I've searched exhaustively on this site and others to no avail. I recently discovered, by accident, that my Gen 3 (2014) will automatically lock the doors as soon as I close the driver's side door and the key is detected outside the vehicle. This is without touching the sensor on the handle. This is completely automatic. So, here's the question, how on earth did I activate this? I don't know what I did. To make matters worse, I actually like this feature, but somehow turned it back off. And I don't know how I did that either! I've owned this car for three years and never accidentally did it before, so I don't think it's something easy. I'm sure it involves pressing something for a while, but I'm hoping someone else on here has discovered this jewel of a feature that isn't even mentioned (that I can find) in the manual. I have the 3 door SKS system for what it's worth. Any help would be much appreciated!
I think you just had debris on the door handle sensor, so when you closed the door, it locked. It fixed itself after you washed off the debris and it went back to normal.
Yeah me too. I highly doubt the car auto-locks; sounds like a liability. Certainly not in default set. Customizing starts on page 587, had a quick look, not seeing anything.
I use the lock on the inside arm rest leaving, and set my hand grip to unlock all doors, that is as close to auto as I get.
If memory serves me correctly, without upgrade the Prius does not auto-lock. I remember because I use to have a vehicle that did auto-lock and I loved that feature. On this vehicle, once I turned off the vehicle, and then exited-open and closed the drivers door a countdown timer would start and 20-30 seconds later it would lock itself. I liked it because often I'm in a hurry, and I don't know how many times I end up at a restaurant, movie theater, etc, etc, and then worry whether I remembered to lock my vehicle. With the auto-lock feature I could relax, knowing even if I forgot, the vehicle was locked. But for some reason, this feature seems harder and harder to find. I wished my Prius auto-locked, I wish the vehicle I have now would auto-lock.
One of my cars has an autolock that happens as soon as the door closes, then allows it to open when you touch the handle. I love it!
That's not the feature he's asking about. That locks back the car if you unlock it without opening the door. He's asking about locking the car after exiting the vehicle and forgetting to lock it himself. If it did exist I presume it wouldn't do this if it detected the fob nearby, but if it doesn't then it'll lock itself.
That is the feature; when I walk away from the vehicle carrying things with both arms and close the last door or hatch, after 30 sec you can see both turn signal flash and hear the audible confirmation w/the door mechanism locking. It's also noted and configure-able in techstream.
In the excerpt you posted, note the wording: That's just for scenarios where you unlock the doors, then don't open a door. It's designed so you don't absently mindedly unlock it and forget, or "pocket dial" and unlock with the fob somehow.
Well THAT is what the original poster is asking, how you got that turned on. But that's not whats stated in the manual. I'd love your functionality on my 2012 HyCam but I only have what's in the manual. If I walk away from the car without locking it it will stay unlocked even when I come back the next morning. If I unlock the car from a distance but don't open a door it re-locks within 30 secs. Sounds like its a hidden feature only accessible in Techstream then or some obscure config.
Just an anecdote. But I tried this with my Honda Fit. Now when I take a longer drive, I have to stop to rest. Especially at night. Which sometimes means scary rest stops in the middle of nowhere. I was worried with my Honda Fit whether I could lock the doors, but be inside and NOT expect someone could walk up and simply open the door. Since the fob would be in my pocket. But amazingly the system is precise enough to know the difference between just inside the vehicle, and just outside. Which makes those 20 minute naps at midnight, surrounded by the Biker Gang...that much more restful. They could still get to me...but they'ed have to break glass. Which....gulp....probably isn't much of a deterrent.
Let me clear this up a little. This is what was happening and it did it several times over a period of two days. After I drove the car and stopped/parked. I turn the car off. I exit the vehicle with my fob in my pocket just like normal. Immediately after I shut the door it would lock. I did not have to touch the lock on the handle. the car did it by itself. If I touched the handle after it locked and with my fob in my pocket it would then unlock. I can't remember if I tried opening the door again and closing to see if it would lock again. The first time it happened I assumed I was pressing the lock button on the fob in my pocket by accident. But this happened at least three more times and it happened every time. Then all of a sudden it stopped. During this period I had no passengers that I can remember, so it was something I did. Again, I have no idea what was causing it and no idea how it stopped. Perhaps the fob button was stuck or jammed? No idea. But I liked the feature if it even is a feature.
Yeah doesn't seem normal. It would drive me nuts; we NEVER lock ours when it's in the garage. I have this theory that incessant locking/unlocking is gonna wear out the mechanism.
