Intermittent Lock/Unlock

I assume you have the Smart Entry/Smart Start system with the Smart Key fob.

When locking the doors, it is not necessary to hold the door handle. It is only necessary to press the black square button.

If you hold the handle and then press the button, the system might become confused as to whether you are trying to lock, or unlock.

Try to press the black button without holding the door handle, and see if you still have a problem in locking the doors.

 

Jeff,
I want to make sure you know this...
- when unlocking, touch the inside pad of door handle. No need to press the black button.
- when locking, press the black button, no need to touch the inside pad (it is OK to touch it).

This is Toyota/Lexus way of SmartKey.
Other automakers have slightly different procedures. I hope you are not confused by it. On Mazda, for example, one needs to press the black button no matter one is trying to lock or unlock the doors.

 

I had the same problem. I was touching the inside of the handle and pushing the button. Just push the button with your finger and don't loop you hand around the handle. This solved my problem.

 

I've had this problem; mine was always linked to my cell phone... ie if my cell phone is in my pocket and fob on the bottom... there's a chance the signal is blocked... every time I pull my cell phone out... the fob works...

 

Interesting, since I have both phone and key fob in my purse, and they're only inches apart, and I haven't had problems.

The phone is in one pocket of the purse and the keys in another, but I can't imagine that a little thin fabric would make a difference.

 

Oh jeez...I've been having the same problem too. I know about the handle thing but the push button to lock has been very intermittent. I go to push to lock and nothing...push again...nothing...push again and it locks...maybe. Thanks alot for your post because I carry my cell phone on the same side as my key fob. I bet thats it. Woo HOO!!! Gonna check it out right now!!

Just went out to the car and it locked first try sans cell. Awesome! Thanks alot!!!!!

 

Anything conductive can have the same effect: a mass of keys, a big ball of pocket change, etc.

 

yet another thing where I thought I was the only one! I have started locking the doors/car by pushing the black button.

I never push any buttons on the FOB anymore. cool feature that smart key!izza:

 

Why not just lock the door using the lock button that's inside the car as you're opening the door? Then you just close the door as you get out and walk away. No need to hassle with the button at all, or wait for confirmation that the doors are locked.

 

One could. One could also just set the TV remote down then get up to change a channel. But most of use like to use the neat technology!

 

Not exactly a fair analogy. Using the tv remote is actually much easier than walking up to the tv. It's when the technology actually makes things more difficult and take more time that I'm forced to ask why someone would use it. In this case, you probably waste around three seconds after slamming the door to the car. You need to press the button, then wait to make sure it worked. Whereas I have already locked the door before I've even finished opening it. Assuming I save three seconds each time I get out of the car, and that I drive approximately twice each day (to and from work) and then around six times on each weekend day (give or take), I will have saved about an hour of time each year. If everyone who presently pushes the black button starts using the switch inside the car and they take that hour and volunteer at a food shelf, or something...well, just imagine the impact on our world!

 

pick up the coastal autlock kit. I put mine in a few days back, work's like a charm once you hit about 12mph. took 40 mins to install, only because it was dark when i did it, and was juggling a flashlight. It is a set of simple 18awg wires, and some auto lock unit which is attached with some tap clips that you tap the car's wire's with. It's 65 bucks though...kinda of steep. I suppose if someone was so inclined and knew about real electronics enough they could easily do there own.

 

You just blew this weeks time saving typing the response.

Are you sure the door remains locked after you close the door and does locking the drivers lock all the doors?

 

I usually have things in the back where I need to open the hatchback after the car has been shut off and like pressing the black button from there. Locking the car from the inside would require me to waste time opening the locks again.

 

I'll climb out the window for the rest of the week to make up for time lost.

It does stay locked, yes. (And it arms the alarm, too.) I'm talking about pressing the lock-all-doors rocker switch on the arm-rest--not the individual lock for a particular door. The rocker switch locks all doors including the hatchback.

 

That goes against my training which was learned at the school of hard knocks. In a normal car, doing it that way invited locking your keys inside the car. When I did use that technique, I would always make sure I was holding my keys in my hand. With my Prius, I never touch my keys.

I like pushing the lock button on the outside of the car. It's easy, quick, you don't need to handle your keys, and you get instant feedback on whether it worked.

Tom

 

But I'm not suggesting touching the keys. (I don't touch mine, either.) The only reason people would lock keys in their car is they would leave them in the ignition. But with SKS, that doesn't happen. You know the key is in your pocket, so there's no reason to worry.

 

Yeah I thought about the switch after.
Funny thing is, just now I went out to my car and unlocked it, opened the door, locked it with the switch then closed the door and the drivers door unlocked. The only way to keep the door locked is to hold out the handle but if I had SKS the act of holding out the handle would have to trigger the unlock door via SKS wouldn't it?
I guess Australian Prius are different in respect to the locks too.