Is there a way to lock my doors and leave the Prius running?

i know, whacky, right?

 

I typically agree with "why leave your car running" but yesterday I was unloading some stuff (BRZ WHEELS) =D out of my cargo area into my home and I had to momentarily leave the car in the street. I wanted to leave the car in its "READY" state so I could leave the headlights on but I wanted to lock the doors just in case. Obviously can't do both. Also I knew if I shut down the car, the headlights would shut off after 30 seconds. I wish I could have left my headlights on with the doors locked but instead I just shut the car off and put the hazards on. Maybe in the future cars can lock/unlock with a fingerprint scanner and that would allow the doors to open only for authorized persons.

 

Regarding the legality of leaving a car running while unattended: Most would be hard-pressed to realize that the Prius was running. After all, the engine won't even start for a few minutes and then will only run for 20 or 30 seconds. But if it is for the purpose of keeping a child or pet cool, realize that there is a lot of media attention on that subject these days with crusaders searching out windows that need breaking. (Hard to tell from the outside how comfy Rover is sitting in the second row.)

I personally like the idea of getting a real key made from the FOB and using it both for this purpose and also if you wish to leave the car locked up with the FOB, wallet, purse, etc., all locked inside - - say for a bike ride or swim. Just put the FOB in something insulated like a breath mint can. I forget the reason.

 

I just recently bought a 2007 Prius. I tried this and I believe it works WITHOUT having to use your mechanical key.

Option 1: Press the "lock" button on your door before you close the door. Yep, forget about the FOB. There is still a lock button. When you return to the car, it will unlock when you put your hand on the inside of the driver's handle. Also, make sure the FOB stays with you and not in the car.

Option 2: Get out of the car, close the door, then press the black button on the door. That will lock the door. The rest is similar to option 1.

EDIT: I stand corrected. I purposefully tried the options out and none worked. Shame on me. I must have not started the car when I did this prior.

 

well that explains a lot !!!!!!!

 

Purty cool. I hadn't thought about using the "secret, mini swashbuckler's" key. I only recently found it by accident while playing with the fob.

I have a small courier business and am in and out of the car constantly. This will be of great help come summer heat.
I can't tell you how many times I went in a store or whatever, forgot to turn it off. Then, comeback to find my car happily running and unlocked.
Just glad they are so quit.Forgot to say, one of the first things I did after finding the fob key was making a copy and putting it under the fender, using a hide-a-key magnet case.

 

I do deliveries too and need to leave my car for short periods. As long as it's in sight. But I ALWAYS lock it unless I'm just a few steps away. The best way to do this is make a hardware store copy of the mechanical key, and then put it on a lanyard attached to your belt loop. That way you can't drop it down a sewer grate or in the grass, or forget it leaving it at home that particular day.

One thing I really miss about my other cars was the ability to lock it as I got out, and then just using the key to get back in again.

Oh well, can't have everything....

 

Insurance if its stolen? What happens if that person who stole your car crashes into a school bus and kills or maims everyone onboard - think about that.. The world is not as rosy as you think.

 

Someone said if you leave your Prius running and the doors unlocked someone can get in your car and drive it away. If the key fob is not inside the car this does not work. Try it.

 

I tried that now...I started the car and put the FOBs away far away. The car indicates it cannot detect the FOB via the dash crossed off key symbol. I drove the car up and down my driveway,put it in Park and then drove it again. It indicates to me the car will NOT shut down by itself. I would think this is a safety concern as if it did and it got into an accident then (even when stolen) then the fault would be on the insurance carrier of that car NOT the person who stole it.

 

The Prius will still drive without the keyfob transponder in it, it just won't re-start if turned off.
Imagine if your keyfob battery or transponder failed while driving on the road. Makes sense.

I once had a customer do a pick-up at the shop and drive home, leaving her keys on the
counter. She then had to drive her husbands car to come back and get her keys.

 

Yeah thats a good point on the FOB batt croaking and then the car decides to croak as well.

 

Thats funny, Priusrecon.

Edit; Thanks for that information. I have been leaving the car running thinking it coulnt drive with out the fob nearby,

 

If you want to be really safe, Put the club on it when you leave it running.

 

Well you obviously don't know how to think outside the box, and don't know anything about the Prius. Every time you crank the Prius it warms up until it hits the appropriate Temperature, wasting fuel just to get the engine to a certain temperature. If you leave the car "on", the gas engine does not idle unless it is needed and the computer just stays in the "on" position. But for myself who does a lot of deliveries that are less than a couple miles and takes 20 of them a day, if I restart it every time then I get an average of 35 miles per gallon, if I leave it running in between it doesn't have to warm up and I can average closer to 60 mpg. I do this all the time, while the Prius is in the on position, roll your driver's window down and get out and shut the door; reach through the window and lock the doors and roll up the window but make sure you have your key; when you get back to your car use the mechanical key to unlock the door and you'll be fine! Keep in mind the battery does drain while the car is on because power steering and other things are still running, and if the battery hits 40% it automatically kicks the engine back on to recharge. With the battery fully charged at 60%, I can usually leave my car on without the engine kicking on for 30 minutes to an hour

 

Just shut the whole "personal air space" system down, and turn the car off when you're not using it to get you places, and if it's stuffy when you get back in: roll the windows down a bit.

 

In smart key mode just use the mechanical key inside of your fob to lock and unlock your car while it is running or still on

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I did delivery driving in my Prius for a long time. I never locked the doors unless I parked in actual spot and turned it off. Most of the time I was parked on a road with a blinker flashing, fire-lane, side of a parking lot closest to the business' door, gravel bed of army barracks, basketball court, etc...

Is it really that bad over there it must be locked all the time? I'd roll the windows up as I came to a stop, Park button and seat belt release with each hand simultaneously while bending over to the passenger area to get the food and hop out and go. Those were good days.

 

It just won't die, it came back to life again, now 5 years after the first post and 2 years after the last post. Seems like a pattern forming.