deactivating theft deterrent system

priusunum · 01-06-2008, 08:10 PM

My 2006 Prius is a great car, but I've developed an intermittent problem lately: for no apparent reason, the theft deterrent system will act as though someone is trying to break into the car when there's no problem at all. Last night it happened while the car was alone, unlocked, and parked in my closed garage. I had to run down two flights of stairs in my pyjamas to the tune of a blaring carhorn and come into the garage to see the headlights flashing on and off and turn off the alarm. It's a real pain.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you solve it? I haven't seen this issue addressed on Prius Chat. I looked in my Prius manual and it says the dealer can deactivate the theft deterrent system if so desired. I live in a small town and keep the car garaged, so I'm thinking that might be a good solution. Other than reducing the theft protection, is there any downside to doing this? Is it a simple procedure? Does it cost much?

qbee42 · 01-06-2008, 11:07 PM

Make sure you didn't accidentally activate the panic button on the fob. If that's not the case, check your 12V battery. A low 12V battery has been known to cause odd activation of the alarm.

Tom

rigormortis · 01-07-2008, 06:03 AM

all doors must be LOCKED before the theft deterrent system activates
it will not activate if the doors are UNLOCKED

so that rules out the alarm, yeah so make sure someone didnt hit the panic button

permantly Deactivating/activating isnt something trivial you can do, the only way to do that
is for the dealer to use his toyota scan tool

hobbit · 01-07-2008, 08:28 AM

I've managed to sit on my own panic button on occasion. If the
fob takes a beating in your pocket, the button pad inside it
could begin to go flakey. Try this experiment: open up the fob
and take the battery out, and forgo use of smartkey or the
remote clicker for a few days. See if it still false-triggers.
You may also have an alternate fob [in better shape?] you could
use for a while.
.
_H*

priusunum · 01-07-2008, 11:00 AM

Thanks to those who replied! It looks like I must have accidentally pressed the panic button in my pocket to activate the alarm. I tested out the possibility of pressing the panic button from my top floor (three floors up from the garage level) and it did start the horn blowing! And yet the manual says the keypad on the fob works within three feet of the vehicle...

I phoned the dealer who told me it would cost me $79 to have them deactivate the system, which they said takes about an hour or an hour and a half to do. It's not covered by the warranty so I'd have to pay it. I'm not sure I need to do that, now that I know the probable cause: all I have to do is push the panic button again to stop the alarm.

rigormortis · 01-08-2008, 06:32 AM

as long as the doors are unlocked, the alarm is deactivated
so i dont think its necessary to pay the dealer to have it done

CatahoulaB · 01-08-2008, 06:56 AM

Speaking of the key fob. I'm guessing this is a dunb question and it's probably covered in the manual and on the forums but....

Why can't I leave the keys in the car? What would happen?

Thanks.

richard schumacher · 01-08-2008, 02:45 PM

You can't lock the car, and thus can't confirm that the doors and hatch are actually shut (to prevent killing the 12V battery) as well as making it easy to steal the car.

priusunum · 01-08-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rigormortis

as long as the doors are unlocked, the alarm is deactivated
so i dont think its necessary to pay the dealer to have it done

I reached that conclusion too, especially since I only had the problem when the doors were unlocked and the key fob was in my pocket. This should mean my problem is indeed due to accidentally pushing the red panic button on my key fob while it was in my pocket. I haven't had the problem again since I started this thread, but if I do, I now know what to do: just press the panic button and it will turn off the unwanted alarm!

shahan · 03-10-2008, 09:07 PM

Hi....
We just got a 2006 Prius a couple weeks ago and are still in the process of figuring things out.
I just noticed today that the little 'car w/ the key in it' icon on my dash is flashing. I mean..all the time the car is turned off. Whether the door is open or not, or if doors are locked or not...it still flashes. When I turn the car on, it stops.
I have read this part in the manual a dozen times or so and still can't figure how to turn it off. I don't know if it's been flashing the whole two weeks since we bought the car or if I've just done something recently that is causing it to flash. I'm really thinking that it isn't supposed to be doing this.
Can someone please help me?
Sharon in Ut.

