I just bought a new Prius Friday. I really like it. I now have 100 miles on it I just noticed today, a red light that looks like a key that flashes when I'm not in the car. I looked in my owners manual but couldn't figure out what is going on...it is not listed as a warning light but seems like it has something to do with an alarm system...I didn't notice the light flashing yesterday? Does anyone know what this might be? Many thanks, Russell
it is probably the anti theft system. remember you have a package 5. and it comes with the anti theft system enabled. its not just the key immobilizer. when you lock your doors and walk away, the light flashes, it arms the theft deterrent system, and it will go off if someone opens the door. if you wish it to go off if someone breaks a window. that will be $165 or something extra.
I have an NHW11, 2003 model and once in the summer, I had the windows down and the car locked. Due to the sun heated outside surface, I reached inside the open window to open the door and the alarm went off. Closing the door made it go quiet again. ... Yeap, the little blinkie red light. Bob Wilson
Toyota refers to it as the immobilizer system, so the flashing key is the immobilizer indicator. All it does is warn a potential thief that this car is not going to start without a key fob. Tom
I tripped my alarm once and noticed that when I corrected the problem and re-locked the car, the light did not flash but remained on steady until I started the car and shut it down again (which occurred the next time I drove it). FYI to all.
correction to thread: it serves as an immobilizer warning light & an alarm arming/armed light (in higher packages)
I think Toyota should put the anti-theft/immobilizer in the all the trim level as a leader. I believe there is a bill sponsoring to have anti-theft device in all cars sold in the states. I hope it will pass.
So here is what Toyota could do with a Heads Up Display in the U.S. market: Each time you power up your Prius, before it will shift into Ready, a page of the owner's manual is projected onto the HUD. After reading the page, you have to correctly answer a short quiz, proving that you have read and understood that page of the manual. It might be the only way we will ever get people to RTFM. Tom
I predict abandoned Prius left behind not from mechanical failure but from lack of patience by the former owners. :madgrin:
Yes, but unfortunately, because they never read the owner's manual, they didn't realize that they should leave the smart key behind with the car. :madgrin:
