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2006 Smart Key Problem

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by chrisky, Aug 12, 2008.

  1. chrisky

    chrisky Junior Member

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    Our SKS isn't working the way it should. :frown:
    1. Car starts no problem with fob in pocket.
    2. Exit vehicle, press button on handle, long beep, does not lock. Other fob not anywhere near. So have to lock doors by pressing lock symbol.
    3. Back door (hatch) unlocks all doors no problem.
    4. Grabbing driver's or passenger's door handle won't unlock doors.
    5. Pressing fob, red light appears, so assume battery ok.

    So what am I doing wrong? Or is it something else? Thanks.
     
  2. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    If you press the button on the hatch will it lock?

    It sounds like the sensors in the driver and passenger doors aren't working.
     
  3. hschuck

    hschuck Member

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    The long beep when the door button is pressed means that either a fob is inside the car
    or that one of the doors is not closed. Since you have accounted for both fobs it is likely the latter. The hatch is the normal offender; it needs to be firmly closed.

    I sorta recall that there is a third possible situation that causes the long beep but I am not sure if there is or not.
     
  4. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    Chrisky,
    I think you are jumping to conclusion on #5.
    Your fob battery might be at the borderline where you could start engine, and open the hatch, but not
    enough to open the doors (considering it is a 2006). If you ever put your fob near the vehicle for a long period of time, the battery could have been drained low.
    My 1st bet would be the door sensors like Danny Hamilton suggested. However, it could also be the
    low battery of fob, which is an easy try. The battery is a typical one which you can buy from electronic store for a couple dollars. Why don't we try that first? If it is not, you still have a spare battery to put in the glove compartment for the future.... In that case, it must be the sensors inside the doors.
     
  5. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I agree. To ensure that the hatch is closed, turn on the switch for the courtesy light in the hatch area. Then close the hatch and ensure that the light is off.

    Make sure that you have accounted for all fobs and that none are hiding in the car's interior. If you still have problems, then try changing the fob battery.
     
  6. chrisky

    chrisky Junior Member

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    Danny, pressing button on hatch does not lock vehicle.

    I've made sure hatch is firmly closed, with the courtesy light off.
    So now I'll replace the batteries and see what happens.
     
  7. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    Hmmm, very odd.

    Hatch will unlock doors, but not lock.

    Driver and passenger doorswill neither lock nor unlock.

    Car starts without fob in slot.

    Hopefully someone else has something to offer, because I'm at a loss.
     
  8. 9G-man

    9G-man Senior Member

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    My guess is you're getting out of the car and not powering it down, or it's the fob battery.
     
  9. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    looking at the manual.....
    outside alarm one beep (2 second) locking doors with car on
    outside alarm one beep (2 second) locking doors with car off but key out of range
    (the first one turns on the interior key light on the dash , the second one does not)
    outside alarm one beep (10 seconds) lock switched pressed but door was open
    (no interior key light)


    this pretty much rules out the low battery warning. according to this manual, when you have a low battery THERE IS NO outside beep, and only an inside beep

    when the car beeps again look at the dashboard and see if the key warning light is lit
     
  10. chrisky

    chrisky Junior Member

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    9G-man. Just tried again. The car is definitely powered down.
    Rigormortis. Car is powered down, I get out. All doors and windows are closed. Press the black button on the driver's side. I'm about 12 in. away from the door. There is one beep and the key warning light is not lit.
    Thanks all for your suggestions. I'm at a loss. Tomorrow I change the battery.
     
  11. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    the low fob battery does not make an outside beep, its an inside beep!

    yeah im at a loss

    according to the smart key chart you are out of range

    how about testing the range of the smart key by using the wireless lock and unlock buttons while you are away from the car
    that way you can rule out a smart key antenna...??? or the battery?? hmmm

    radio shack will test the battery for you


    anything over 2volts is supposed to be good?
     
  12. sario77

    sario77 Junior Member

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    I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. Here is the thread on the solution that worked for me...

    Hope this helps!

    http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/23767-yet-another-smart-key-question.html
     
  13. chrisky

    chrisky Junior Member

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    Hi.
    Rigormortis, tested the range, no problem using the wireless while away from the car.

