Smart Key Concern

There is a button to turn the smart key "off" so it can be left in the car and the doors locked. The driver’s side door has a regular metal key that can be removed from the smart key.
When I surf, I put the metal key in my wetsuit and lock the smart key in my Prius.

I suggest simply leaving the key in the car, but not in the ignition.

Bob

 

When you say button do you mean the small switch located at the top of the smart key next to the key ring?

If the smart key is left in the car can the car still be locked with the backup smart key?

Rich

 

The button is in the Prius below the steering wheel. With the Smart Key deactivated, the car will have to be unlocked with the smart key by pressing unlock or using the metal key and it will have to be inserted into the ignition to start the car.

What you are talking about is the release for the metal key.

Yes, they key can be locked in the car.

Bob

 

Yes, you can lock a smart key fob in the car if you use the other fob.

For instance, say you go to a resturant with your wife, and she leaves her purse, with one of the smart key fobs, in the car. The car won't let you lock the car with the black lock button on the outside of the car, nor will it allow you to use the inside lock buttons. In either case, it will produce a long beep for about 10 seconds and will immediately unlock the car.

However, you can press the lock button on the other fob that is in your posession outside of the car. This will lock the car.

And you don't have to worry if someone can then walk up to the car and just unlock it by grabbing the handle. The car will ignore the fob that was locked inside. And if someone tries to force a rod in through the weather stripping to press any of the buttons on the door, the car will simply honk and refuse to do anything.

In fact, when you return back to the car with your smart key fob, I believe that even you won't be able to unlock it by touching the door handle. If I remember right, you will have to use the unlock button on your fob. (Or the mechanical key)

You can also use the mechanical key of one of the fobs to lock the car. All of the above applies in this case. To unlock the car, you must use the unlock button on a fob outside the car, or the mechanical key.

 

In the 2005 Prius manual it states:

"If you do not drive your vehicle,
store the smart key, keeping it at
least 5 m (16 ft.) away from the vehicle." (Page 25)

"BATTERY POWER SAVING
When doors are locked, the smart entry and start system transmits electromagnetic
waves to the outside of the vehicle at regular intervals. For this reason, the vehicle
battery will be discharged if the vehicle is left for a long time. If the key is
left within the effective range of the smart function outside of the vehicle, the key
and the vehicle transmit electromagnetic waves periodically. If these conditions continue
for a long time, the battery in the key and vehicle will be discharged." (Page 32)

It seems that the car and the Smartkey are in regular communication with each other. Therefore, would it not be better for the batteries in both to store the Smartkey 5 metres or more away from the car when not in use (say overnight)?

I'm still waiting for my Prius to arrive, so I'm just wondering if anyone else takes this precaution of storing the key away from the car.

 

Hi John, hope to see you at <a href=\'http://prius.meetup.com/136/\' target=\'_blank\'>the Portland Prius meet up.</a>

Like Tideland said, the easiest way to handle your Smart Key is to put it in your pocket. When you go out to your car, you can open it and start it. When you come home for the night (unless you're sleeping in the garage) just keep the fob in your pocket, empty your pockets on the night stand, get a good night's rest, and when you get dressed the next morning, put the fob back in your pocket.

Really simple!

JimnJo, keeping your fob in your pocket or purse is not a difficult task. When the fob is NOT in the car, the Prius is almost impossible to steal. When the fob is in the car, all ANYONE has to do is push the POWER button and go.

 

Although the owner's manual states that the battery could run down with all the communications between the car and the fob, the repair manual indicates that after some lengthy time, they stop talking. About the only thing that doesn't require a physical event to occur to initiate an interrogation is the dome light coming on when you get near, I don't see why the power saving shutdown shoudn't occur.

 

I personally would suggest not leaving keys in a car, Prius or not. While it's pretty much impossible to stop a determined theif, the harder you make your car to steal, the less likely a theif will single it out to be stolen. Leaving the keys in the ignition is like hanging a big sign in the window that says:

STEAL ME! STEAL ME NOW!

 

We've found a way to lock ourselves out the the Prius.. Has happened twice now. First time I'm sure of the sequence.. second time.. not so sure..

