2007 Prius key questions

You need to check to see if the SKS is deactivated. There is a button under the steering wheel that must be in the out position. You should never need to take the key fob out of your pocket.

When SKS is working, the door will unlock as you approach, the door can be locked by pressing the black button on the handle when you exit.

 

Welcome to the fold! I drove a '98 Volvo when I bought my '07 Prius last July. I too was a bit culture-shocked at first, but as I became familiar with the car and its features all became second nature.

First of all, forget about using the metal key. It is only there in case your battery dies and you need to get into the car. The way you lock and unlock the car is by touching the door handle. To lock it you actually have to do a bit more than touch. You need to press that black rubber button. To unlock you only need to put your hand inside the loop of the handle as if you are about to pull on it to open the door. As soon as your hand touches the inside of the handle, the car will unlock itself. This is assuming you have SKS (Smart Key System) and it is enabled (the appropriate push button below the steering wheel needs to be in the "on" position) and the battery in your key fob is not dead. That is all there is to it. No metal key is required and you should not use it unless you are locked out of the car while its battery is dead.

Also, if SKS is present in your car and is activated, then you also do not need to plug the key into the key slot. You just need to have in the car with you. I just keep my keys in my pocket. Once you get used to that, you will love it, believe me.

You do not need to lock your car every time you get out of it. I am not sure why that is suggested other than it is a good check that you haven't left the key in the car or one of the doors is not fully closed (it will refuse to lock in those cases). However, as I pointed out above, locking this car is as easy as pushing that black rubber button. If it's too painful for you to do so, then don't worry about it.

Do insist, if you can, on getting a second key as they are expensive and if you loose your only key you will be in for a lot of inconvenience. The new key needs to be programmed to work with your car.

 

Locking the car can alert you if the vehicle hasn't been placed in 'park' or powered off correctly, at least it has for me in the past.

 

The button labelled 'Key' is for the sks system and must be in the 'out' position for sks to work. The button is put in the 'in' position to disable sks, which will help the 12v battery last longer during times where the car may sit unused for extended periods of time.

The button labelled 'set' is for the tire pressure monitoring sensors

When you press any of the buttons on the fob, does the little red light in to upper right corner illuminate? I'm betting your dealer installed the battery incorrectly or maybe even the incorrect battery.

You can purchase new plastic fob cases for less than 10 bucks. They also come with a new, uncut key. All you have to do is transfer the internal circuit board and your 'cut' key to the new case. Also make sure you transfer the RFID chip from the old case to the new one. The RFID chip is what the car detects when you insert the fob into the slot on the dash. This should only be required if the fob battery dies, or the fob circuit board has failed.

 

Yes, leaving the car unlocked with the FOB in your pocket will prevent someone from stealing the car (in theory) but would still allow them access to the unlocked vehicle.

Yes, you can take the mechanical key to any hardware store that makes regular car keys and have it duplicated. No locksmith required.

Make sure the new key this dealer offers you actually works with the SKS feature, maybe even ask for two keys since the first key is now fubar.

 

Do whatever is needed to keep the key in a physical shape that allows you to put it into the fob slot.

Once you have a fully functioning fob you will no longer need to place it into a slot.

 

When you say it's falling apart, do you mean just the back cover with the toyota symbol falls off?

The small lever gets slid to the side to unlock and remove the key. The small lever is also slid to the side to remove the back cover. To remove the back cover, the lever is slid to the side and the cover is then slid upward. The cover does not just snap back into place, it must be slid back into position about 80% of the way, then the lever needs to be slid to the side and held again, then the cover is slid the rest of the way in to lock in place.

 

No problem making a spare mechanical key for the Gen 2. I have one for my wife's '07.

This dealer really messed up. Not only did he put the fob together wrong, it sounds like it's not even an original with that car. I have one for my wife's that's like that. It works, but I have to insert it. (The one she carries works normally.) If you don't have an original fob, getting one from scratch is hundreds of dollars if I have my facts straight.

There is detailed info starting on page 19 of the owner's manual.

 

I made a video of removing and installing the back of the fob, but can't upload to the thread. Here's a link I found. Maybe this will help get the fob locked together.

How to Replace the Battery in a Toyota Prius Key Fob - Snapguide

 

(Sorry, A Pedant writes The interior lights will come on as you approach, but the car will only unlock when you place your fingers around the handle! (…it's programmable as to which doors will unlock, driver's, driver's & passenger's, all four plus hatch (see p49 destruction manual)) and (BTW) a couple of years ago, I noticed the SKS on my 2009 Gen II started to get flakey (sometimes it would work, other times it wouldn't! ) cause = dying 12V AuxBattery!

 

Personally, I think it is important to lock the car, regardless of the immobilizer. It is just another step against theft, not just of the car, but of anything inside. Even if you don't leave anything of physical value, there may be personal information inside that can facilitate identity theft. If there is a way to have the car unlock as you approach, that is, to me, the best option.

 

WTH, you mean if I turn my interior lights from the off position (always leave them off until needed) they will auto illuminate once I approach the vehicle?

If the prius can do that, then why can't it auto lock the car when I walk away from it?

Might be time for me to RTFM

 

Oh! One thing, @Freebird. I don't remember you saying if the logo on the fob was black or silver. I'm pretty sure the SKS ones are silver and non-SKS are black logos.

 

Mine turns the interior lights on when I linger near the car a bit. It has to be locked for that to happen. Usually I unlock it (by touching the handle) before the interior lights come on. But if I don't grab the handle right away and stand there for a moment, the interior lights come on.

However it will not auto-lock itself when you leave. Not sure why, but most likely due to the way Toyota meant it to be. You may not always want the car to be locked when walking away. Or some such reasoning. It's probably possible to have it auto-lock with some software changes.

 

you can order a new case and switch the guts over, they sell on e bay for around 10 bucks.. just search prius fob case

 

I mean, there are 3 positions of the switches on each of the interior lights (front and rear) 1. "ON" 2. "OFF" 3. "DOOR"
In the "OFF" position, the lamps are "OFF" (i.e. not illuminated), in the "ON" position, the lamps are "ON" (i.e. illuminated), in the "DOOR" position the lamps are illuminated when a door is open, and not illuminated when the doors are closed, also, when you approach the car (having the SKS fob in your pocket), the interior lights will illuminate¹ eek much to the astonishment of everyone else! (if the SKS is not disabled (see p. 4 Gen II destruction manual))

¹ I just tell people that the car must be really happy to see me!