Keyless automatic car

Aug 2, 2020
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HI, I'm new to the forum and looking for advice. We have a static at present but used to have a tourer many years ago. We are toying with the idea of buying another touring caravan again as we loved it so much. We have a Ford Kuga automatic which has a keyless start and somebody mentioned this may not be suitable for towing due to the keyless start. I've googled lots and can find nothing negative about keyless start cars in respect of towing capabilities. Has anybody found this a problem or any advice on the subject. Many thanks in advance for any help.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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There's no reason why keyless or stop/start is unsuitable for towing - many cars disable the stop/start when towing.
 
Oct 12, 2016
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Can’t see the keyless start being an issue. My Ssangyong has it. I’d recommend a ford wiring harness for the towbar. If the Kuga has stop start and is an auto it might be worth turning the stop/start off when the van is on the back if it doesn’t do it automatically. Our Tiguan used to get all jerky and flustered with the stop start in traffic, I’d imagine it would have been a lot worse with a wobbly box on the back.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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My last car a Superb had stop start which was automatically shut off when the caravan was connected. Current car has keyless access and start and that doesn’t have any effect on its ability to tow. It doesn’t have stop start as frugality isn’t its forte. But if it did I would switch it off anyway.
 
Aug 2, 2020
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Thank you all for your replies. Its good to hear the keyless shouldn't be a problem and our Ford Kuga is capable of towing. Maybe the person who told me had the stop start as well as the keyless. I will check with them later. I know their car is a Mercedes 2016 but not sure of the model. If it's possible to disable the stop start then hopefully it shouldn't be a problem for them either. Thanks again for your help.
 
Mar 17, 2020
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Santa Fe handbook says turn stop/start off when towing. Presume to allow cooling to function when engine likely to have been working hard.
 
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Nov 6, 2005
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Thank you all for your replies. Its good to hear the keyless shouldn't be a problem and our Ford Kuga is capable of towing. Maybe the person who told me had the stop start as well as the keyless. I will check with them later. I know their car is a Mercedes 2016 but not sure of the model. If it's possible to disable the stop start then hopefully it shouldn't be a problem for them either. Thanks again for your help.
The combination of keyless and stop/start shouldn't be an issue either.
 
Jan 31, 2018
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Stop start isn't an issue either-some people do seem to like scaremongering; most stop start systems can be turned off with a switch, ie on our Nav-it's on the dash, or simply in a manual keep the clutch in-but of course this is an auto. Even if the engine is in stop start mode most stop start cars won't stop if the conditions aren't safe for the engine-ie too hot a turbo, too cold an engine, too low a battery-can't speak for Ford but certainly the case in our Minis. Kuga is a good tow car-ignore the doomsayers and don't listen to rumour-if you have any doubt get on a forum like this or one specific for your car-lots of great help out there.
 
Jun 16, 2020
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Absolutely no reason why a keyless start should make any difference to towing.

re. Stop/start.

Not really sure what the technical reasons are, but, although I can turn the stop/start off manually. Plugging in the caravan automatically cancels it anyway.

John
 
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Mar 27, 2011
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I’ve Recently used my Kuga to tow caravan 145 miles each way, mine is keyless and no issue at all, I turned the stop start off when setting off just to be safe as it was first time using it to tow though I couldn’t see why there should be an issue, as for towing ability, apart from fetching the van from storage this was my first towing and it towed like a dream, I had to remind myself it was hooked up, mine is the 2 litre 4 wheel drive 180 BHP Manual, I’m told the other version is not much less capable, if there is one thing I don’t like which is not specific to the Kuga and that is with newer cars when car is programmed you don’t get a buzzer to let you know caravan indicators are working but once I’d towed a few miles I even forgot about the lack of the buzzer.

BP
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I’ve Recently used my Kuga to tow caravan 145 miles each way, mine is keyless and no issue at all, I turned the stop start off when setting off just to be safe as it was first time using it to tow though I couldn’t see why there should be an issue, as for towing ability, apart from fetching the van from storage this was my first towing and it towed like a dream, I had to remind myself it was hooked up, mine is the 2 litre 4 wheel drive 180 BHP Manual, I’m told the other version is not much less capable, if there is one thing I don’t like which is not specific to the Kuga and that is with newer cars when car is programmed you don’t get a buzzer to let you know caravan indicators are working but once I’d towed a few miles I even forgot about the lack of the buzzer.

BP
Would your car turn off stop start when the van is connected up. My last Subaru did but it was a non turbo petrol.
 
Oct 8, 2006
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I have had three Passat estates and always though the detection of the presence of the caravan overrode the stop/start, but as I have recently found out - only twice - it is not the case with our latest. I would suggest asking the manufacturer HQ customer support team for a definitive answer.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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My car got the stop and start which automatically shut off when caravan was connected a friend mine got a kuga automatic and that keyless he has no problems towing with it
 
Nov 6, 2005
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I have had three Passat estates and always though the detection of the presence of the caravan overrode the stop/start, but as I have recently found out - only twice - it is not the case with our latest. I would suggest asking the manufacturer HQ customer support team for a definitive answer.
That information is often included in the Owner's Manual with the car - it was with my VW.
 
Mar 27, 2011
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I don’t know if the start stop was disabled by the towbar electrics programming because I’d turned it off already, I’ll find out next time we go out.

BP
 
Mar 27, 2011
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I have never on here, or elsewhere heard that a car being keyless would or could have an issue when towing I turned it off purely because I had never towed with the Kuga until this trip so I wanted as few distractions as possible, leaving her indoors at home wasn’t an option unfortunately

BP
 
Apr 6, 2017
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I have a keyless entry car and as other said the Start/stop function is automatically cancelled when the caravan is plugged into the car.
As for any disadvantages or advantages of having a keyless car they remain the same as driving the car solo.

When I bought the VW the dealer added the keyless function in FOC. I really cannot find any advantage of having keyless entry.

Remember to read the handbook of how to get into the car and start it if the key fob remote battery fails!

When on site or at home make sure your key fob is far enough away from the car so that it cannot be started by a passing thief.
 

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