what to do with a key while surfing?

This is something I really miss. combination lock on the door. I had it in My Mercury Gran Marquis 1985 & 1991.

While at the beach I always put the keys under the seat, locked the car and than entered the code upon return. This feature is only on Ford & Lincoln cars ( I think )

I wish all cars had this.

 

The only problem with that approach is that if someone broke into the car - they could simply drive it away.

 

I agree with Efusco. First of all, never leave items visible. Especially, bags or packages. It seems that in the majority of break-ins, a thief will spot something easily obtainable, and break-in for that item.

If you are going surfing take they mechanical key out before you leave your home and attach it to your suit. You could put the key in the center console, under the seat, or wherever you plan to leave it before you stop your car at the beach. By doing so, you won't attract any attention as you hide the key. Don't have my Prius yet, but I've been doing this for a long time with my regular keys.

 

You're right kind of remote but they don't need to actually find the FOB just push the power button and realize the car starts.

G

 

I know you can do that in the GII but I don't think you can in his GIII

G

 

lol

 

I've tried an Altoids box, and it didn't work out. It's leaky, so sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I guess it has to do with the location and orientation of the box.

I also tried aluminum foil. It works if you use enough (two layers, the second overlapping any open areas of the first). After a few wrappings, it's a fragile crumple.

Maybe a small metal Band-Aids box. But whatever you try, verify that the box actually blocks enough of the signal. Try the Power button.

The SKS keyfob is always active, listening for the signal from a car. When it recognizes the proper car, it transmits its identification back to the car. Listening takes very little power, but responding takes considerably more power. Like enough to wear out the keyfob battery in months instead of years. So you don't want the keyfob constantly responding that it's still there, like it was a half second ago. Normally the keyfob only transmits from the time you approach the car, until you start it.

I ended up with a used keyfob with the battery (and circuit board!) removed. The transponder in the Gen2 keyfob is a 1/2-inch long by 1/8-inch rectangular black chip. Since you have to plug something into the dash with the Gen2, I just left the transponder in the keyfob. With a 2010, you could use an isolated transponder, which could be hidden quite easily. Like sew it into the fuzzy dice that you hang from the mirror . Oops, wrong crowd. Well, you get the idea. Then just hold the transponder near the Power button to start the car.

 

Do you really think I didn't know that? I was simply providing a solution to a major problem, that of not having automatic headlights. Here in South Australia the government is promoting the idea of lights on all the time while driving, with the headlights switching themselves off when you shut down and open the door this is easy.
I suspect the amount of additional fuel used to run the headlights would easily be offset by the reduction in accidents and by a reduced need to brake for people who pull out in front of you because in clear daylight they didn't see you.

 

Thanks for bringing this issue up. I'm moving back to San Diego soon (haven't been back since I left UCSD in '01) and surfing again is definitely on the agenda.

That said, I think my solution is going to be living in OB, where I can just walk to the beach. Low-tech, but effective.

 

Hi Christy,

My question is, how can I carry a 9'6" board on/in the 2010??

radio

 

I looked at a similar issue. My wife likes to leave her purse in the car and the key stays with it. The 2010 wont lock the door if it senses a key fob inside of the vehicle. You can lock one key fob inside the vehicle by pressing the lock button on another key fob. the door can only be unlocked by pressing the unlock button on the second key fob. This solution does not keep the key fob dry, it does let you lock one key in the vehicle.

 

You could get one of those hollow rocks, put your key in it, and leave it by your car....

Dry sack would probably work best.

 

Rob,

Thanks for your post. Can you explain your post in very basic language? I do not know what a transponder is, for example. What worked for you so that you could surf, and not leave your car exposed to thieves, and wear out your battery.

 

The first thing you need to realize about the Prius locking system is that there are really 4 of them. They are the mechanical key, the transponder, the remote keypress, and the remote proximity.

The term SKS or Smart Key System generally refers to the remote proximity system. To use it, you just carry the keyfob with you, and the system allows you to operate the doors and Power switch without even touching the keyfob.

The remote keypress is more of a traditional remote, in that you have to press buttons on it to lock and unlock the doors. It does not enable the Power button.

The transponder is a separate electronic chip inside the keyfob that unlocks the Power button when it is near enough to the transponder sensor. The transponder sensor is part of the Power button mechanism on the 2010, and is part of the keyslot on the Gen2.

And then there is the mechanical key. It operates the lock on the driver's door, both the mechanical lock and the electrical connection to the other doors. If the car battery is dead, the mechanical system still works, and allows entry to the vehicle.

The minimal system that you need to lock/unlock the doors and operate the Power switch is a mechanical key and a transponder. The SKS and remote buttons are nice, but they are not required.

When I don't want to risk a $300 keyfob, I just use a mechanical key and a dumb keyfob. I leave the dumb keyfob inside the car, and only carry the mechanical key with me. A dumb keyfob starts out as an ordinary one, but doesn't have functional SKS or remote buttons. In my case, I actually removed the circuit board from a used keyfob, and reassembled the keyfob with only the transponder in it. Removing the battery from the keyfob would also render it dumb. If the transponder is still separate from the circuit board on the 2010, then you don't even need the rest of the keyfob.

Used 2010 keyfobs are going to be scarce for some time, so about the only way to obtain an extra keyfob is to purchase it from Toyota parts department. But it's not clear that a 2010 requires a different transponder from the kind used for the past 6 years in the Gen2. One of these days someone is going to try pairing a 2010 vehicle with a Gen2 keyfob transponder. If that works, then there are a lot of relatively cheap extra keys available for the 2010.

There is a picture of a disassembled Gen2 keyfob in post #4 of http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...63210-smart-key-need-new-rubber-membrane.html

The transponder is that little black object just below the circuit board. It is the only active component used when unlocking the Power switch by holding the keyfob near it.

It will be interesting to see what Toyota does with the key system on a future low end Prius model. They could skip the SKS and remote systems, and just use a mechanical key with a transponder in the key head. The same mechanical key / transponder would probably work on SKS systems, and be useful as a lower cost backup key.

Now, about that surfing. I go running regularly, but a surfboard is something I've never mastered. I used to ride a skateboard to work, but that was long before SKS

 

You'd probably have to rest the front on the dash. In my 2006, I can fit a 100" board (lumber, not surf, just to clarify :- ) and still easily close the hatch, with the board not quite touching the glove compartment. (100" = 8'4" = 2.54 meters). That's by dropping the seat backs on the right-hand-side. (If you move the front seat forward and take off the headrest, it almost goes flat when you lower it.)

I would think by resting the front on the dash you could get the extra 1'4", particularly in the Gen III. You may need to angle the board a bit to the back left side, but you wouldn't have room for a passenger in that case.