Wife locked the keys in it.

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The above posts are absolute mis-information. You cannot lock a fob in the car this way, whether the SK system is on or off. (Unless you have access to 2 fobs........which would prevent OP's situation here anyway).
Assuming you are gonna leave the single fob in the car.....
With SK on or off, and door open, you cannot lock the car with the fob. With door closed you could, but when you open the door to get out, it unlocks, ...sooo the only way to lock it again is to use the interior door lock button, (which I will get to in a moment).

So, onto some accurate info, and the root of the problem.
The highlighted statement above is ambiguous, but is the real issue. The only button that could have locked the single fob in the car is the interior door lock button, so that's the one that must have been pushed. And the only time it can do this is with the SK system turned off, or the fob is in a rare dead zone or condition. So , never ever use the interior lock button when exiting the car

Now onto the root of the problem. Misunderstanding the SK system.
If SK is tuned off ,the car and fob are like any other. And if you leave the fob in the car and hit the interior lock button, closing the door, you're done. Once again it's not a Prius thing, it's not a SK issue , it's just like any car and human error.

If you have SK, and intend on using it, of course turn it on. Just that will prevent most every problem. But use it right. It soooo simple.
And if you're gonna use it, don't touch the fob, and never ever use the interior lock button when exiting. Don't touch the fob, and never ever use the interior lock button when exiting. That simple rule will always prevent any problem like this.
To unlock the car , touch the door handle. (if wasn't locked it don't matter, you had to touch it anyway)
To lock the car use the little black button on exterior of car .
To start the car just push power button. Never touch the fob for functional purposes, and never touch the interior door lock switch, when exiting the car. Had the OP followed this rule, all the problems here would have been discovered, that SK was off and fob in the car, when the car didn't lock via the exterior button.
All other scenarios would require a second fob, which if this OP had, he wouldnt have an issue.

In summary, the only problem here is using the interior lock switch when exiting the car. Don't ever do that. Especially with SK tuned off. And when the SK system is on, Toyota was smart enought to provide lock protection, but a dead fob or zone will defeat that. Again, never use the interior lock button when exiting and the problem will be discovered.

 

This is all confusing and I wish we could call ourselves "smart." At least smart enough not to lock the key in the car.

 

Can AAA (or any locksmith) really unlock the Prius doors? For some reason I was under the impression that the Prius doors weren't susceptible to slim jims.

 

Yes, It's a normal mechanical lock mechanism, that can be operated manually or via a solenoid, electronically

Besides they may just use a door wedge and reach the interior button, not a slim-jim. But either will work.

 

Doesn't Toyota provide 2 sets of keys?

 

O.K. We don't have our Prius yet but SKS is ordered. Here's a tip that I learned after locking my keys in the car several times and have not done so since. It is a habit that has to be learned, but by now I even find myself doing it as a passenger in someone else's car. When I get out and close the door. I do not. never, ever close the door or hatch or trunk without the key(s) in my hand. I never leave the keys in the car. In the event that I do step out of the car and leave it running, within sight, like to get the mail, I always leave the door ajar or the window down. I don't trust our Avalon with it's auto door locking feature. Once it's a habit you don't even realize that you are doing it, until you realize they're not there and retrive them before locking yourself out. It's saved me a number of times since. Just thought I'd pass it on.

 

With The Window Rolled Down ?!?!?! THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN?????
What does that prove? If the freakin window is down, then you're not locked out of the car. And that stuff about leaning the fob and dropping the fob..........what are you talking about, dude?
And you CANNOT lock your single fob in the car with the fob.
The system won't let you. If the door is open it won't lock, if the door is closed you'd have to be inside pushing the fob, then when you open the door to get out, you can't lock it with the fob.

1) No you can't, unless you're using a second remote...and then you're not locked out of your car.
2) Right, I said that, with the SK system off or fob in a rare dead zone.
3) IF you've got the mechanicnal key, you're not locked out

 

You are going to have to learn a new habit, though I think you will like it. With the SKS, you never take the key fob out of your pocket. Simple: No possible way to lock it in the car, unless you roll the window down, close the door, press the button on the fob (in your pants pocket), pull off your pants, click the auto-up button for the window, and throw your pants (with the keys) through the opening before the window closes.

 

i can sit in the car and press the lock button on the remote with the windows rolled up in the back seat or sit in any of the dead zones and it will lock
i can sit in the car and press the lock button on the remote with the windows rolled up in any of the detection zones and it will lock


when you attempt to lock your keys in the car using the inside door lock buttons you can actually see the car pinging the electronic key and the electronic key light going red indicating a response and then the car unlocks

when you use the remote control lock there is no ping of the electronic keys wherabouts

please do the expierment

 

I thought that, while unnecessary, I could still keep it like the old habit. To get in. I have the fob, I open the door. I get in the car. I insert the key(fob) in the , keyhole, not necessary except to maintain habit. To get out. After turning the car off. Put it in park. Set the brake. I remove the key(fob). Get out of the car. Feel that I have the key(fob) in my hand/pocket. Lock door(black button on door handle). Why? I still have the Avalon just waiting for the chance to lock me out. Now, if we become a two Prius family, then .......
Will this not work? The habit only works if it's the same for both cars.

 

And you just locked yourself IN the car. Now get out and leave the fob behind. How are you going to lock the door?. You can't

the system doing its job. no problem.

Either you are using a second fob to lock the car, or You're locking yourself inside the car. With the SK system on, it will know if a single fob is in the car and Won't allow the car to Lock with the door open.
If the door is closed and you're locking it with the single fob, you must be inside the car, not locked out.
If SK is off, you can only lock a fob in the car with the interior switch.
If you're using the mechanical key, you're not locked out.

 

Sure that will work, but,
All that handling of the fob defeats the intent, liberation and marvel of having the smartkey system.
And,it's just an opportunity to leave it in the car/ or lose it.

 

It isn't that difficult a proposition, though you must be very intentional about it. Open the driver's door window. Get out of the car. Lock the car by pressing the button on the key fob. Drop the key fob in the car. Press the auto-close button for the window and pull your arm out before it gets stuck!

 

the sytem does not know the whereabouts of any key when the fob remote is pressed. there is no fob whereabouts detection wth the key

i think the only thing we proved by 4 fricken pages of useless prius trivia is that either thier smart key system is turned off, the wife purposely locked the fob in the car, or she is lying about the cicrumstances

 

a priori:


your forgetting about the prius anti pinch feature! the window will go down automatically if it detects a finger

 

Aside from being an inane comment,
You can't do that. The window won't roll up. Sk System wins again.

 

True enough. But the real question is this: When the window goes back down, will it automatically unlock the door?

 

My wife has special talents too in this area so first thing I did with my SKS key is take the little mechanical key out of the FOB..went to Home Depot..they made me a copy and using the magnetic key holder have a spare door key hidden under the car like my other cars...she drives..and somehow locks her keys in.
She hasn't needed it yet (can't see why) but soon...soon...I'll get that call..unless she locked her cell phone in there too.op2:

 

sure it does, that's why the system won't lock the car with a single fob left inside, if the sks is on.
It can only happen if the sks is off and the interior door lock button is pushed.

Where is this coming from?. Don't start slanderous insenuation against this fellow's spouse.
You are just dead wrong about the SKS.

AND STOP SCREWING UP THE QUOTE BLOCKS BY ADDING YOUR COMMENTS TO MY QUOTE. SEE POST #35. THOSE ARE YOUR COMMENTS IN MY QUOTE.

Windows down and extra keys.........That's simply foolish. You're not locked out.