Smartkey help!

I don't have mine yet, so I'm certainly not the expert, but is the 2nd fob by any chance inside the car when you are trying this? If it is, I believe you have to use the buttons on the remote.

 

This may not be help for you. I am not experiencing any of the issues you describe. My driver side door is unlocking as it should and opens fine. I have not needed to use either the lock or unlock buttons on the SmartKey. And, when I exit the car and touch the lock, it locks with the single indicator tone.

The previous suggestion about the second SmartKey location would be my guess. --TK

 

The second fob being inside the vehicle is the cause of the long beep you have heard when attempting to lock with a door handle touch.

You will also get that same long beep if you attempt to lock with sks and a door or the hatch is not completely closed. You need to determine which is the cause and correct it. SKS is just trying to help you get things right.

 

One requirement of using the remote/proximity functions of the smartkey is that the car is turned OFF. If it is ON in any of the three modes (ACC/IGN/READY), then the car cannot be locked/unlocked with the smartkey. When I leave the car in gear and ON, it sounds the PEEEEEEE as soon as I open the door.

There are two rather confusing modes that you can get into with the smartkey. If you don't press the brake while pressing the Power button, the dash will light up almost normally. But the Ready light will not be ON, and the car cannot be put in gear. This actually gets easier to foul up after a little experience. You rather automatically press the brake and Power button at the same time, and you end up in one of the "halfway ON" modes because you actually hit the Power button before you hit the brake.

The various modes are historically related to the modes on conventional cars.

Starting in OFF, pressing the Power button gets you to ACC mode. This is like inserting the key, and turning it to the first click (accessories only).

While in ACC mode, pressing the Power button again gets you to IGN mode. This is like inserting the key, and turning it to the second click. The dash lights up, but since the engine isn't running, you're still not going anywhere.

And finally, pressing the brake and then the Power button gets you to Ready mode. The dash lights up, the Ready light lights up, and the engine will run if it needs to. Typically it will be a few seconds before the engine actually starts. But the car is ready to move on battery power even before the engine is running.

Pressing the Power button while in Ready mode turns everything OFF.

OFF is a condition that is not always obvious. The main indicator is that all of the dash indicators are also OFF (except maybe the blinking security alarm icon). The engine cycles ON and OFF when the car is in Ready mode, so it can seem like everything is OFF when in fact it is ready to go.

You can lock the car with the mechanical key when it is in Ready mode. This is useful when you want to leave the A/C on during a quick visit to an ATM or whatever. Just be sure that the car is in Park and the parking brake is set.

 

It really is a smart key! Won't let you lock it in the car.

 

I've been renting Priuses lately for work, since I like my own so much.

The rental company usually hides the spare fob in the car somewhere. I have to find it and keep it with me so that the SKS will work properly. Also, so that someone doesn't break in and drive off with the car and my luggage!

 

also i dont know if its the same thing for 2010 priuses or prii but in my prius or the 2005 to 2009 prii theres this button on the bottom part of the steering wheel that says key and it has a button to press and when u press it, u have to press the unlock button on the smart key to unlovk it and u have to put the fob in the key slot to start the car.

 

Re: Smartkey - waterpoof option

I am on the verge of ordering a 2010 Prius, but have one question related to this thread.

Is there a way to leave the fob inside the car and lock it with the "mechanical key", which is housed inside the fob?

If you are wondering why one would want to do this: When going surfing, you can put the mechanical key in your wetsuit. The fob is too big for this, and - I suppose - not waterproof.

 

The button has been removed for the 2010 Gen III.

Tom

 

Re: Smartkey - waterpoof option

Yes, you can do that. If you want to keep someone else from using the fob if they were to break in, you can wrap the fob in metal foil or put it in a metal box. Even without doing that, you can lock it inside using the mechanical key.

Tom

 

That's how I do it when I go surfing.

 

Ok thanks qbee42 and wave-slider. Was a little bit worried about that, but happy to hear that's no problem.

 

I want to know where in the Netherlands you surf?

 

I wasn't sure where to put this question so hopefully no one minds that I ask it here. The panic button on my fob does not work. Is this the norm and I have to customize it myself or did I just get a faulty fob? It locks and unlocks without any problems.

 

Are you pushing and holding the panic button? If so, and there's no alarm then something's defective and the dealer can help. Otherwise, just hold it down, as it's designed to avoid unintended activation.

 

One quick question -- let's say that my wife gets into the Prius (I have a 2011 Prius III) but doesn't have a smartkey with her (she forgets to put it into her purse, and doesn't realize that she doesn't have it).

I walk with her to the car, the doors unlock because I have my smartkey with me, and she gets in. She buckles up, puts her foot on the brake and turns on the car with the power button (I'm still standing near the car).

I give her a kiss through the window, and she then backs down the driveway. I wave and go into the house.

Does the car keep running without a smartkey present? If so, what stops someone from stealing the car by running to the car, jumping in, and starting it and driving away?

Obviously, if the car is turned off, it can't be restarted without the smartkey (I hope).

Shawn