Washing your Prius

[dongwoo]

Okay... has anyone ever had their key fob in their pocket while washing their car? <_<

So I've washed my car twice now since I've gotten it three weeks ago... and everytime I rinse my car with the hose - the car starts to randomly lock and unlock itself.... WIERD! the first time i thought. Then I thought... i hope nothings getting messed up or worn down or battery dying.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is this normal? I'm assuming magnetic field bridging with the water, eh?

[kdmorse]

That's perfectly normal, and means your car is ticklish. All that spraying it with water in just the right spots is making it giggle.

But you're right of course, the water running along the backside of the door handles is triggering the SKS unlock. Then - since you didn't open a door in 30 seconds, it's auto relocking. It's not hurting anything, but if you want, the easiest way to avoid it is to unlock all the doors before you was you car.

-Ken

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dongwoo @ Nov 11 2007, 05:20 PM) [snapback]538128[/snapback]</div>

Has this happened to anyone else?
Is this normal?
I'm assuming magnetic field bridging with the water, eh?[/b]

YES.
YES.
and YES . . . assuming by "magnetic field bridging" you are saying "when a large enough amount of water makes contact with the sensor strips on the inside of the front door handles."

If it bugs you, just unlock the car before you start washing.

[dongwoo]

Hah... ticklish.. good one!

You mentioned the relocking feature... this question probably belongs to a whole new topic, but might as well ask now since I'm typing here

What triggers the auto relock? I left the car one time going to a restaurant to eat, and forgot to lock the doors by pressing the outside button on the handle once. When I got back maybe 15 minutes later to get something, the car was still unlocked! I thought the car would relock itself after the 30 seconds automatically... but this time it didnt. ...I think i'm going to go outside right now and try to see if it autolocks itslef... i never really witnessed it do it because i make sure i lock the doors when i leave.


Thanks again!



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kdmorse @ Nov 11 2007, 08:30 PM) [snapback]538135[/snapback]</div>

That's perfectly normal, and means your car is ticklish. All that spraying it with water in just the right spots is making it giggle.

But you're right of course, the water running along the backside of the door handles is triggering the SKS unlock. Then - since you didn't open a door in 30 seconds, it's auto relocking. It's not hurting anything, but if you want, the easiest way to avoid it is to unlock all the doors before you was you car.

-Ken
[/b]

ok.. so it only relocks itself if u dont open a door. That just seems kind of retarded to me for a feature.

If someone unlocks a door... you'd think they'd open the door next. Especially if they're unlocking the door with their hand in the handle. It should lock itself after 30 secs after the last door has been shut.

Wow. Disappointed. *shakes head*

[kdmorse]

The auto relocking just means that if you do something to unlock the car, and don't open a door within 30 seconds, it assumes it was an accident and relocks.

It's there for accidental bumps of the unlock button on the fob, or accidental brushes against the sensor strip on the backside of the doorhandle. It's not there for when you get out, and walk away without remembering to lock the doors.

-Ken

[slrobtx]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kdmorse @ Nov 11 2007, 08:30 PM) [snapback]538135[/snapback]</div>

That's perfectly normal, and means your car is ticklish. All that spraying it with water in just the right spots is making it giggle. [/b]

Ticklish and giggles, too!! Does this mean Toyota engineers have a sense of humor? :P I'm not sure about theirs but I like yours!!! You're killing me, LOL!!!!!

[Neicy]

I leave the fob on the seat when I wash the car so it doesn't get mixed messages from the water running over the door handles.

[Ct. Ken V]

Hi, all,

I think this is my first post on this site (I've been over at PriusOnLine for over 2 years), so I'm not sure how this post is going to come out.

All I wanted to say is that I had this same problem (lock'g & unlock'g continuously) during the wash'g/rinsing of my car the first 2 times. I too was afraid that it might hurt something or wear things out prematurely. After that, my solution was to simply shut off the SKS (with the switch under & to the left of the steer'g column) before wash'g & turn'g it back on when finished wash'g. Problem solved!

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

[richard schumacher]

I leave my fob in the garage when washing the car, and this never happens.

[David Beale]

My car has never done this. I assumed it was the other people pressing too hard and tripping the lock button on the door handle. If the car is -unlocked- the strip on the back of the door handle does nothing. No "false unlock" that you get if you use the inside door lock/unlock switch. So how does washing the car unlock the doors? Surely you're not washing a locked car?! I always make sure all doors are unlocked before washing, because I have to open them and wash the door jambs. The fob is always in my pocket. Perhaps you are pressing or leaning on the fob and tripping the lock function?