I admit. I have been an airhead lately. This time of year I usually have to stop along the dirt roads a lot. But no need to shut down the car. So, I usually stop, put my parking brake on and then put the car into "park" by pressing the "park" button. And usually, the smart key is resting inside my purse inside my car. I do this to do such things as pick up tree branches dislodged by the March winds that are lying across the road, or to shoo away the snakes that have come out of hibernation and are stretched across the road soaking up spring sunshine.... (don't want to squash my slithery friends). But lately the Smart key has been in my pocket. So the car apparently misses me and protests quite a bit when I leave the vehicle while carrying the smart key (or so my niece tells me). It doesn't hurt anything tho, does it?
The car will beep 3 times to let you know it's still running and the fob is not in the car. It won't hurt anything.
No problem walking away with the key... Only issue is if one of snakes decides to go for a joy-ride. The car can be driven (until they turn it off of course). Since the animals are now driving Prii in the Hertz commercials now, anything is possible...
The only thing to be aware of is that if you drop the key fob without realizing it, you will be able to drive away without it. Later when you get to your destination and turn the car off, you will be unable to restart the car until someone brings you the spare key fob. Then you'll have to try and figure out when/where you dropped the fob or you'll have to pay for a replacement if you can't find it and want to continue to have a spare.
Is that true?? I thought the car would only go so far or not at all if the fob wasn't within a certain distance of the vehicle.
There is a limit, eventually you'll run out of gas, but I suppose you could fill up while it is running, even though that's not a good idea. Seriously, there isn't a limit. The only problem is the next time you go to power up. Tom
It is like having a ignition lock you can pull the key out of while it is on. As long as you don't turn it off you can keep going. As soon as you turn it off you need the key to get it going again. Harley Davidson use this system with a key ignition, you use a key to unlock the ignition switch then put the key in your pocket to ride preventing scratches from the keys. Once you turn the bike off you need the key to start it again.
Something nobody has mentioned so far on this topic in this and other threads. If you don't fully close the drivers door the car will not beep. BTW, if you do close the door it will beep inside and outside. Different number of beeps inside than outside as well.
No, it was well considered. Picture what might happen if it weren't designed this way: Rush our traffic, blasting along at highway speed packed in bumper to bumper and traffic on both sides, when the little battery in the fob gives up the ghost and goes to the big recycling bin in the sky. The SKS no longer sees a fob in range so the engine shuts down... You can fill in the rest of the ugly details. You could argue that the system should issue a warning and then shut down, but how long of a grace period should you get? There isn't any correct answer to that question, as each one has its own set of problems. Toyota made the correct design choice. You are not forces to use the SKS; the little button under the steering wheel shuts it off. As other posters have noted, there are also legal issues with auto-shutoff on cars used in the U.S. We have some really strange laws. Tom
I remember the salesman telling me that it's also a warning to let you know that you didn't power down, say, if you left it in the garage and thought it was off--the gas engine would keep going on and off to recharge the battery and besides being a carbon monoxide issue, it might just run you out of gas! He had heard of cases where people thought they heard their car running in the garage and went out to check and it would be off. Wouldn't that just drive you crazy? I appreciate all the things Toyota did to help me from doing something stupid! OTOH, if anyone is a runner, smart keys are so great at races! You just stash the key on you and you don't even have to dig in your shoe (or waist pack) for the key! Just walk up to the car after your race and it unlocks!
I've had more than one occasion when I sit down in the car, start it up, and then remember that I left something inside the house. I like that I can leave the car running while keeping the keys on me to go unlock the door to my house.
I had the opposite experience. I left the house, got in my car and pressed the Start button and brake pedal - nothing happens. And I think 'great, now it's broken'. Then I realize I left the fob in the house. I occasionally walk away briefly withe fob and my Prius on. It's a very convenient feature. And it saves gas, if you shut it off and turn it back on - even for a very brief time - the ICE will run needlessly. If the car beeps continuously while you walk away it's because you didn't engage P.
