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Silly SKS Question

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by kdmorse, Dec 23, 2005.

  1. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    A silly SKS question occured to me this evening - and I was unable to find it answered here, or in the manual.

    It has been said that the car get's cranky if you start the car using just the Start button (SKS in pocket, not inserted into dash), and then step out of the car. Just what exactly does 'cranky' mean? Does it just beep at you? Does it disable some of the SKS functions? (I understand it does not cut the engine for obvious reasons).

    And in doing that, can you start the car, step out (with the fob still in your pocket) and lock it, while leaving the engine running[1]?

    The ability to load stuff in the back securely (using SKS to lock/unlock the rear as needed), while the engine is running[1] to build up warmth in the cab when it's 0F out, would just be slick as can be.

    Doable, Not Doable?

    -Ken

    [1] Yah, I know, the engine will cycle on and off on it's own, so that's not the best of terminology. I just don't know the official name for the mode in which "the car would move if put into drive, but while sitting in park runs all the accessories includeing cabin heat."
     
    #1 kdmorse, Dec 23, 2005
  2. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    - it will beep at you 3x if you take the key outside the car and close the door.
    well, 3x outside beep, one long inside beep. that's all. car is still driveable and will continue driving normally until turned off. then, it won't restart without the key.

    -can't lock it with the engine running. it will give you the long "hey something's wrong and i'm not going to lock until you figure it out" outside beep.
     
    #2 galaxee, Dec 23, 2005
  3. jwe8f

    jwe8f New Member

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    It gives you three external beeps and a "key missing" warning indicator on the dash.
    It's called "READY" mode.
     
    #3 jwe8f, Dec 23, 2005
  4. longjohn931

    longjohn931 New Member

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    You can lock it by lowering the driver window, locking the inside lock button and using the auto close function of the window while rapidly removing your arm and hand from inside. This works well in the summer for leaving your pet or child, with the a/c running while you go into a store or bar.......... NOT! just joking......
     
    #4 longjohn931, Dec 23, 2005
  5. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    I know you're kidding, but people do that all the time in regular cars - they just leave their keys in the ignition, radio and AC on, and a pack of kids in the car.

    I guess the difference in the Prius would be how easy it would be to pop the car into gear and start rolling since there's no lock on the shifter like other cars. But I suppose your foot needs to be on the break to do that...

    -Ken
     
    #5 kdmorse, Dec 24, 2005
  6. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Yep I get it every other week when I get out of the car at the end of the drive way to take out the recycling and put it on the curb. Beep, Beep, Beep. Not interested in turning it off and on to restart the warm up.
     
    #6 hdrygas, Dec 24, 2005
  7. iluvmacs

    iluvmacs Member

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    Any car with power locks should not allow the doors to be locked while the car is running -- typically, if you try this, the locks will immediately unlock after you locked them, and when you close the door, the locks will quickly lock and unlock again to "remind" you of your folly.
     
    #7 iluvmacs, Dec 24, 2005
  8. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON DOOR-LOCKING:

    I used to do this all the time in Fargo:

    Start the car. In cold weather if you turn the heat on high the engine will continue running to provide heat for the cab.

    Get out of the car. You can leave the fob inside or you can take it with you.

    Lock the door using the small metal key.

    The car is now running but locked from the outside. SKS will NOT open the door at this point even though you have the fob with you. You must use the metal key to open the door.

    I separated the metal key from the fob and put the key on my keyring and kept the fob in my pocket, since I used the above method all winter long. Yeah, it uses gas, but at 30 degrees below zero I will NOT just get in and drive. Bunny boots are too awkward to drive in, and so are down mittens. With any kind of gloves, 30 below is just too darn cold.

    The Prius actually warmed up faster than my '89 Civic wagon did. Four to five minutes took off enough of the chill to be able to drive. I never waited for the cab to get actually warm before driving. Now I live in Spokane and have an attached garage, and I can just get in the car and go. No more funny-locking games.
     
    #8 daniel, Dec 25, 2005
  9. jeromep

    jeromep Member

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    In the instance you mention above, I believe that the car will not respond to the door lock command you gave it. It will just unlock the doors again (I think. I can't try that right now to confirm). Plus, if you press the lock switch on the doors it also "locks" the back hatch. Now, assuming that you did lock the vehicle in such a way that you had the fob in hand, it was in READY and you wanted to get in the back hatch, you can't because when the vehicle is on it is not searching for smart key signals outside of the cabin. As such a locked vehicle in READT with fob in hand will not allow you to unlock the back hatch. Since the back hatch has an electrically powered latching system which is governed by an ECU that ECU tells the hatch latch if it is unlocked or not and if it is to open or not when you reach for the latch release.

    As for slipping into gear by occupants who are not in the driver's seat, that is going to be pretty difficult because you have to have your foot on the brake to get the vehicle out of park and into a different running mode.
     
    #9 jeromep, Dec 28, 2005
  10. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    Hehe. That's what I get for driving a 12 year old car with power locks. It has no such smarts, want to lock yourself out while the car is running? go ahead! It never occured to me that newer cars might activly notice this, and attempt to prevent it.

    -Ken
     
    #10 kdmorse, Dec 28, 2005
  11. Mom-Bo

    Mom-Bo New Member

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    My 5 year old daughter locked my out of my Beetle while it was running. She hit the passenger side "lock" button while getting out of the car and when I came back out to the car after dropping her off in her classroom, the car was running and locked up tight! I was very surprised that a new car (it's an '04) would even let that happen.
     
    #11 Mom-Bo, Dec 30, 2005
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