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Beep-Beep-Beep

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by JohnH0615, Jan 8, 2014.

  1. JohnH0615

    JohnH0615 Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
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    Two
    I'm having a very strange problem with my 2011 Prius.

    About two and a half hours ago, I drove home and parked my Prius for the night. About an hour after I parked, my Prius started beeping, three short beeps, every couple of munutes. It's now been doing this for over 90 minutes. Because I can hear it from the house, it is very, very, very annoying.

    I have checked all of the doors, and also took the car out for a quick spin around the block, in hopes of getting the beeping to stop. No luck. It keeps beep-beep-beeping every few minutes.

    It has been unusually cold here the past couple of days, in case that has anything to do with it. That being said, it was a good 10-15 degrees colder yesterday, yet the car wasn't having this problem. It only started this evening.

    My question is, what in the world could be causing this beeping? Is there any way to stop it?

    Thanks.
     
    #1 JohnH0615, Jan 8, 2014
  2. peterjmc

    peterjmc Ping pong in Ding Dang...

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    Is it the horn beeping or the car lock/unlock tone?
     
    #2 peterjmc, Jan 8, 2014
  3. JohnH0615

    JohnH0615 Junior Member

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    The lock/unlock tone.
     
    #3 JohnH0615, Jan 8, 2014
  4. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Is it possible you have left a fob in the passenger compartment? Does the car let you lock the doors with your key fob?

    If you have dropped a fob between the seats, the car will beep at you and won't let you lock the doors.

    SCH-I535
     
    #4 xliderider, Jan 8, 2014
  5. peterjmc

    peterjmc Ping pong in Ding Dang...

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    #5 peterjmc, Jan 8, 2014
  6. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    The simplest answer is that somehow your vehicle was left on. Because that is the behavior it will exhibit if it is left on and you walk away.

    But I'm assuming you know how to turn off your vehicle, and also know when it is turned off.

    I would probably make sure it's off....then lock it, and put the fob far away from the vehicle.

    If the beeping returns....you have a mysterious problem.
     
    #6 The Electric Me, Jan 8, 2014
  7. JohnH0615

    JohnH0615 Junior Member

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    Thanks for the replies, everybody.

    I did have both of my fobs with me/not in the car, just to be sure.

    I think it may be because of low batteries in both key fobs. About a week ago, I got a message that the battery was low in the key fob that I normally use. So I did what any other person in my position and with my level of laziness would do: I put away that fob and started using the other fob instead. (Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until next week.) That fob is now not working (I had to use the manual key to get into/start the car this morning).

    So I am going to replace the batteries in both fobs (which needs to be done regardless) and see if the original issue (with the beeping) goes away. I'm still not sure why a low battery in the key fob would = the car beeping, but it's the best idea I have right now.

    Thanks again for all of the quick/helpful replies -- I appreciate it.
     
    #7 JohnH0615, Jan 8, 2014
  8. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    Could the beeping be caused by the cold weather freezing something inside the door lock? If so, the problem may disappear when the temperature warms. You could also carefully apply heat to the door handle area with a light bulb, hair dryer or heat gun.
     
    #8 Den49, Jan 8, 2014
  9. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Hmm...
    Well full disclosure helps.
    I hope somehow you are right and it is simply related to low batteries in one or both of your fobs.
    But it doesn't make sense in relationship to the original symptoms you are describing. If the vehicle is off, locked and your fob is kept a distance away from the vehicle. (When I'm at home I keep the fob a good distance from the vehicle) then low batteries or not, I don't think it should cause your vehicle to beep over and over.

    Infact, I think if the Prius is off, and locked, you could take your fobs- destroy them, and the vehicle would just remain off and silent.
     
    #9 The Electric Me, Jan 8, 2014
  10. J5A

    J5A Active Member

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    Thanks for the link, Electric Me.
    John, same thing has been happening to our 2010 Prius.
    New batteries arriving soon - will keep you updated; you do the same! =)
     
    #10 J5A, Jan 16, 2014
  11. JohnH0615

    JohnH0615 Junior Member

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    Update: Looks like it was a one-time-only occurrence. I replaced the battery in both of the key fobs, and winter has returned to being merely cold, instead of the bitter cold that it was last week. I'm still inclined to think it had to do with the extreme cold, and that the key fob battery replacement was a mere coincidence ... but the main thing is that it hasn't come back. Strange.

    Thanks to everybody for the replies...
     
    #11 JohnH0615, Jan 16, 2014
  12. PardonMyPrius

    PardonMyPrius New Member

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    #12 PardonMyPrius, Jul 1, 2021
  13. PardonMyPrius

    PardonMyPrius New Member

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    Same beep-beep-beep every 3 seconds. Started after I had batteries replaced on both key fobs. Batteries Plus had not idea why. It was time for 12v battery replacement anyway, so we did that. My mechanic installed Toyota battery. Still beeps. It's is abnormal and has to stop. Changing 12v battery did not solve the problem. Is this a matter of reprogramming maybe?
     
    #13 PardonMyPrius, Jul 1, 2021
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