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Pitstop mode: Lock doors w/ keyfob, while engine running (system on). Possible without remote start?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Myself248, Nov 20, 2014.

  1. Myself248

    Myself248 Junior Member

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    I like to stop for a morning coffee en route to work, about 2 minutes out of my driveway. I'd like to keep the engine running during that time to continue warming the cabin, so I have some chance of taking my gloves off at a traffic light rather than once I'm on the highway. It's about 90 seconds that makes all the difference.

    However, only a fool would leave it running and unlocked, while running inside the store. The keyfob can't lock the doors like this (it's ignored while the hybrid system is on), so I use the hard-key once I'm outside. However, that's slow and fiddly, especially with gloves, especially unlocking it again when I come out with my purchase in my hands.

    Is there a way to make the car respond to the keyfob when the system is on, but transmission in park? I understand ignoring the keyfob while in gear, but while parked it seems sensible.

    On the one hand, it looks like this is all logic within the various ECUs, and might require some rather deep meddling to make it happen. On the other hand, remote-start widgets do it, how do they do it? I don't need remote-start, so if there's a way to implement a subset of their functionality and just gain pit-stop, I'm interested in doing so.

    (If deep meddling is required, I know the guy who made a CAN-in-the-middle gizmo, and I'm comfortable with all manner of wiring and hackery. I'd just rather avoid it if there's an easier way.)
     
  2. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    Very good question! I have been wondering as well and look forward to an answer....

    I never thought of using the actual key tucked into the fob, so thanks for that idea which I will start doing unless a better way pops up.
     
  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    It won't do it without a lot of modification. I've tried several methods (without modification), such as holding the door handle out while closing the locked door. As I recall nothing worked.
     
  4. Mr. Bubbles

    Mr. Bubbles New Member

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    Hope you find a way. Worked like you want on my previous car. Leave it running, get out with fob and lock it. Been wondering the same thing. Best of luck...


    iPhone ?
     
  5. yeldogt

    yeldogt Active Member

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    last weekend we had to go to a wedding .. and somehow we had both keys with us. Not wanting to take both keys with us ....we discovered that if you leave one key in the driver door .. the other controller will lock the door .. and you can not open the door without the same controller.

    I thought it would detect the key inside and open the door when you pull on the outside handle. Nope.

    I was wondering if it may do it with the car on ..forgot to try it. I have times when the dog is with me and it would be great to leave her in the car with the AC on .. and the doors locked.
     
  6. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    Certainly you ca do that, locking and unlocking the driver's door with the tiny and skinny FOB's mechanical key.
    You can leave the vehicle running, climate control ON if necessary and make sure you take the fob with you.
     
    #6 mrbigh, Nov 21, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2014
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Yup, the system knows when the FOB is inside as opposed to outside the car. Inside lets you lock the doors. Outside not so much. ;)
     
  8. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    You may have to turn off the auto unlock or leave in neutral?
     
  9. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Nope, the system is designed to prevent you from locking the FOB in the car -from the outside-.
    Now, one thing I haven't tried is take the key out of the FOB, roll the drivers window all the way down, leave the FOB in the car (hiden?), shut the door and reach inside, lock the doors and use "auto rollup" to close the drivers window (removing arm before it is trapped). You will still have the key to get back in. I would leave the passenger window rolled down while testing this "just in case" the key won't work. ;)
     
  10. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    Maybe reach over and lock the car from the backseat area with driver's door closed, passenger door open, then exit closing the rear door??
     
  11. attyjeff

    attyjeff Member

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    I do this all the time, just pop the key out of the FOB and lock it from the drivers side, then just unlock it, 5 seconds. dont over think it.
     
  12. yothere

    yothere Junior Member

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    Power down the window, exit the car, close the door. Reach in and press the button to lock all the doors, then auto-up the window.
     
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  13. CardiffChris

    CardiffChris Member

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    My Pitstop Mode:
    60 to 120 seconds out of the car
    Within Sight
    Leave car on with A/C Blasting
    Take Fob with me leaving driver door unlocked.
    Car Beeps a few times as I walk away.
    When I return the car and the A/C are still on, interior still cool as a cucumber.

    I don't think a Car-Thief could drive away with the unlocked car because I have the Fob.
    I don't think it would go into gear without the Fob being in the car.....I have not tested the theory though.

    I could lock the driver door with the Steel Key if I were going out of view.

    With my 2009 Corolla I just used 2 Keys, left one in the ignition, and the other to manually lock the door.
     
  14. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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    You're in for a big surprise one day!
     
  15. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    Does anyone know if our gen 3 will just kill the power off if someone were to steal our car on a pit stop with the fob NOT in the car?

    Good question. I prob should test this theory. But have been just doing the roll the window, exit, hit lock, roll window trick, then re enter with key.

    And if not the case then what happens when the thief gets away??? Can the thief shut the car down? Or is the fob less car forever in ready mode....?????
     
  16. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    you can use the car until you shut the engine off / (you don't need a key for that) THEN you're stuck//