Disable Prius with a magnet??

xbdude · 03-01-2006, 08:40 PM

I've had my Prius for about a month now, and some of the idiots at work poke fun at it, usually at lunchtime when a few of us are gathered. Mostly it's just in a joking way. However, today a co-worker told me that he saw on the news that some teenagers in California have figured out a way to disable a person's Prius by using a little magnet. As a teenager, I remember sticking a potato up a few tailpipes, but it never amounted to anything. Could this "news story" be true or just another jab at my Prius??

bobr1 · 03-01-2006, 08:48 PM

Well, here's an old article about students riding around in a Prius checking for magnetic fields... and it includes the word "disable" in a different paragraph, but that's about as close as I could find googling around...

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/...ty/friloc01.txt

- Bob R.

**TonyPSchaefer** · 03-01-2006, 08:48 PM

I'm thinking that a magnet will not stop a Prius.
Though I'm starting to think that your coworker can stop a sensible conversation.

bobr1 · 03-01-2006, 08:56 PM

The only things I can think of (and this would be pure speculation) is that you can fool some kind of safety-lockout sensor with a strategically placed magnet, hold a relay open or closed likewise, or fry the smart key with a sufficiently strong magnetic field. But such prankery would be applicable to any modern car, not just the Prius.

As a completely off-topic aside, it reminds me of a prank that you could do on really old radios, the kind with mechanical presets. Given access to the stereo, you could set all the presets to annoying stations and then carefully remove the string from the internal pulley system, causing the poor victim to be forced to listen to your selections.

- Bob R.

ceric · 03-01-2006, 09:27 PM

Maybe my physics is very rusty now, but could someone remind me how a magnet that generates static magnetic field could possible affect electronic circuitry? Dynamic magnetic field could induce electric field on metal, therefore, induce current, therefore affect electronics. But not a magnet that generates static magnetic field.

A large speaker placed next to a CRT TV could distort the TV picture. However, that is because the CRT employs electron beam which is controlled by a changing electric field which could be affected by the static magnetic field. (This actually happened to me once.)

The static magnet could probably affect the wireless devices. Other than that, I fail to see any possibility. Anyone? BTW, the EM wave generated by a nucear weapon or an EM bomb are not static EM wave.

Correct me if I am wrong here. It is time to review my EM physics.

DaveinOlyWA · 03-01-2006, 09:35 PM

a strong enough magnet can disable nearly any car i suppose. magnetic fields alternating opposition and attraction is how the EV works.

personally i think the story goes next to the "electrocution in an accident"

galaxee · 03-02-2006, 12:06 AM

nah. can't think of anything that would be affected enough by some magnet to disable the car.

if you were able to place a magnet on the door, without the owner noticing, you could MAYBE disable smartkey function. maybe.

yep, more hybrid myths every day it seems

AlphaTeam · 03-02-2006, 06:53 AM

Sure one could.
You know those big crane things they have in junk yards? Slap one of those on the top, lift.....it ain't going any where. :P

jchu · 03-02-2006, 10:12 AM

How about the EMP from the detonation of a small thermonuclear device

priusham · 03-02-2006, 10:29 AM

A magnet's "static" electric field is only "static" if the magnet is not moving relative to the device measuring the field.

Moving a magnet along a conductor induces electron flow.

So yeah... the kids could haul a 10 ton electro magnet (the kind used in scrap yards) and disable your Prius by lifting it off the ground.

Of course... they will do that to ANY other car also :-)

The BS rises so fast on the Internet, you need wings to stay above it!

03-01-2006, 08:40 PM	#1
xbdude xbdude Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 131 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I've had my Prius for about a month now, and some of the idiots at work poke fun at it, usually at lunchtime when a few of us are gathered. Mostly it's just in a joking way. However, today a co-worker told me that he saw on the news that some teenagers in California have figured out a way to disable a person's Prius by using a little magnet. As a teenager, I remember sticking a potato up a few tailpipes, but it never amounted to anything. Could this "news story" be true or just another jab at my Prius?? __________________ '06 Super white/beige, package 3 Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand.

