Prius 2006 SKS key - Not Un-locking driver's door or starting car

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by DashingDave, Dec 27, 2024 at 6:26 PM.

  1. DashingDave

    DashingDave Junior Member

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    Can you help please?

    Prius 2006, Gen 2 with SKS key

    Problems --
    Key stopped Un-locking driver's door or starting car.

    Clues --
    * Pushing start button without key in slot - triggers Key missing light on Dash
    * Pushing start button with key in Slot - Key-missing light on Dash does NOT light up.

    Meaning key is recognized, and
    Key is recognized as Valid - otherwise key light would not have gone out.

    All 4 Door locks work on & off from Drivers seat door lock switch
    When unlocked tail hatch opens (thank goodness)

    Key Does not unlock any doors from Drivers door outside
    Key Does not unlock any doors from Passenger door outside
    Key Does not unlock any doors from Tail Hatch outside

    Conditions-
    So 12volt battery is reasonably verified as charged -
    also it was on charger giving me a FULL Charge reading just before its final trip.

    * Fob key battery is verified good @ 3.12volts (ed:
    Update -- There is no 2nd FOB).
    * HV battery is mid range charged
    * Key is Valid
    * SKS System recognizes Key when in slot.


    Tried and unsuccessful --
    All (underhood and under dash drivers side) Fuses checked and visually good
    Disconnected battery and shorted the two + and - cables while counting to 10.

    Until car is running - Cannot check --
    * Head-lights, or
    * Turn signals, etc.

    Thank you for reading this
     
    #1 DashingDave, Dec 27, 2024 at 6:26 PM
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2024 at 2:16 AM
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    do you have a second fob?

    put a fresh battery in the fob, make sure it tests 3.3v first

    have the 12v load tested for free at most auto parts stores
     
  3. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Have you checked each of the buttons on the fob is not sticking in the "down" position. Do you hear an active "click" on each button when you depress it and observe the red light lighting up in response to each push?
     
    #3 dolj, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:19 AM
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2024 at 2:13 AM
  4. DashingDave

    DashingDave Junior Member

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    Thank you for responding.
    Re FOB battery --
    No 2nd Fob.
    I'll put new battery in and make sure its 3.3. Will report back.

    Re Load Test 12 volt --
    Since I can't start the car - can't easily get it to an Auto Parts store.
    Don't have a second car and its 15 miles out in country.
    Yes, I could take battery out and borrow a car.

    But I'm fairly familiar with a low 12 volt - and it has none of those symptoms - indeed
    it acts the opposite. Just as in fully charged - It enthusiastically locks and unlocks doors.
    Besides that the 12volt started the car easily the last time.
    I was just charging it because I wanted to top it off.
    And the very reliable charger reported a full charge just previous to the last start.
    I'll keep that as a last resort.
    In interim, I'll check 12v battery voltage.
     
    bisco likes this.
  5. DashingDave

    DashingDave Junior Member

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    Thank you for rapid response.
    Yes, checked each of 3 buttons. All provide a clear click.
    Even took fob apart to see if anything was amiss. All looks good. No buttons sticking.
     
  6. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    You can't really equate these two things as they are two separate functions.

    The former is really a clue as to why the key is not recognized when not in the slot. I believe there are two receivers that are used to detect the key when inside the car.

    The latter confirms the RFID is detected and registered to the car. This is so the car can still be started when the CR2032 battery is flat. For the sake of completeness, can you confirm the car starts when Start Button is pressed in this scenario?
    Can you confirm you mean pressing the rubber pad (to lock) and touching the back of the front door handles or pressing the hatch release button/lever (to unlock) – SKS function; or when using the lock/unlock buttons on the key fob – Remote function; or both. Again, these are two separate functions so the fact they both don't work is interesting. While on this subject, is the "Key" button (which disables the SKS), below the steering column, in the 'OUT' position, meaning the SKS is not disabled?

    One other thought I had, are you sure the new battery is installed in the correct orientation? That is, with the + side up.
    upload_2024-12-28_20-31-30.png
    In the illustration in the owner's manual, to me, it looks like the negative side is up, so just checking.
    upload_2024-12-28_20-35-1.png
     
    #6 dolj, Dec 28, 2024 at 2:43 AM
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2024 at 2:51 AM
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    If you opened the fob, make sure the chip didn’t fall out
     
  8. DashingDave

    DashingDave Junior Member

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    Thank you Bisco and Dolj for trying to help !

    The 12 volt battery is charged to 12.74 volts - with cables disconnected.

    "can you confirm the car starts when Start Button is pressed in this scenario?"

    A: The car does not start under any tested circumstances.

    FOB --
    A: FOB chip did not fall out

    A: FOB battery is new @ 3.34volts

    A: FOB battery is correct side up

    A: The chip is inside FOB in the proper position.

    A: Yes, Pressing the rubber pad (to lock) and touching the back of the front door handles
    or pressing the hatch release button/lever (to unlock) – SKS function - does nothing.

    A: And when "using the lock/unlock buttons on the key fob – Remote function; or both" - does nothing.

    SKS Key button
    A: "the 'Key' button (which disables the SKS), below the steering column, is in the 'OUT' position, meaning the SKS is not disabled"

    Opinion:
    My current rough diagnosis considering all the evidence is that
    the problem is not the FOB,
    but the SKS system inside the car.

    For me the revealing clue is that the SKS system recognizes the key, and recognizes it as valid.
    Yet - somehow it the SKS system won't allow the computer system to start (to initiate car start).

    Q: Are there any hidden Fuses that might affect this?
     
    #8 DashingDave, Dec 28, 2024 at 7:50 PM
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2024 at 10:36 PM
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    one possibility might be corrosion on the sks ecu connectors. idk if there's anything on the net, or if you would need the service manual to locate it
     
  10. DashingDave

    DashingDave Junior Member

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    Thanks again for trying Bisco. I'll see what I can turn up.

    Where could I find the Shop Manual for the Gen2 Prius - that would cover this?

    or even better the Diagnostic Flow Charts that the engineers and mechanics use to Diagnose this rapidly.

    The big reason I need those is because this is a strange problem (but possibly something simple) -
    it is highly unlikely the local Toyota dealer head mechanic would know any more than we do.

    But the Toyota Engineers who designed the SKS system know exactly how it all works.
     
    #10 DashingDave, Dec 28, 2024 at 10:39 PM
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2024 at 10:45 PM