No Glovebox Lock

My daily driver is an 06 Envoy that we bought new, and just the other day I had to stow a firearm in a non-disclosed location for a few minutes - something I VERY seldom have to do.
After doing so, I rummaged through the glove-box for something or other (probably the reading glasses that I was wearing!) and I rediscovered that my car has a locking glove box.
I actually paused and wondered...."Why the heck would somebody want one of THOSE?"

Here's the thing....
If someone has broken into your car with the intent to steal junk then almost always the only difference between a locked glove-box and an unlocked glove-box will be the additional damage that will have to be repaired following the break-in.

Probably the reason that they CALL it a glove box to begin with is that one would ever want to lock anything more important or valuable than a pair of gloves inside one.
So...
Given the limited utility of this appliance, and the expense of making the lock and keying it the same as the other lock on the car, I can see why Toyota wouldn't bother - especially since most people drive their Priuses for years without using a for-real metal key in their car.

I give Toyota a pass on this one.

 

The physical key on the Prius is rarely if ever used by most owners, embedded in the Fob. Not sure where I'm going with this.

 

Do ANY Toyotas with Smart Key/Keyless have locking glove boxes since they only come with those high tech emergency keys tucked away in the FOBs?

 

G3's don't.

 

I hide the (…very few) valuables I own in the secret compartment below the center console in my 2009 Gen II (…ooops! What a giveaway! )

 

While glovebox isn't a safe by any means, it's still better to have a lock on it than not. Majority of break-ins are of smash&grab type, so if it's not easily opened, it will likely be left alone. Considering most Primes don't have built-in homelink and folks use clip-on garage openers that can easily grow legs, the easy access to registration makes follow up home break-in too possible.

 

I must go back to our 2008 Civic Hybrid which had a separate Chauffeurs key that could drive the car but could not open the trunk nor the glove box lock. I don't think my previous Gen3 Prius had a lock on the glove box, neither on our 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid which has Nissan version of smart key. No physical key used, thus no lock on the glove box, it seems.

If I have items I want to hide from peeping eyes while car is parked and I am away, I just place them in the console if small enough or cover it with whatever I have in the car like a jacket or a towel.

 

…I had to sack my last chauffeuse after she kept helping herself to the candy hidden in the secret compartment (…see above!)
I think that's the problem today, you just can't get honest servants any more!

 

Lexus has locks , Toyota dont. smh

 

Lexus = Nordstrom

Toyota = Walmart

 

All our Hondas had locks. And recently, an endearing (albeit a bit off-topic) "feature";

Disconnect the 12 volt, without a memory saver, and the radio is BRICKED, until you enter a code. Lose the code, pretty much forever.

Nobody wants those damn radios, and savvy owners put a sticker with the code on the inside of the glove box.

The locking glove box...

 

I looked at my son's CR-Z this morning. It did not have a lock on glove box. Now, that bring the question. My HONDA was Civic sedan with lockable trunk. CR-Z is a hatch back. For Civic sedan, they had trunk release lock that can not be unlocked by Chauffeurs key. This does not exist on CR-Z. Question is, does Civic hatch or any other SUV type Honda cars have locking glove box?

As for the Radio code. I think, one time I had to change 12V battery on my HCH, I looked up the code on internet. The code did not come with the car which was purchased used. How useful is this system for deterring radio theft if anyone can look up the code on the internet, not that anyone would want to steal those damn radios? LOL

 

Yeah I should have clarified: in the States there's a website, and I believe if you answer a few security questions (maybe enter the car's VIN?), you can recover the code. Up here in Canada, that doesn't work.

 

I think having a lock is still worthwhile and while I agree that if someone wants to steal something, that lock isn't going to do a thing or does at least discourage it in other situations.

It would discourage nosy valet workers, car wash people to name a few.


iPhone ?

 

On the shadier side of things....

A lockable compartment would mean police need a warrant to open it (from what I understand). Otherwise it's all fair game.

 

I think absenting consent they need permission to open the car DOOR.....but that’s a topic for another thread....probably in another forum.

 

It has to be asked.... Are you needing a place to hide your extra superman suit? ....curious....

 

Toyota and Lexus are a lot closer then Walmart and Nordstrom. Lexus uses pretty all the same components/parts as Toyota. the differences are just cosmetic. Lexus uses more sound proofing, fancier door handles and stuff like that but the actual parts are the same. Having owned several Lexuses and Toyotas I see no difference in build quality and durability.

 

Lexus = Toyota with the bolts tightened