03-01-2006, 09:27 PM	#5
ceric Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 810 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Maybe my physics is very rusty now, but could someone remind me how a magnet that generates static magnetic field could possible affect electronic circuitry? Dynamic magnetic field could induce electric field on metal, therefore, induce current, therefore affect electronics. But not a magnet that generates static magnetic field. A large speaker placed next to a CRT TV could distort the TV picture. However, that is because the CRT employs electron beam which is controlled by a changing electric field which could be affected by the static magnetic field. (This actually happened to me once.) The static magnet could probably affect the wireless devices. Other than that, I fail to see any possibility. Anyone? BTW, the EM wave generated by a nucear weapon or an EM bomb are not static EM wave. Correct me if I am wrong here. It is time to review my EM physics. __________________ 2005' Tideland Prius (Dec, 2004) Life time MPG = 45+ Mods Done: body-side moldings, wood dash kit, rear bumper applique, ultrasound backup sensors, backup camera, signal mirrors, BT stiffening plate, 205/60R15 tires, leather-trim interior, all-weather mats, shark-fin antenna Mods Planned: 16" or 17" light-alloy wheels, front strut-tower brace

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03-01-2006, 08:48 PM	#2
bobr1 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon, USA Posts: 306 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Well, here's an old article about students riding around in a Prius checking for magnetic fields... and it includes the word "disable" in a different paragraph, but that's about as close as I could find googling around... http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/...ty/friloc01.txt - Bob R.

03-01-2006, 08:48 PM	#3
TonyPSchaefer Ruler of Omicron Persei 8 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 8,391 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 4 Times in 2 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 16	I'm thinking that a magnet will not stop a Prius. Though I'm starting to think that your coworker can stop a sensible conversation.

03-01-2006, 08:56 PM	#4
bobr1 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon, USA Posts: 306 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The only things I can think of (and this would be pure speculation) is that you can fool some kind of safety-lockout sensor with a strategically placed magnet, hold a relay open or closed likewise, or fry the smart key with a sufficiently strong magnetic field. But such prankery would be applicable to any modern car, not just the Prius. As a completely off-topic aside, it reminds me of a prank that you could do on really old radios, the kind with mechanical presets. Given access to the stereo, you could set all the presets to annoying stations and then carefully remove the string from the internal pulley system, causing the poor victim to be forced to listen to your selections. - Bob R.

03-01-2006, 09:35 PM	#6
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,633 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	a strong enough magnet can disable nearly any car i suppose. magnetic fields alternating opposition and attraction is how the EV works. personally i think the story goes next to the "electrocution in an accident"

03-02-2006, 12:06 AM	#7
galaxee running WOT until out of fuel Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 9,066 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 21	nah. can't think of anything that would be affected enough by some magnet to disable the car. if you were able to place a magnet on the door, without the owner noticing, you could MAYBE disable smartkey function. maybe. yep, more hybrid myths every day it seems

03-02-2006, 06:53 AM	#8
AlphaTeam Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 631 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Sure one could. You know those big crane things they have in junk yards? Slap one of those on the top, lift.....it ain't going any where. :P

03-02-2006, 10:12 AM	#9
jchu Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 1,063 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	How about the EMP from the detonation of a small thermonuclear device

03-02-2006, 10:29 AM	#10
priusham Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Michigan - land of everlasting snowflake icon! Posts: 525 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	A magnet's "static" electric field is only "static" if the magnet is not moving relative to the device measuring the field. Moving a magnet along a conductor induces electron flow. So yeah... the kids could haul a 10 ton electro magnet (the kind used in scrap yards) and disable your Prius by lifting it off the ground. Of course... they will do that to ANY other car also :-) The BS rises so fast on the Internet, you need wings to stay above it!