Possible to disable "grasp to unlock" door handle?

Can the door-unlock settings be changed so that the driver's door does NOT unlock by just grasping the door handle? Instead, can one configure the door to unlock only when the button on the front outside of the door handle is pressed? So the driver (with smart key on person) would approach the car, press the button on the front of the door handle, and then the driver's door would unlock (just grasping the door handle alone would not unlock the door). If the driver were to press the "door handle button" two times, all doors would be unlocked. The manual says some features of the smart key can be disabled. Can the "grasp to open" feature be disabled, replaced instead by having to push the button on the door handle?

The smart key feature can be turned off or on, the button is under the steering column, but the button behavior cannot be changed.

So the button on the door handle, its only function is to lock the doors? It can't be made to unlock the doors instead of relying on grasping the door handle?

It can't be made to unlock the doors instead of relying on grasping the door handle!

Undoubtedly the button push is an event, probably triggering an interrupt. The car's programming interprets that event, and locks the doors.

Given sufficient programming knowledge, the behavior could undoubtedly be changed. But, without a complete programming hack on a level I've not heard of before, it's not possible.

Perhaps if Toyota gave out the SDK to programmers it could be done, but this is VERY unlikely to happen.

Chuck

Translating this from engineer techno talk: No, you can't use the button to unlock the door.

Tom

Quote/Can the door-unlock settings be changed so that the driver's door does NOT unlock by just grasping the door handle? Instead, can one configure the door to unlock only when the button on the front outside of the door handle is pressed? So the driver (with smart key on person) would approach the car, press the button on the front of the door handle, and then the driver's door would unlock (just grasping the door handle alone would not unlock the door). If the driver were to press the "door handle button" two times, all doors would be unlocked. The manual says some features of the smart key can be disabled. Can the "grasp to open" feature be disabled, replaced instead by having to push the button on the door handle?Quote/


There is a page in the owners manual which probably applies only to use of the remote, but there is some reference to holding the door handles, so perhaps it can change the door-hold function as well.

I don't understand the page -- maybe someone else can help interpret it. It's page 43 in case the photo isn't good enough to read.

You have the choice...when you grab the driver's side door handle, the SKS can unlock just the driver's door, just the door you're next to, or all the doors at once. That page tells how to switch between the three modes.

And, sorry for the "techno-talk" above. It's just how my brain works...thanks, Qbee42, for the translation. Yep, I'm a geek.

Chuck

This reminds me of a recent situation wherin I got out from the drivers side, pressed the door lock button on the door armrest (thus locking all doors) and shut the driver's door. When I returned to the car I noticed that the driver's door had closed on the seat belt. I was not able to unlock the driver's door via SKS, so I tried the key--it didn"t work either. I tried to open the other 3 doors with no luck. The last thing I tried was the rear hatch door button--it unlocked all doors. The thing I don't understand is why the key didn't work.

Hi, ghomner,

It's been almost a year & a half since many of your previous postings when you were researching what Toyota & Honda had to offer in preparation for a hybrid purchase. I assume by this time you own a Prius now, (or are you still on the fence as far as a purchase is concerned) otherwise, why the question about changing the SKS functions of the door handle switches?

In one of your other posts you expressed concern about a housewife (loading groceries into an unlocked Prius) getting car-jacked & the answers given should have laid your fears to rest. Does your newest question here still have anything to do with that original concern? Do you have your Prius yet & have you been using the SKS fuctions, because I personally can't see why anybody would want to change anything about the SKS system (other than the possible changes that the user himself can change by following the instructions in the owner's manual---without having to pay a dealer to do it)?

Not to insult you, but your desire of the reversal of button function seems counter-intuitive. Logically, when the driver approaches his car & wants to get in, you grab the door handle & pull it (but if the car is locked, that's why the SKS unlock function has been assigned to the sensor pad on the inside of the door handle---to unlock as you wrap your fingers around the door handle just before you pull on it). It would be an awkward extra step to first push on the button then grasp the handle to pull on it when it can all be done in one smooth motion as it is designed now.

