key detected in vehicle - while driving

This happened once to myself a couple of months ago, and just tonight while my wife was driving the car. The master warning light comes on (triangle with '!' inside) and the message "KEY DETECTED IN VEHICLE" while driving, and the key is inside the car. There is also a beep and my wife claims the interior lights were flashing. I found the warning message on page 512 of the owner's manual describing situations when the key is inside the car and an attempt is made to lock the doors. But I don't think anything like that was happening when the warning came on. I've read somewhere in this forum that water running down the handles could activate the SKS, but there was no water or moisture present. Plus I've driven in the rain and no problems. I don't know. My guess is that this "problem" is more of a nuisance rather than something serious/dangerous, but should I be concerned? Has anybody else experience this with their car too, or is it just us? Any thoughts/ideas as to what might be the cause?

Are you missing a "NOT" in that message i.e. "KEY NOT DETECTED IN VEHICLE"? Does your wife have some sort of metallic handbag that may be blocking the signal to/from the key?

Normally you'll get this message if you leave the igntion on (in READY state) and hop out and close the door (3 beeps) and message on MFD.

Also, water running over the handles is only an issue if the key is outside of the door, which is probably a bad place to be with a moving car.

Tom

I had this same error message a couple of weeks ago. My issue turned out to be that the hatchback door was not fully closed. I got the alarm whenever I went over a bump.

No there is no "NOT" in the message. See page 512 of the owners manual, assuming you are an owner too.

For my wife, the key was out in the open in the lower level storage tray. No metallic purses. When it happened to me, the key was in my pocket -- jeans (not metallic pants! haha).

Thanks for sharing the info. I'll try an experiment some time by not fully closing the hatch and see if the same message comes back or not.

Happened to me twice about two weeks ago--thought it may have been my pacemaker kicking in and being 'recognized'! Stoppped, turned off engine. Opened and then re-closed all doors, including hatch, and it went away. Think it was the hatch not fully closed.

When you try the experiment (I did this also), lower the hatchback door as softly as you can. There are two definite clicks as you close it all the way. As easy as I tried, I could not avoid the first click as the door is too heavy. I was able to not get the second click. Drove the car and when I hit the first bump I got the error message that you did. It would clear I turned the power off and back on but would come back if I hit another bump. It would not clear completely until I closed the hatch completely.

Try it to convince yourself.

I have it happen as well. I didn't think of a hatch not properly closed. In my case the message went away on it's own. Thought it was an anomaly that probably wouldn't be repeated.
At least I didn't get the "blue screen of death"

I had the same problem while driving today. (I attached the picture) I parked the car and turned off the engine, it did it again after a few minutes. this time I unlocked and locked the door while driving , it went away and came back after a few minutes. I decided to stop the car and open and close all door (Including hatchback door ) and this time it went away for good.
I definitely think it had to do with the hatchback door but can't be totally certain...
we will see if this comes again..

I tried the experiment today and sure enough the warning came on as the car encountered bumps in the road. I think the problem is solved, at least in my case. Thanks again for pin-pointing the issue.

I had the same message and audible warning this evening, also after going over a bump. Will try the hatch experiment myself, it does seem to be a likely culprit.

The very same problem occured to me today. I was taking my son to airport and we had put a suitcase in the trunk. I stopped, turned engine off and restarted. No difference. The message was coming on and off intermittently. My son opened the hatchbacked door and closed it and the problem disappeared. There was no indication that any door was not closed properly prior to the problem occuring.

So the problem likely came from the hatchback door but it is weird that no indication was given prior to the problem occuring while driving...

PS: The interior lights were definitely flashing and I think the red door ajar indicator was flashing as well (right side of display). There were many things flashing at the same time so I am not sure about the door ajar icon...

Got the same message once after I went over a bump. Weird.

It's really not that weird. When you close the doors in a Prius with the SKS, it looks for a fob inside the car. A poorly latched hatch will wiggle over bumps, causing it to appear open and then close. When the car sees it close, it looks for the fob and finds it.

Tom

You're right. It was weird at the time it happened and before reading this thread.

Earman, you bring up an excellent point -- if the hatch isn't properly closed, you would expect a door-open indicator, like in any other car. Sounds like an oversight on Toyota's QA group/department.

The door open indication happens during the bump. The problem occurs when a door or hatch is closed well enough to depress the door switch, but not completely latched tight. It might not be QA at all, but simply the design of the latch and switch. Regardless, as an end user, I would want the latch and door switch to be synchronized.

Tom

I have found if the key is in my left pocket (deep - almost under my leg), sometimes the car does not recognize a key very well - so in theory, you could be driving, then have the car "think" there is no key, then have it "think" there is a key - and report it (key detected)...

Where did you guys have the key???