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Riding in Toyotas with Wireless Keys

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Witness, May 23, 2013.

  1. Witness

    Witness Active Member

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    It could happen in your Prius, or it could happen to your friend's 4Runner.

    If both of you own a Toyota with wireless keys, and get in each other's car, in can cause the vehicle not to start. I hopped in my friend's 2010 4Runner, and he couldn't start the car up. He arm/disarmed to no avail. Even tapping the key to the start button didn't work (maybe didn't hold it there long enough). Then I saw the dash blink with that key icon, and thought maybe my key was the problem, so I jumped out of the car. Car started right up after that. So, there. :D

    The more you know...
     
    #1 Witness, May 23, 2013
    Cristino likes this.
  2. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    My father and I both owned a 2010 Prius and a 2012 Prius. I got in his and he got in my car with each others keys in our pockets and we never experienced this. Not saying it can't happen because I just don't know if it can or cannot but in Prius I can say it has never happened to me nor him over the course of 4 years.
     
    #2 Paradox, May 23, 2013
  3. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

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    Yep! happens to my friends Prius 2010, every time I ride with him, three other friends with 2012's no problem. It's gotten to be quite a joke at coffee! :) Yep! no key detected, Funny!
     
    #3 retired4999, May 23, 2013
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i like what you did with those last four words.:)
     
    #4 bisco, May 23, 2013
  5. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Haven't noticed such an issue when I've test driven Gen 3 Priuses (including PiP), the Prius v and Rav4 EV w/my Gen 2 smart key in my pocket.
     
    #5 cwerdna, May 23, 2013
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I think we did have a report of it happening in another two-Prius family. It is likely going to highly variable, depending on how close each fob is to the car's internal antenna(s), how strong a signal each transmits, and could easily vary significantly with the specific radio designs of different car models and mixtures of fobs.
     
    #6 fuzzy1, May 23, 2013
  7. Rupert B Puppenstein

    Rupert B Puppenstein Active Member

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    Wow, that would be a bit interesting. I guess that is when the key has to go into the trunk or something so it doesn't get detected...surprising that Toyota didn't think about that.
     
    #7 Rupert B Puppenstein, May 23, 2013
  8. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    It's happened to me with other Prii.
     
    #8 F8L, May 24, 2013
  9. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    If the last 5 bytes of the binary ID happen to be the same.... Actually I haven't a clue, just a wild guess.
     
    #9 CaliforniaBear, May 25, 2013
  10. Witness

    Witness Active Member

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    You had me until "haven't a clue" and "wild guess." :LOL:
     
    #10 Witness, May 29, 2013
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