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Turn off Smart Key System

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by jerryd, Nov 15, 2012.

  1. jerryd

    jerryd Junior Member

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    Prius forum,
    I'm about to park my Prius C Two for 6 months and have
    been advised to turn off the smart key system. I've
    looked in the manual but didn't see anything about
    how to turn it off???

    jerryd
     
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  2. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    Hi jerryd,

    Page 57 of the manual says to check with your Toyota dealer for details. I believe they use Techstream to turn it off.

    The GenIII Repair Manual has instructions to disable SKS without Techstream, I've just tried it and it also works on our C.

    6 months is a long time. Even if you disabled SKS, your Aux. Battery may still need to jump when you return. Your HV Battery may also discharge to below the minimum SOC to start the engine and need to be towed. If possible, I would suggest you arrange someone to put your car in READY for 30 mins once in every month. The car do not need to be driven, just put in READY and the engine can be started automatically to charge the HV Battery if required.

    Vincent
     
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  3. jerryd

    jerryd Junior Member

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    Vincent,
    Thanks for the reply. I think I will be able to follow
    the directions.

    My daughter lives near where the Prius will be stored and
    will start it up once a month and let it run long enough to
    charge the batteries. With the smart key disabled will she
    be able to just step on the brake and press the power button
    so start it?

    Jerryd
     
  4. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    Nope. This procedures also disable the Hybrid Vehicle Control System Start. She needs to perform the same procedures to enable SKS first.

    If she finds that troublesome, you can choose not to disable SKS since she 'll be starting it every month. SKS will automatically deactivate itself after 14 days of non use. It will reinstate itself under the following conditions:
    • A wireless door lock control signal (lock, unlock) is input and the ID code matches.
    • A user carries the key and touches a lock sensor on a door outside handle assembly.
    • The driver door is locked or unlocked by the mechanical key.
    Vincent
     
  5. jerryd

    jerryd Junior Member

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    Vincent,
    Thanks for all the info.

    Jerryd
     
  6. shuiwm

    shuiwm Junior Member

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    can you just disconnect the battery?
     
  7. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    Hi shuiwm,

    For non-hybrid, that is the correct method for extended period of storage. But for hybrid, we 've to consider about the HV battery may be discharged, not just the Aux. battery. Even though the HV battery is disconnected when the car is powered off, it can still lose charge thru' self-discharge.

    If the duration is less than a month, it is alright to just disconnect the Aux. battery. For longer period, the HV battery may risk being discharged. How long before it is discharged depends on many factors; such as the initial SOC at the start of storage (high SOC can store longer), ambient temperature (cooler temp. has slower discharge rate), age of battery (older battery lose charge faster), battery capacity (our C has only 936 Wh as compared to 1310 Wh on the Liftback), etc.

    Vincent
     
  8. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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    If the duration of storage is less than a month, surely disconnecting the 12V battery shouldn't be necessary? Unless it's nearing end of life shouldn't it be able to handle that? Especially if the SKS is disabled as per your earlier instructions.
     
  9. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    Yeah, it is not necessary but I was responding to the question. It is just another option, not necessary but alright to do except some settings will be lost.

    Vincent
     
  10. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

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    Thanks for that info!
    I just used it to successfully turn off the SKS on our 2012. I found that it was critical to do the whole sequence rather rapidly as the 5 seconds allowed for some steps is a small indow if I was reading my handwritten transcription and then doing the actions.
    (Had to resist the impulse to face East and Salaam three times.)

    I assume the SKS is one big drain on the 12 volt battery over time, but does anyone know what other systems would be big drains on that battery and if any of them can be turned off?
     
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  11. grand total

    grand total Member

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    I'd like to add to what Vincent said. I speak from experience, I left my Prius Gen 2 for 5 months (was expecting 2 weeks) and the Aux battery was dead on return (even with SKS disabled). As far as I could tell the traction battery charge was as it had been when I left it. I think it would also have been beneficial if someone could have driven the car every month or so and used the friction brakes to prevent rust build up on the disks.
     
  12. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    can you not go into car settings on your touchscreen? or somewhere
    in the yaris HSD you can disable keyless entry and start inside the car settings menu.
     
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  13. vincent1449p

    vincent1449p Active Member

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    The c1 & c2 do not have Display Audio (touchscreen), only c3 & c4 have it.

    If the c3 & c4 Display Audio is the same as Gen3, then it is possible. Go to Setup -> Vehicle -> Key System with Elec. Key, turn Off / On.

    Vincent
     
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  14. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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    Doesn't apply to the c as covered under Section 6-2 of the manual.

    From one of the 2013 US manuals:

    sks1.jpg

    sks2.jpg

    Without doing anything, SKS goes into some kind of power saving mode after 5 days that supposedly means it takes longer to respond (although I didn't observe this when I came back to the car after >5 days) and after 14 days it can only be used with the driver's door (ie. not at the passenger door or at the rear hatch).

    The remote control button will still work in this situation (unless you've asked a dealer to turn that off).
     
  15. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

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    Thank you for info!
    All hail Vincent!
    I used the keypress/door open-close routine to deactivate the SKS system on my 2012 hatchback (version 3) while we were on a cruise, but could not get it to reactivate when we returned.
    The emergency routine of holding the Toyota symbol on the key fob directly to the Power button, and then pressing the brake to get the Power switched to on (as stated in manual on p 541-543), did work to get us going.

    But I wanted to turn the SKS back on and we do have the Level 3 version of the hatchback, so the link you gave above showed me exactly what the screen would look like at each step of the sequence "Setup-->Vehicle-->Key System with Elec Key-->turn Off/On". However, on my 2012 Hatchback, the Power button must be ON for the "Vehicle" button to be displayed under the Setup menu. Once I had Power "ON' and obtained the Vehicle button on the screen and pushed it, the "Key System with Elec Key" was displayed as one of the options and I toggled the setting from Off to On. Now everything works perfectly!
    Thanks again and hope this also helps some Gen III hatchback owners.
     
  16. Matt H

    Matt H Active Member

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    If you can avoid it, you really don't want to disconnect the 12v battery in any modern car, not just a hybrid. There's a whole host of things that may need to be initialized, and can only be done with a scan tool. A dead battery in some high-end Euros can set you back many hundreds of $$.
     
  17. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

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    Since all current lead acid batteries have a life of 3-6 years, battery replacement is certain in the car's normal lifespan. Not designing the electrical system for a known failure mode would be unconscionable IMO. Which models have that fatal flaw?