key detected in vehicle

You typically get this message when one of the door switches indicates the door is open while driving. The most common is the Liftback that is not completely closed and you go over a bump.

The first I have heard with the hood open. I did not know that the hood had a closed position switch.

It is not a very informative message ! When one of the doors indicates open while driving and then shows closed again, typically with a door not completely closed, the system attempts to re-lock the doors but detects the key in the vehicle. It does not normally want to lock the doors with the key in the vehicle, thus the message.

This is the same message that you will get if you try to lock the door with the SKS door sensor with the key inside.

 

Wow!
Pics of damage?

 

The hood must have been ajar and not hooked down by the safety latch. Someone recently popped it open??

 

If the car has the (Toyota VIP) remote engine start installed, remote start won't work if the hood is open. A hood switch is included as part of the remote start installation. I don't think there is a hood switch for cars without the remote start. I can only assume there are hood switches that come with other aftermarket remote start/alarm systems.

 

This warning came on this morning. Later I checked it's the tailgate that was not close tight. I would say, when any door, including tailgate, or maybe the hood, is at on-and-off status, this warning will come on. For safety, just pull over your Prius, double check if every door is close tight. A year ago, I kind damaged my tailgate when I let it open and rushed back out of my garage... I forgot the tailgate was still open, there was a warning beeeeeeep when I shifted into reverse, but it was too late. The garage door ripped off the two shocks, scratched off the wind spoiler. It costed me a thousand dollars something to fix. But the tailgate somehow was relocated a little. I guess if I don't close it tight, the warning "Key Detected in Vehicle" will comes on and off. Nothing wrong with Prius. The warning makes sense to me. Me and my wife give our Prius a nickname PP. We love this car.

 

Yes, your are perfectly right.
I would like to post my message replied to Pamela again for the Prius owners happen to have this message. Don't panic.

This warning came on this morning. Later I checked it's the tailgate that was not close tight. I would say, when any door, including tailgate, or maybe the hood, is at on-and-off status, this warning will come on. For safety, just pull over your Prius, double check if every door is close tight. A year ago, I kind damaged my tailgate when I let it open and rushed back out of my garage... I forgot the tailgate was still open, there was a warning beeeeeeep when I shifted into reverse, but it was too late. The garage door ripped off the two shocks, scratched off the wind spoiler. It costed me a thousand dollars something to fix. But the tailgate somehow was relocated a little. I guess if I don't close it tight, the warning "Key Detected in Vehicle" will comes on and off. Nothing wrong with Prius. The warning makes sense to me. Me and my wife give our Prius a nickname PP. We love this car.

 

I imagine the answer for the Prius is the same as my Lexus. They appear to have the same problem.
It is due to the hatchback not being firmly seated, even when fully closed.

Buy*1/4 inch lock washers.* This cost me 48 cents.
*Open the rear hatch door, and on both sides of the bottom of the door you will see, rubber bumpers sticking out from the door.

*Look down by the rear bumper where those rubber bumpers hit when the door is*closed.
* With a Phillips head screwdriver, remove the*rubber washers down near the rear bumper.
*Place two lock washers under each of the*rubber washers*to help raise them up and screw them back into place.
That did work for about 3 months. The addendum below shows a better fix.

Addendum:
I did have a recurrence of the problem after the above fix, but not as bad. At Home Depot, I obtained #14 1¼" screws. I ended up putting three 1/4" lock washers underneath. It has again cured the problem. With the 1-1/4" screw, I can always add another washer underneath if it recurs again. Total cost, less than $1 to fix the problem.