My car is starting on its own, what can the problem be?

A couple of days ago my wife was sat in the porch watching the cars go by down our road, I was in the conservatory reading a book, my car was parked outside and the keys hung up in the hallway. I heard a scream and my wife shouting. I could hear the horn blowing and see lights flashing but the engine was not, I got my keys and went to the car, the flashing had stopped. I opened the door with the fob and tried everything and all was OK.

It was parked and in Park, the only time that anything like this had happened was two years ago when the car was parked outside my house. It was a very hot day and the horn started blowing and lights flashing, when I opened the door on the fob it all stopped.

How can this happen? My wife is frightened to be left sitting in the car, she thought it was going to crash into the porch she was sitting in.

Asked on 26 February 2024 by derek ashurst

Answered by David Ross
If the vehicle is flashing its lights and sounding its horn, but the engine has not started, it may be that the vehicle alarm has been triggered. This could happen for a variety of reasons or a sensor failure, and would also explain why when you have pressed the key fob both the horn and lights have stopped.

However, if the engine has also started in these instances it would suggest there is a more serious fault, and we would suggest taking your car to the dealer for further examination.
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