By the same token, when you close your door, your hand is probably near or on the outside of the door handle to push the door closed. So it's a simple matter of just moving a finger a little bit to push the black button (after the door has latched) to lock it.

If your concern for the impossible change in handle/button functions is related in any way to your question about the housewife's car-jacking scenario you mentioned elsewhere (because a car-jacker would run up & pull on the handle to unlock, whereas your idea of having to push the button first, then pull, would take him more life-saving time to figure it out), that shouldn't be an issue (with the settings for "unlock driver's door only") unless she then pushed the master switch on the driver's armrest (to put something in the back seat or cargo area). If it's something small then get in the driver's side & just reach across & lay it on the passenger seat.

If she intends to get something bigger like a couple of bags of groceries, then have that front passenger seat pushed all the way back before she ever gets to the store. Then the best protection utilizing just the front seat (or cargo area) is to have the unlock setting set to unlock "only the door you're at" (in this setting the rear passenger doors won't unlock at all unless you press the master lock/unlock switch on the driver's armrest). She puts her items in whatever area she unlocked, now re-lock by pushing the black button on the front passenger door or hatch (a push of ANY black button should re-lock ALL doors), now go around to the driver's door & grab that handle to unlock & get in, then push the master switch lock on the driver's armrest & she is safe.

With many cars now having bucket seats with consoles dividing them, most intruders will run up & go for the rear doors or the front passenger door to hold a driver hostage [unless they just want your car for a joy ride, in which case they will go for the driver's door & likely pull you out (then YOU will probably be safe---but not your car)]. So, if you use the "unlock only the door you're at" setting & you're at the back of the car or the other side, nobody can just run up & jump in the driver's seat [& with SKS turned on (rather than using the fob as a remote to open just the driver's door or all doors), your fob is still in your purse or pocket & NOT lying on the driver's seat for the intruder to use to drive away with your car]. Then you re-lock the door you used to put your items in & go around to the driver's door & by that one being the only one that will now open, you do have an extra few seconds to get safely inside if somebody does come up to the other side of the car (& you don't have to take the extra time to first push the black button & then grab the handle to get in as you would like the SKS door handle switches to operate).

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

Hey, john_dough,

I don't know if it's true or not because I haven't tried it yet & it doesn't make any sense to me, but I heard that if you don't use SKS to lock the door then it won't unlock with SKS (you said you used the armrest switch). The key may not have worked because of the extra pressure being against the door latch of the door with the seat belt jammed in it. I have no clue why you couldn't unlock from the passenger side, nor why it worked O.K. from the hatch. But at least that location did work & you didn't have to call a locksmith in for it.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

I was wondering that myself. Why would someone want it disabled; or, more specifically, to change the function from lock to lock & unlock. I suspect that there is probably no way to re-program the button to lock and unlock the car (two different interrupts). If there was the ability control lock and unlock from the buttons, there probably would not be a separate sensor in the handle for the unlock function (cost matter).

BTW, Toyota is not alone in the approach to locking and unlocking - I know from personal experience that BMW uses a similar 2 stage model on their 2010 3 series equipped with the Comfort Access option. With the BMW system, you squeeze a spot on the exterior door handle to lock; the unlock operation is just like the Prius.

Yes, I own a Prius now. A relative owns a modern luxury car that also has push button start. This car requires its users to push the button on the door handle to open the car (as opposed to grasping the door handle). I found that I actually prefer this because I feel I have more control (and awareness) of whether the car is unlocked or not. Basically, I've found I prefer having to push a button to unlock. I never really use the button to lock the car. I just wondered if I could configure it to unlock from pushing the button. The manual hinted that some configuration options were possible. But apparently not to do what I want.

It's not uncommon for the physical key to be sticky. It never gets used in ordinary operation, and then when you need it it doesn't work. You should try it from time to time just to keep it limber.

Tom

And/or lubricate the lock mechanism.