Spare fob hidden inside the Prius

You could take the battery out of the spare fob. That way it wouldn't be recognized by the SKS system. The mechanical key would still work, and you could start the car by holding the fob next to the Power button.

 

Wrapping with foil works fine. So does a metal can, assuming the lid seals well enough and makes a good electrical connection.

Alternately you can remove the battery.

Tom

 

Or use an anti-static bag - the sort of thing that computer parts come packed in - this is what the EZ Pass folks give out with their toll transponders.

 

You are not going wrong Mike. Your idea works fine I have been doing it that way for two years.

 

So, where's a good spot to hide the spare manual key outside the car?

 

If we tell you then everyone will know!

Seriously, I put mine in a small plastic bag to keep it clean and used a tie wrap to secure it to a "secret place" under the car. I don't remember exactly where it is but I think I can find it if I ever have to.

 

Here's what I use. RF Blocker Jammer Pouch Bag For cellular Phone & data | eBay

It works fine. I could tell you where I hide it, but then I'd have to kill you.

 

The secret SKS society.... shhhhhhhhhhh

 

You're talking about securing the little metal keylet to the outside---right?
There are a few places in the rear behind the bumper that you can tie-wrap the keylet to...same with the front.
You might get a little dirty (or wet) retrieving your key if you really need it. GOD has a funny sense of humor about that, but it will be a lot better than waiting for "Clarence the Tow Truck dude."
Once I tie-wrapped the keylet to the exterior, I simply removed the battery from the SKS and placed it in a secure undisclosed location inside the car. As Tom pointed out, you can use the fob sans battery to start the car in a pinch, and that's all you really need for this application.
KISS.

Caveat: Like Toyota, my beloved company does not follow the KISS principle. Following some unfortunate incidents (with other SKS victims...not me), they placed a "key Vault" on my car into which they placed my other SKS and keylet....*sigh*...

Edit: Another interesting aspect about this whole goat-grab is that, to the uninitiated, my key vault looks suspiciously like a plug port. About once a week, I have to tell some kid or eco-geek that....no, this isn't one of the new "Plug-in" cars that they're hearing about.

 

Where did they place the key vault? Is it outside of the SKS range or does the vault effectively shield the transmitter?

I have also seen people secure a doorknob type key vault like the kind Realtors use to the underside of a car before on one of the rear tow/tie down eyes.

I like the idea of just securing the key portion of the SKS fob. If you remove the battery will the SKS fob lose it's memory and or pairing to the car?

The only SKS problem I have is when my wife leaves her fob in the car and I try and lock the doors with mine…


Posted from my iPhone via the Tapatalk app.

 

They put it above and slightly aft of the fuel door. I have a pix somewhere, but can't locate it right now. It shields the fob.

IIRC it won't---but you'll have to ask one of the SKS gurus. I am quite sure that you can remove the battery from the SKS and still use it to start the car if something happens to your primary unit---and this is sufficient for my needs.
Quite frankly.....if 2 equally priced G3s were sitting on the lot and one of them had a regular old transponder-in-a-key start with an RF fob----I'd be all over that like a bum on a bologna sandwich!!!

However (comma!) my beloved company didn't ask me what kind of car I wanted to drive, and it's been entertaining and enlightening getting to know the G3 for the last 7-months/10,000 miles....SKS, goofy beeps, bifurcated rear view, and all!

 

That's correct; if you remove the battery from the fob, you can still start the Gen 3 Prius by holding the fob near the start button. The SKS will not detect the battery-less fob, so you can hide a spare in the car. I figure that any tow-truck driver can get me into my Prius if I lose or damage the primary fob, but no one can start the car without a fob that is matched to that car. Whether you remove the battery, wrap it in foil, or keep it in an EMF-shielded bag, having a well-hidden fob may save your bacon some day. Alternatively, keeping a poorly hidden fob in your ride can facilitate grand theft auto and a call to your insurance company.

 

Note also that you can get a copy of the mini-key on a normal sized key. It may take a bit to convince a locksmith (they like exact copies), but all you need to get in the door is a mechanical blade that matches the mini-key.

 

I'm a little confused. If you lose your main key, how will you open the car door to get to the spare fob if it is in the car?

 

There is actually a mini key that pulls out of the fob, on the side is a button that says "push" then just pull the little nub out. The point is one "hides" the mini key on the car's exterior, some way, then should you loose the main fob you can unlock the door and get in. Now mind you I "think" the case just pops apart to remove the battery but I have not done that myself.

 

By carrying a spare metal key to open the door.

Tom

 

That depends on whether the potential thief is "Prius savvy" enough to know that they have to touch a battery-less SKS to the Start button to start the car...and this is after they’ve gained access to the (supposedly) locked car's interior...which is pretty easy, but fairly noisy and conspicuous. Take the battery out of the SKS, and you can probably leave it on the front seat. However (comma!) just to be safer, I would (and did) hide it somewhere inside the car.

Priuses aren't even close to being a hot target for car thieves, and if they did want your car that badly, a drunk redneck with a tow truck can make it disappear in about 30 seconds.

 

Why do you want to hide a key inside your car? I don't get it.