Wife routinely leaves purse in the car (with fob inside). Car sits overnight. Diver's door is unlocked but all others are locked. Next morning, I walk up to passenger door (with MY fob in my pocket) and unlock all doors by touching the handle, but do NOT open the door, then decide NOT to use the car, so I simply release the handle. ALL the doors then lock (including the driver's door). As I recall, this re-locking of the door happened pretty soon after I released the handle.. like maybe within 30 seconds.

I'm still trying to figure out the second one as I had no interactions with the car after my wife last used it (and left her purse inside).

We've had the car for a year now and had this happen twice..

-Monte-

 

First off, how did you manage to lock ANY door wtih a fob in the car?
Second, you can't SKS unlock without a valid SKS fob at the door you are trying to open. Since you can't unlock without a fob in your physical posession, it can't auto-relock without a fob physically in your posession.
Yes, the car is designed to relock doors if none are opened within 30 seconds of unlocking any. This is in your owner's manual.
In the 2004, it is mentioned on page 34: Locking and Unlocking the doors.

 

You leave your key in the car unattended?

 

I got tired of carrying the Smartkey around in my pocket, since I never take it out of my pocket, anyway. Now I just stuff it inside my sock each morning. (I found my left foot is closer to the driver's door, so it reacts a little faster.) I wrap saran wrap around it with a little packing tape to keep it like new.
I also turned off the backup beeper (see http://www.priuschat.com/forums/kb.php?mode=article&k=7) and added the electric-only switch from coastaletech.com (hint - use a jeweler's screwdriver or similar probe to 'open' the tiny square hole in the car's plug before stuffing the wire connector in there - that smooths the opening for an effortless insertion).
This car is just a blast to drive! If you see my car, you'll know it -- I had a bumper sticker made online ($5) with a US flag logo that says, "Less Oil = More Freedom"
Getting about 43-46 MPG in Michigan winter, about 50-52 MPG last summer. I drive about 90% at 70-75 MPH (30 mile freeway commute). I must admit, I've always driven gently, though I've discovered that not everyone has a light sense of touch. So, YMMV. I used to stop once a week for 10+ gallons of gas for my '96 Geo Prizm (Corolla wannabe), now I go two weeks. Nice.
When I'm done with this one, I want another one.

 

This is a joke, right Chaz?

Edit: by the way, welcome to Priuschat

 

"First off, how did you manage to lock ANY door wtih a fob in the car?"
Easy, press the inside door lock after I'm inside.

"Second, you can't SKS unlock without a valid SKS fob at the door you are trying to open."
He has one in his pocket.

A plausible sequence is:
1) Wife drives car using her fob inside her purse, locls all doors.
2) Wife parks car in garage, leaves purse with her fob inside car.
3) Later husband approaches passenger door, tries to unlock with hand but does not open door.
4) Note it may not matter whether he unlocked the doors or not.
5) He walks away; all doors "re-" lock.
6) Wife's fob is now locked in car.

Is this what is happening?

 

Of course you can get a Smart Key Watch for about $400 and not worry where the fob is.

 

A plausible sequence is:
1) Wife drives car using her fob inside her purse, locls all doors.
not possible, car will unlock. I suppose from the next item she locked the car before beginning to drive?
2) Wife parks car in garage, leaves purse with her fob inside car.
Never locking the car? Otherwise, how did she get OUT of the car without ulocking the door?
3) Later husband approaches passenger door, tries to unlock with hand but does not open door.
4) Note it may not matter whether he unlocked the doors or not.
5) He walks away; all doors "re-" lock.
Doors won't re-lock until doors were unlocked and no doors were opened. Wife had to get out of the car, so at least one door remained unlocked. Since car wasn't completely locked, it will not respond to SKS attempts to unlock, therefore won't auto-relock.
6) Wife's fob is now locked in car.

However, if in step 3, his fob's remote door lock function was used, then I think the doors could be unlocked or locked. This is independent of SKS function.

 

Um, Dan, I lock the doors while driving all the time - why do you think this is impossible?

 

With the smart key?