had auto lock also.

The only other way to get around it is to use an aftermarket keyless entry. it would be simple to install and cheap, but then again its just a little too weird to do that.

rieskame

Ive disabled the autolocking feature on every car that I or my family have had. Even disabled it on all the rental cars too. None of them had the unlocked on the inside but locked on the outside feature. Very annoying.

5Gen_Prelude

Aftermarket alarms can do all of this for you as well - if you're worried about carjacking, you should be worried about your car being stolen.

sferrett

On the cars I've seen with the auto-lock feature, they've always been set up such that when you pull on the inside handle the unlock the door. Pull again and the door opens. This mitigates the 'doors locked in an accident' sceanario somewhat and may be a good thing that doors without this feature don't auto lock.

meeh

My old car (bmw) it does that unlock/lock auto feature. As incase for an accident, it will automatically turn on the hazzard and unlock the doors... if you have gps / car phone it will even send for help. not sure why not more cars do this.

Rx-Appreci-8

WOW! That is an amazingly useful website you posted zerobanger.

THANKS!!!

FirstSpin

I'm surprised nobody has pointed out the obvious (so far). It doesn't take mental wizardry to learn to lock the freaking doors. So, if it's not your habit, you could easily get in the habit within a week or less. If you have to, put a sticky-note on the door-controls. It ain't no big deal...

zerobanger

thats no problem. Another way, probably alot easier to do the auto lock is to get a 49.99 audiovox keyless entry unit. This unit will lock the doors when the ignition is turned and will unlock when you turn the ignition off. You dont even need to use the keychain, you can use your OEM keychain, since you will still leave the factory unit enabled.

It would just be a matter of hooking the lock/unlock wires of the unit to the actuators, hooking the ground and the power up.

msrecant

If the car came with an auto-locking system then those of you who don't like auto-locking systems could easily disable it (takes about a minute).

However, as the car doesn't have the system, those of us who would like an auto-locking system are stuck.

Hence the best solution for meeting EVERYONE's needs would have been for Mazda to have included an auto-locking system on th RX-8. That way you could pick what you like best, just like the 12/24 hour clock on the dash.

Of course, then we would have one less thing to talk about on this forum .

eccles

Pray tell how.

92MX5

In our Dodge Caravan (just as an example), a combination of ignition key turning and brake pedal pushing defeats the auto-lock for good.

Cheers!

Jeff

msrecant

My wife's Saturn wagon has a similar "magic" sequence like the one Jeff mentioned. My sense is that most auto-locking systems can be disabled to accomodate the large number of people who don't want to drive with their doors locked.

BasenjiGuy

Unless I'm greatly mistaken, the door lock fully secures the door against opening if the car encounters an impact (crashes). Either the the latching mechanism is disabled with door shut or something else occurs, but it's always been my understanding that if the doors aren't locked they can open in a crash. I remember long ago reading something, maybe in Ralph Nader's Unsafe at Any Speed, recounting a incident where a woman who was buckled up in her car but didn't lock her door was involved in an accident. Though she was restrained by her belt, her door opened in the impact and her leg dangled out of the door as the car bounced around. Something bad happened. If her door had been locked it wouldn't have opened and her leg would have been saved. So, regardless of the RX8's features, lock your doors! A rescue worker or bystander will probably have something to break open your window if it's necessary to rescue you.

Berni

Yes they auto unlock. factory systems anyway.

Monique

I also like the auto locks. But only the ones that lock once you reach a certain speed. I've also had the system that locks when you turn the ignition and have locked my keys in the car that way! Crank it, realize you forgot something or in my case, were just turning key enough to hear the stereo while you wash the car, without thinking or realizing fast enough you close the door and bam, locked out! Not cool!