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08 Prius refuses to lock doors

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by cobkobie, Dec 24, 2012.

  1. cobkobie

    cobkobie Junior Member

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    This has happened twice. The first time this summer. I hit the lock button on the drivers side door, shut the door and my car unlocked it's self. The keys were NOT left in the car. I tried it several times, same outcome. I took my keys about 50 yards away and went back to try it again. Same outcome. I drove home and repeated the process and my car locked just fine. I changed the batteries in my fob and no more problems. Or so I thought. Last week, I parked in front of my house, hit the lock button in the door, closed the door then heard 3 beeps and my door unlocked. The keys were in my hand. Fine! I left it unlocked but the next morning I was able to lock the doors without problem.
    I called my local dealer and they have never heard of this issue. I had them check my car battery and it was found to be healthy. Have no idea what to do...
    Early one morning, about 3 am, I heard my car (which was parked just outside my bedroom window) unlock it's self. Then lock, then unlock. My spare key fob was laying on the windowsill so I took it to another part of the house. That seem to do the trick as there was no more arguing between the car and fob as all was quiet.

    My car now has a new name...Christene. Anyone out there have ideas as to why/how this is going on?
     
    #1 cobkobie, Dec 24, 2012
  2. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Please run the test at Weird stuff happening? MPGs dropping? Test The Battery | PriusChat after the car has sat MANY hours or overnight. Please tell us the 3 values (not just 1). Don't go changing the battery first until you tell us the values...

    If you have HIDs, you can avoid unnecessary cycles on the lights by toggling between off and parking light positions.

    Weird stuff can start happening w/a low or bad 12 volt. Don't waste $ on having a dealer "test" the 12 volt (07 Prius Dead - Any Guesses? | PriusChat). If you're on you're original 12 volt, it's likely near or at end of life now.
     
    #2 cwerdna, Dec 24, 2012
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I suggest that you check both fobs to see if there are any stuck buttons.
     
    #3 Patrick Wong, Dec 24, 2012
  4. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    ^^^
    I agree w/the above as well.
     
    #4 cwerdna, Dec 24, 2012
  5. jstraw20

    jstraw20 Member

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    Third that for a stuck button. Had that happen with one of my fobs.
     
    #5 jstraw20, Dec 24, 2012
  6. cobkobie

    cobkobie Junior Member

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    Thank you one of the buttons is broken on one of the fobs. But the first time this happened the broken button fob was about 10 miles away. It's been broken for about a year....Thank you Patrick.
     
    #6 cobkobie, Jan 4, 2013
  7. cobkobie

    cobkobie Junior Member

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    I had my battery checked at the dealer and it was fine. Thank you cwerdna.
     
    #7 cobkobie, Jan 4, 2013
  8. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Did you read the post I linked to about an example of how it was useless to have the dealer "check" the 12 volt? Please run the test and tell us the voltages. And yes, check for stuck fob buttons.
     
    #8 cwerdna, Jan 4, 2013
  9. cobkobie

    cobkobie Junior Member

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    Thanks so much for trying to help me. Yes, I had read your link and before I took it to the dealer I tried to follow your directions but I got lost after "press the power button." I did take it to the dealer who noticed I had not dealt with any of the recall issues and, to make a long story a whole lot shorter than my 3 hour wait time, they did the recall things and checked my battery. I'm happy to say they did not charge me for testing the battery which, they said, had enough charge.
    Is a broken button fob fixable?
     
    #9 cobkobie, Jan 4, 2013
  10. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    I don't see how you can be lost. I do the steps all the time.

    Push Power (w/o foot on the brake). Press and hold the Info button (next to the MFD aka color LCD), then flick the headlights on/off 3 times (you can just go between off and parking lights, to save wear and tear on the headlights, esp. if you have HIDs). Then, follow the rest. It's not that hard.

    You could also measure the voltage of the 12 volt at rest via a volt-ohm meter/multimeter after it's sat overnight.

    You can eliminate/narrow down whether the buttons are stuck by removing the batteries from all the fobs. You can still unlock the car w/the mechanical emergency key and you can still drive by putting the fob in the slot.
     
    #10 cwerdna, Jan 4, 2013
    Hasan likes this.
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