01-06-2008, 08:10 PM	#1
priusunum priusunum Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 29 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	deactivating theft deterrent system My 2006 Prius is a great car, but I've developed an intermittent problem lately: for no apparent reason, the theft deterrent system will act as though someone is trying to break into the car when there's no problem at all. Last night it happened while the car was alone, unlocked, and parked in my closed garage. I had to run down two flights of stairs in my pyjamas to the tune of a blaring carhorn and come into the garage to see the headlights flashing on and off and turn off the alarm. It's a real pain. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you solve it? I haven't seen this issue addressed on Prius Chat. I looked in my Prius manual and it says the dealer can deactivate the theft deterrent system if so desired. I live in a small town and keep the car garaged, so I'm thinking that might be a good solution. Other than reducing the theft protection, is there any downside to doing this? Is it a simple procedure? Does it cost much? __________________ priusunum[size=3]

01-06-2008, 11:07 PM	#2
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 10,486 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 95 Thanked 392 Times in 290 Posts Friends: 10	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system Make sure you didn't accidentally activate the panic button on the fob. If that's not the case, check your 12V battery. A low 12V battery has been known to cause odd activation of the alarm. Tom

01-07-2008, 06:03 AM	#3
rigormortis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: san jose, ca Posts: 1,313 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #5 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system all doors must be LOCKED before the theft deterrent system activates it will not activate if the doors are UNLOCKED so that rules out the alarm, yeah so make sure someone didnt hit the panic button permantly Deactivating/activating isnt something trivial you can do, the only way to do that is for the dealer to use his toyota scan tool

01-07-2008, 08:28 AM	#4
hobbit Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bahstahn Posts: 3,625 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 216 Times in 118 Posts Friends: 0	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system I've managed to sit on my own panic button on occasion. If the fob takes a beating in your pocket, the button pad inside it could begin to go flakey. Try this experiment: open up the fob and take the battery out, and forgo use of smartkey or the remote clicker for a few days. See if it still false-triggers. You may also have an alternate fob [in better shape?] you could use for a while. . _H*

01-07-2008, 11:00 AM	#5
priusunum priusunum Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 29 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system Thanks to those who replied! It looks like I must have accidentally pressed the panic button in my pocket to activate the alarm. I tested out the possibility of pressing the panic button from my top floor (three floors up from the garage level) and it did start the horn blowing! And yet the manual says the keypad on the fob works within three feet of the vehicle... I phoned the dealer who told me it would cost me $79 to have them deactivate the system, which they said takes about an hour or an hour and a half to do. It's not covered by the warranty so I'd have to pay it. I'm not sure I need to do that, now that I know the probable cause: all I have to do is push the panic button again to stop the alarm.

01-08-2008, 06:32 AM	#6
rigormortis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: san jose, ca Posts: 1,313 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #5 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system as long as the doors are unlocked, the alarm is deactivated so i dont think its necessary to pay the dealer to have it done

01-08-2008, 06:56 AM	#7
CatahoulaB Redneck Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hamburg, Indiana Posts: 23 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system Speaking of the key fob. I'm guessing this is a dunb question and it's probably covered in the manual and on the forums but.... Why can't I leave the keys in the car? What would happen? Thanks.

01-08-2008, 02:45 PM	#8
richard schumacher Destination: Eschaton Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 5,512 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: #6 Thanks: 99 Thanked 93 Times in 66 Posts Friends: 0	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system You can't lock the car, and thus can't confirm that the doors and hatch are actually shut (to prevent killing the 12V battery) as well as making it easy to steal the car.

03-10-2008, 09:07 PM	#10
shahan Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 3 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: S Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: deactivating theft deterrent system Hi.... We just got a 2006 Prius a couple weeks ago and are still in the process of figuring things out. I just noticed today that the little 'car w/ the key in it' icon on my dash is flashing. I mean..all the time the car is turned off. Whether the door is open or not, or if doors are locked or not...it still flashes. When I turn the car on, it stops. I have read this part in the manual a dozen times or so and still can't figure how to turn it off. I don't know if it's been flashing the whole two weeks since we bought the car or if I've just done something recently that is causing it to flash. I'm really thinking that it isn't supposed to be doing this. Can someone please help me? Sharon in Ut.