    Sario, thanks for the thread. We don't have a cellphone in the car.

    I've tried standing closer with the fob, and farther away, it still doesn't work.
    Today, I changed the battery in the fob. Absolutely no change. So spoke to the 'service manager' at our Toyota dealer and will take in the car next week so they can check it out?!
    But get this, he thinks because this is a proximity key I won't be able to lock the doors by just pressing the button. So I told him that the manual says I can. Also I told him why can I unlock the hatch with the fob in my purse but can't unlock the driver's door or the passenger door? He didn't have an answer.
    So can anyone tell me exactly what they should be checking next week? He said something about 'electrical', and I told him they would have to check the door sensors or the antennas. Am I correct, or is there something else I should mention?

    I hope this doesn't turn into some long winded saga, I'm not the most patient person, especially if the manual tells me one thing and the service manager is saying something entirely different.:mad:
     
  14. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    A few questions and comments...
    1. How long have you owned the car?
    2. Has the Smart Key function worked properly in the past; or has it never worked during your period of ownership?
    3. Are you sure that all fobs are accounted for, and that none are in the vehicle when you are trying to lock up?
    Basically, when the tech works on your car, s/he will see whether a DTC was logged by the smart key ECU or the body ECU. If not, the repair manual lists a pretty long troubleshooting process to go through.

    BTW, the fob battery is supposed to measure at least 2.5V when no load is applied. However, since you've installed a new battery, that hopefully will rule out the fob battery as the problem.

    My guess is that the smart key ECU is the problem. If the problem was limited to one door, then I would guess that the receiver/transmitter associated with that door was the problem.
     
  15. chrisky

    chrisky Junior Member

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    We purchased the car in May 2008. The Smart Key function has never worked properly. We only have 2 fobs, and leave one in the house and only take one when using the car.
    I apologize for my ignorance but what is a DTC and an ECU?
    The problem for locking is with all doors. The problem for unlocking is with the driver and passenger doors.
     
  16. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    DTC = diagnostic trouble code
    ECU = electronic control unit

    I'm wondering whether it is possible that the car might contain a third fob hiding somewhere in the vehicle, unknown to you?
     
  17. chrisky

    chrisky Junior Member

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    That's an interesting question Patrick. This car was a Toyota executive car, so who knows. When we picked up the car we did look through everything. But even with a fob inside I can understand not being able to lock the car by pushing the button, but why would the hatch open and not the driver's side?
     
  18. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    this is getting trickier and trickier...

    with smart function turned off the prius allows you to lock the keys in your trunk

    with smart function turned on, and the keys are left in the trunk. the trunk will unlock
    if you walk up to it..

    i wonder if this is a programming error 'dealer customizable features', a toyota fob with a black emblem (vs the silver one) being used... or perhaps there is a keyfob
    somewhere in the trunk that is allowing anybody to walk up to the car to unlock the trunk???

    confirmed..

    smart system turned on
    opened trunk
    put spare in trunk
    closed trunk
    pressed black buttons with other key in hand/pocket long beep
    pressed lock button on master key
    car locked up tight

    walked into the house with master key and left it on kitchen counter
    walked back to car, and the trunk opened, because the key was left inside.

    the smart back door is part of the dealer customizable features...
     
  19. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    does your key have a black or a silver toyota logo?

    now that the stupid question has been asked, maybe you should carefully remove
    everything from the trunk to make sure there are no keys left behind...
    to the left there is a storage compartment, in the center is another storage compartment, and the right panel covers the battery, and underneath the center
    compartment is the spare tire... i wonder if theres a key there...

    try locking the car with your key, take that key far out of range, i mean really far out of range.. walk up to the hatchback with no keys in at all and see if it opens.. if it opens.. thers a spare there somewhere..
     
  20. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    if the spare key is locked in the car and its not near the trunk like the drivers seat.. it will not unlock unless you have a spare key on you.

    when you press the lock button on the remote, your basically giving permission to the prius to lock the car regardless if there is a spare inside

    when you press the black tab the car will not lock the car if theres a spare inside

    but all these posts dont explain why the car won't unlock the doors if u touch the handle
    and when smart system is turned off, the smart door feature that opens that rear door is turned off...