Hiding a spare electronic key in the Prius Prime...

Hello. I was wondering if there is a way to get an additional reasonably-priced mechanical key (the one you can remove from the key fob). Here is why I'd like to have an extra one:

On my previous cars that had the security chips inside the head of the key, I would always go to a Home Depot and have an extra key made using a blank that didn't have the chip (so it was cheap). I would then hide this chipless key under the car in one of those magnetic key stash boxes. I would then hide my valet key really well in the trunk. If I locked myself out of my car, I could retrieve the chipless key, which would open the doors and trunk. I could then get the valet key and be on my way with only a minor hassle and delay.

I want to do something similar with an extra mechanical key for my Prius. Of course, to be able to drive off, I'd have to hide a spare electronic key in the car, and I'd have to disable it by removing the battery or placing it in some sort of bag or container that would keep it from communicating with the car.

I could just use the mechanical key from the spare electronic key, but I'd rather not risk having it in the magnetic box in case it falls off. I'd really like to buy an additional electronic key with the included mechanical key, but I believe they are quite expensive.

I just don't want to be locked out of my car in the middle of nowhere with no ability to get in it. Can a mechanical key be purchased separately? Or is there a cheaper electronic key (perhaps with fewer features from one of the other Prius models) that I could buy to use as the hidden spare key?

Or does anyone have any better ideas (and please don't suggest not losing my keys as that is obviously Plan A)? Thanks!

 

Yes, I read that in another post (that you can't lock your keys in the car). However, that doesn't cover another situation in which you might lose your key and thus not be able to get back in your own car. So, if I'm traveling and in some motel in some small town, and I lose my key, it could take hours or even a day or more to get back in my car (if I have to have a key shipped). That is the scenario I'm trying to address.

 

Thanks for these answers. You can really only have two electronic keys programmed to a car at once? That seems like a useless restriction. I don't have anything else attached to my electronic key. My home has a garage door opener and an electronic front door lock that I can unlock via a code or my phone or watch, and I have hidden an actual key to it buried in my yard. I really don't ever want to be locked out of anything, especially while I'm on the road. Even if you have the other concerns you mentioned, the first order of business (potentially urgent business) would be to get back in your Prius and be able to drive somewhere.

I've never lost my keys or my wallet. In the past, the hidden key has only saved me when I locked my keys in my car (which I know would be very hard to do in the Prius Prime). That was easy to do in my previous cars because they had alarms set to auto-lock the car after leaving it (a feature I dearly wish the Prime had).

 

Wow, those are some seriously informative answers, Elektro! Thanks for those. I didn't find the other post you linked to with someone trying to do the same thing. Do you happen to know if it is possible to program a new electronic key fob into the system? Or would I have to go to the dealer?

 

Dalcon - I don't think that is what that passage is saying. It is referring to keepying the key from receiving radio waves, so the actions of starting and stopping the mode refer only to the key fob in question, not the car's system. So the car and the other fob(s) are independent.

 

Okay, I just tested it using both of my fobs and the deactivated/dormant fob remains deactivated/dormant until you press a button on the deactivated/dormant fob. Pressing buttons on another other fob does not reactivate the deactivated/dormant fob.

 

Yes, I agree. It's great information from Elektro, though. I have done this with my spare electric key fob. I'll only use it if I can't find my other, so why leave it on, I figure.

 

For those who are interested, it appears the metallic bag from the EZ Pass transponders does not work. I have one that came from CalTrans with my transponder, and I just tried it. Before I put it in the bag, I locked my Prius from a distance. I then put it in the bag, folding the bag over itself, walked up to my car and attempted to open the door. It worked like the bag wasn't even there. I tried twice. The bag is a bit older and has some creases in it. I ordered a replacement sent the other day, and I'll try it when it arrives and post the results here. The woman at CalTrans referred to it as a mylar bag.