Weird flashing lock on dash once car is off?

I got off the freeway, going no more than 75 and into my garage and on the right hand side of the panel, I get a flashing odd light. It looks like a lock attached to something. I think maybe a gas tank but it's flashing so fast that I can't really tell. BF tells me that it might be b/c the car was in contact with other car alarms, but my pack 2 has no alarm other than the panic button. I'm a little freaked to take it to work and have the locks not work and be locked out. Anyone have any ideas?

Car symbol with a key superimposed? That's the security light telling you that the immobilizer (and alarm if fitted) is armed.

The manual is your friend, embrace it.

Yeah, we read the manual too. But it wasn't very clear and the car isn't set up with an alarm. I have no idea what an immobilizer is. I just didn't want to have a problem tomorrow and it was 3 am when we got home from poker. Thanks.

Not if it flashes so fast you can't make it out.

All new Prius have an immobilizer, even without an alarm system. The immobilizer is the part that keeps the car from starting without the key fob. The flashing light is a warning to car thieves to not waste their time.

Tom

no kidding. My eyes aren't as young anymore and it took me a while to figure out what it was because it doesn't stay lit long enough. Someday I'll rtfm. Maybe an easter egg exists to change warning light flash intervals.

From your response I assume that it is normal for this light to always flash as long as the car is turned off. Right?

Thanks, Jim

I was wondering about this light flashing as well since it doesn't seem consistent. The first time it was noticed was when I was running errands with my mom and left the keys in the car with her. I thought maybe it was because I opened and closed the driver's door and left the keys inside, or that it knew I was no longer in the seat (since it somehow knows there's a passenger in their seat based on the passenger air bag light going on).

But since then I've seen it flash sometimes but not all the time. I also thought the manual was not very clear on what this icon was about. I still don't understand it but am going to make a note of when I do and do not see it flash.

So based on this thread if I go out to my car it should be flashing... going to check it now.

And flashing it is.

Hello, I have had my Prius for two years now... and don't remeber seeing this flashing light before. Two things I want to make sure. Is this normal all prii do this.... other is can I turn indicator off?

Umm, haven't most cars had this for at least the past 10 years or so? I remember having it on my 1998 Taurus.

Maybe 10 year old cars with an alarm systems do it? My 2000 Camry does not have an alarm system and has no flashing indicator. My 2011 Prius with no alarm system does do the flash thing.

My 1998 Taurus did not have an alarm system. My wife's 2004 Explorer does not have an alarm system, but does have a flashing "immobilizer" light front and center on the dashboard. As I said, this appears to be nothing new.

EDIT: Maybe new for Toyota.

I think I've seen that when the car is just shut off, before exitting and locking the car. I guess that's to say the car is "immobilized" already. Still:

I'd prefer if it just went on when the car was locked, at least then it would serve as a clue to doorlock status. Anyway, think it's main purpose is to freak out potential thieves. And yes, it flashes so fast it's hard to visualize, LOL.

Thank for the feedback...

The manual is, IMHO, severely lacking. Very poorly written and lacking in detail.

Ed

Oh, it has some good advice, like: Don't slam the hatch on your head.

How to change the oil and filter would have been a nice addition.

Okay, like a lot of other people, I'm convinced that this light just started recently flashing. I know I'm not nuts. Another difference I noticed was the interior light now turns on when I just approach the car without ever touching the handle. It never did this earlier.

Then I remembered that I just had the car in for a replacement of the HID headlamps and that they had disconnected the battery as part of the process. I know they did this because the reverse beep which I had previously disabled was back.

So... It simply makes th most sense (applying Occam's Razor) that the disconnection of the battey resulted in some sort of change. Or... Maybe the factory has an unmentioned computer firmware upgrade that they don't want you to be aware of designed to fix the systemic HID problem...

Just saying.

:rockon:

What makes even more sense is that you just noticed it. Taking the car in for service resulted in a heightening of your awareness, causing you to notice the flashing icon.

If we are going to throw poor Occam under the bus, the simplest explanation is that people don't notice things that they see every day until some external event causes them to look. I noticed all sorts of normal sounds when the wheel bearing started to fail on my 2006. The new noise made me pay attention to all of the noises. It happens to everyone.

Tom

Just changed my 12 volt battery and now the flashing key is on. I must have turned it off somehow previously. I've had the car for 5 years and it never flashed before when the car was off.