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Smart key unlocks all doors except drivers side!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by lexsportiva, Sep 1, 2013.

  1. lexsportiva

    lexsportiva New Member

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    Hey all,

    First time post. I did a search, but didn't find an answer to my situation.

    So my smartkey has been problematic for awhile. Right now, the unlock button when pressed unlocks all doors except the driver's side, which remains locked. The car beeps twice when I press the unlock button. Again, all other doors are then unlocked, but I have to manually unlock the driver's side by pulling out the key and inserting it into the door lock.

    Has anyone seen this problem before? What am I doing wrong? Or is it time for a new smart key?

    Thanks for any advice you can provide!
     
    #1 lexsportiva, Sep 1, 2013
  2. koolingit

    koolingit Member

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    When you say 'driver's side,' do you mean the front and back door on the driver's side or just the driver's door? If two doors are not working, there might be a fuse or wiring issue.

    If it's just the driver's door, try working the lock/unlock button on the driver's door arm rest. If the door doesn't lock and unlock with every press of the button, then you probably have a failing door lock actuator. Here's a great how to on fixing it: Fixed: Door Lock Actuator in Gen II Prius | PriusChat

    Good luck.
     
    #2 koolingit, Sep 2, 2013
    bobodaclown likes this.
  3. bobodaclown

    bobodaclown Member

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    x2 on the failing door actuator.
     
    #3 bobodaclown, Sep 3, 2013
  4. lexsportiva

    lexsportiva New Member

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    Thanks! I meant just the driver's door, not both front and back on the driver's side. So, I tested it, and strangely enough, when I use the inside lock button on the driver's door, it always locks and unlocks as it should. It's only when I use the unlock button on the smart key that the driver's door won't unlock. However, it's sporadic now. Sometimes, it works perfectly now. Occasionally, it will unlock the other three doors but not the driver's door when I use the smart key button. The car beeps and the yellow lights flash four times when this happens.

    Strange one, huh? I may have to just bring it in to the dealer, I guess. Thanks again for the responses, though!
     
    #4 lexsportiva, Sep 6, 2013
  5. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Did you look at the link provided in the second post in this thread on the door lock actuator?

    SCH-I535
     
    #5 xliderider, Sep 6, 2013
  6. koolingit

    koolingit Member

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    Before you bring your car into the dealer, read Fixed: Door Lock Actuator in Gen II Prius | PriusChat from beginning to end. The culprit is a tiny electric motor that can be purchased on ebay for a few dollars. They don't fail outright; they start to get weak and work some of the time (like when the sun is shining on that side of the car) and not others (like when it's cold or something needs grease).

    The dealer will replace the whole lock assembly and charge hundreds for the part and labor. If you have the patience to do it yourself, it will cost four or five dollars -- a beautiful thing.
     
    #6 koolingit, Sep 6, 2013
  7. frobie

    frobie Junior Member

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    Did you figure it out? Mine is doing the same thing. Started two days ago and has happened twice so far. The car beeps a bunch of times like it's unlocking over and over again but never unlocks the drivers door.
     
    #7 frobie, Jan 22, 2015
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe a bad motor, does the door switch on the armrest work?
     
    #8 bisco, Jan 22, 2015
  9. frobie

    frobie Junior Member

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    Yup, once I'm in the car everything works. Makes me feel something is wrong with the remote maybe? Last night I couldn't use it to lock the car.
     
    #9 frobie, Jan 22, 2015
  10. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

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    If it works from in the car, but only when it’s in ready mode, it’s probably bad door lock actuator combined with less than 100% 12V battery.

    Does it work from inside of car in acc (power button once without brake)?
    Or in ign-on (power button twise without brake)?
    Or only on ready (power+brake)?
     
    #10 valde3, Jan 22, 2015
  11. frobie

    frobie Junior Member

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    I just changed the battery in the keyfob hoping that does something. But when in the car with it on or off the door worked fine. When I would grab the handle from the outside expecting the door to unlock the car lights would flash and every other door in the car would unlock several times as well as the unlock beep would go off several times. It's very strange. I decided to change the battery as sometimes when I would hit the button the light wouldn't light up. Could this be some strange way of forcing me to change the battery before it was completely dead?
     
    #11 frobie, Jan 22, 2015
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    no, are you saying that changing the fob battery fixed it?
     
    #12 bisco, Jan 22, 2015
  13. frobie

    frobie Junior Member

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    If I go back out to my car tonight when I get out of work and it doesn't give me an issue I'm going to call it fixed.
     
    #13 frobie, Jan 22, 2015
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    aye.
     
    #14 bisco, Jan 22, 2015
  15. frobie

    frobie Junior Member

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    After replacing the battery I have had no issues. Very strange but effective way of telling someone to replace the battery.
     
    #15 frobie, Jan 23, 2015
  16. Mark8007

    Mark8007 Junior Member

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    OK this just happen to me and this is how I fixed it. With the car off hold down the unlock button the drivers side door arm rest near the window butons, keep holding down the unlock button while you turn the car on also roll down the window then roll the window up. Now turn the car off. Problem is now fixed. This is like a reset function.
     
    #16 Mark8007, Jun 2, 2017
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