Sometimes my car door doesn't unlock when I touch it.

Just tried that on my '04 and it worked for me!

 

I have this problem too. Intermittently, occasionally, the keyless entry (opens with hand near door handle) doesn't work and i need to use the fob--not often but when it does happen, it seems to happen in bunches, sometimes, not always, but sometimes it will happen several times within a day or two. Sometimes only once, and then no more for a while. i would say usually at most once a month, probably less than that.

I got the car this year in January. I didn't experience the problem at all for a long time--the first time it happened was after i had had it many months, . I don't remember how long now, but i will estimate that the first time was in July because i took it in to have it checked the second time it happened, and that was on August 10th. Service record shows i bought a battery for the fob on that date. No other check was done, i didn't leave the car, i was just advised to try replacing the battery.

After that, i didn't have the problem for what seemed like a long time but then it occurred again. I wasn't really keeping track of how long it was when the problem didn't happen, but in retrospect, it seems that changing the battery probably didn't make a difference in the frequency of the occurrence. I also tried switching to my other fob but things seem the same.

From the first time it happened, i will pass along to you that to me, it seemed that it might be occurring when there was more moisture in the air, like when it was about to rain or when it was overcast or when i was in a part of town that is near the ocean, especially in the evening. So far, it seems like there could be a correlation but it did start happening some time before August when the climate is less moist. Still, i did notice the first couple of times that the weather was more humid when it happened, and it has seemed that way subsequently.

my fob is on a key ring with several keys. I keep it in my front jeans pocket all the time. I don't think the problem is caused by where i have the fob or what other keys i have because most of the time i don't have the problem at all.

 

Just to re-enforce Tom's excellent suggestion (in fact I think it was Tom who told me this 2 years ago!) my 07 is highly affected by my cell phone. I know the OP said he did not have the phone on him so this is for other's who might have unreliable results with the door handle. I got into the habit of turning my body away from the car to shield the car from my cell phone and it helps alot.

But be aware OP that the car might be getting RF swamped from sources like microwave auto door openers at stores and especially at Malls that use powerful RFID for anti theft.
My TV Station did an "expose" on a local mall that if you parked your car near it with an alarm you could not set the alarm or if you did you could not unlock it when you came out. Lots of pop-a-lock calls and tows form many unhappy shoppers. We checked the area with a spectrum analyser and found they were pumping a huge amount of rf power out the entrances for RFID anti theft protection swamping the alarm frequency.

 

My 07 opens up fine by just my hand after a manual FOB lock.

 

I've never experienced any problem locking and unlocking my doors. My doors are also programmed to unlock all doors and my FOB never leaves my pocket. (knocking on wood)

 

Signal to noise ratio matters. When the keys lie just right they block the signal, and otherwise not. Test it: carry the fob in some front pocket without keys or coins for a couple weeks. See whether there's any difference in behavior.

 

I'm borrowing a 2009 prius, I'm in Italy and the manual is in Italian so I can't read it. My question is this. If I do use the black rubber button to lock the car, does it stay locked if someone else walks by and tries to open the handle? Because if I try and open the handle to test the lock it opens! I don't want it to if I'm leaving the car. I don't get it. How do these locks work so that not just anyone can walk by and open the car by putting their hand between the car and the handle????

 

If the smart keys paired to that car are not near the car, then touching the back of the door handles and pressing the black buttons will have no effect.

If you can get someone else to help you, you test it out. With the key on you, lock the car and then step away from the it (say at least 8 feet) and have some tug on the handle. It won't work for them. You can also try the same experiment w/the black buttons.

 

the locks can only be operated by a person who is holding the key for that car. It can be in a pocket or a purse or backpack. But without the key it can't be opened, just like any car. It has the "keyless" convenience that it's not necessary to get the key out and insert it anywhere. It just has to be near the lock.

 

I have this issue and it is getting worse. I can stand next to the car with only the key on me (no cell phone, no other keys, etc) 2 miles away from any strong RF source and the car won't unlock. I have to wait a few seconds for the car to pick up on the presence of the key unit. I'm thinking my 12v battery needs replacement.

 

Or the battery in the key Fob.

 

I should have mentioned that these have been replaced. Twice. With no effect.

 

Betcha it's the iPod. Any adjacent electronics or mass of metal can interfere with the fob. Put them in separate pockets.

 

I think all this talk of interferences is BS. I have this problem and my unlock works fine on the passenger door and trunk but not on the driver side.

 

RF interference is a real issue, although it's not the only way the SKS can fail. In your case it could be the coil on the driver's door side, which is my first guess. It also could be something as simple as how you stand when opening just that door.

Tom

 

I've noticed this when opening the rear hatch. Sometimes it refuses to open and in these cases, I noticed that my body was blocking the signal from the Fob (I have it clipped to a belt loop on my left side). If I change my position, then it works fine.

 

This reminds me of a fun experience I and my then lab mate had in a student lab class many years ago. I was a skinny person and he was very well built. We had a strong radioactive source in the lab. I think it was a neutron source but not 100% sure. Each of us would put his body in between the source and a Geiger counter and we listened to the clicks. The counter would be busily clicking away when my body was (trying to) blocking the source. And the clicks became very slow drips when his body was (really) blocking the source. We always have a lot of fun retelling the story.

 

I'm afraid I dont buy it. Unless you can show me proof the SKS can be interfered with by other signals...?

Trust me its not the way I'm standing...Thats the first thing anyone with half a brain would check.

 

Are you trying to imply that I may be too fat? :madgrin: