Class action lawsuit regarding keyless ignition being dangerous/deadly

To be perfectly honest it sounds like an attorney grasping for a big paycheck.

No life should be trivialized but Toyota sold a million Prii between 2000 and 2011 in the United States. That makes that one event a one in a million event. Park those cars in the garage every night for three years and it becomes a one in a billion event. Add to that the opportunity for people to use carbon monoxide detectors in the home and the odds become even longer.

I have a set routine I follow before I get out of the Prius anywhere. If I'm walking away from the car (into the store or into the house) as opposed to doing something like getting out just to open or close the garage door when I back out or pull in, I do not even start to get out until the gear selection on the dash turns off after hitting the power button. Kind of a post-flight checklist I go through with any car, keyless or not. If anything is lit, I don't get out until I'm comfortable with the way things are.

My wife, on the other hand, has three times left the keys in the ignition of a car, locked it and left it running while going to the movies, shopping, etc. without realizing it. Not a keyless car, an actual key. She has called me or the Auto Club to open it back up for her. Is it really the car manufacturers' responsibility to protect her from that or is that her responsibility as a car owner and operator? Do those few occurrences justify the expense and effort involved in retrofitting millions of cars?

Nothing is foolproof and if you try to make it so the world will always come up with a new and improved fool.

 

there was a story in another lifetime of an elderly couple that left their lexus running in the garage and died of asphyxiation in the attached bedroom that night.

 

Maybe one of the mods would be kind enough to move this discussion over to

Keyless ignition class action | PriusChat

so owners of other generations can see it and join in.

 

It is recommended to always push PARK and then push POWER. However, I often just push POWER which will only properly turn off the car 90% of the time (after putting itself in PARK). Using both buttons would probably come close to insuring that you don't walk away with it still on. Always pushing the black LOCK button on the door will make it 100%, as the car will not lock without being OFF and all doors completely closed. Of course, I never locked the car either when parking in a garage.

 

i do think i might have smelled something one night...

 

what did gm come up with to keep the car running if the fob battery dies while you're on the highway?

 

There's actually a circuit you can build and install to use the horn as the key not detected reminder. It'll comply with the 83db rule. It'll scare the hell out of you but who cares if it'll save your life right?