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Is there any way to leverage the key proximity system to find a lost key?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Johnny Cakes, Apr 5, 2019.

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  1. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    OK, before asking, let me admit that I'm an idiot.

    I spent hours today cleaning the interior of my Prius. Top to bottom, front to back, a complete Spring cleaning. Car is clean as a whistle. That's the good news.

    Bad news, somehow during crawling all over the interior cleaning it, the key fell out of my pocket. It's in there somewhere because the car will start and the doors will not lock.

    I don't happen to have a huge Faraday blanket that would permit me to isolate various areas of the car and then see when the system doesn't detect the key in the car. I don't know of any app that can determine RAID chips or whatever it is that's in the key.

    So, I'm clearly grasping at straws. I think the answer is spend another six hours looking for the key, but just thought I would throw it out there in case anyone has any suggestions that would permit me to at least somewhat isolate the general area.

    Did I mention that I'm an idiot?
     
    #1 Johnny Cakes, Apr 5, 2019
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    In the interim, would this be running the 12 volt down, due to fob proximity? Not sure.

    Not under the car btw?
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Apr 5, 2019
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  3. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    Oh crap, I didn't even think of that. Hopefully driving it every day until I find it will keep the 12v battery charged.

    Good thought, but definitely in the car because I can drive the car and it starts no matter where it is. I've been manually locking the door.
     
    #3 Johnny Cakes, Apr 5, 2019
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  4. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Your best bet would be to get a powerful flashlight and willingness to get on your belly to check under the front seats next to the console. I have lost items down in that abyss that I had to retrieve with a hook and wire. Betcha it down there.
     
    #4 BZzap!, Apr 5, 2019
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  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Theoretically you could cut the car in half, separate the halves and see if it still starts, then repeat until you've got it narrowed down.

    But practically, you need a flashlight and maybe a long thin plastic strip (no sharp edges) to prod into crevices and corners until you find it.

    Don't forget to recline the seats all the way to see if it went between the backrest and cushion.
     
    #5 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Apr 5, 2019
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  6. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    OMT, items can sometime get wedged under the seat rails, under the seat and out of sight. Don’t forget to prod under those seat guide rails.
     
    #6 BZzap!, Apr 6, 2019
  7. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    I saw a fob detector on the Parts counter at my local Toyota dealership. Might have been $20.
     
    #7 AzWxGuy, Apr 6, 2019
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  8. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    #8 StarCaller, Apr 6, 2019
  9. kc5dlo

    kc5dlo Active Member

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    Looked promising till I watched the video. If your key is already misplaced it wont work because it need to be attached to the key.
     
    #9 kc5dlo, Apr 6, 2019
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  10. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    So thanks for all the help/suggestions everyone -- this really is a great forum.

    I found the key this evening. I'm really not willing to say where I found it, but just read the very first sentence of this thread for a clue. :)
     
    #10 Johnny Cakes, Apr 6, 2019
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  11. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    At least you found it...that's all that really matters.
     
    #11 frodoz737, Apr 6, 2019
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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    In a pocket?

    (I've been there...)
     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Apr 6, 2019
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  13. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    Damn -- you got me!! I forgot that my original cleaning of the car took so long I put on some warm-ups at the end. I had triple checked the shorts I was wearing to clean the car, but forgot about putting on the warm-ups at the end.
     
    #13 Johnny Cakes, Apr 7, 2019
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  14. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
    Was your jacket in your car all this time? Because you had to manually lock the key, meaning it was not on you when you are out of the car.
     
    #14 Salamander_King, Apr 7, 2019
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds like my wife, 20 times a day, have you seen my...
     
    #15 bisco, Apr 7, 2019
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  16. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    If it was me, they would have been discovered after a cycle through the washing machine.
     
    #16 BZzap!, Apr 7, 2019
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  17. Uberdriver2710

    Uberdriver2710 Junior Member

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    This thread...lolz!!!
     
    #17 Uberdriver2710, Apr 7, 2019
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Our daughter's like that, and she's needed replacement fobs countless times.
     
    #18 Mendel Leisk, Apr 7, 2019
  19. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I think episodes like this are the reason the admin won't allow us to delete posts, they have high entertainment value.
     
    #19 rjparker, Apr 7, 2019
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  20. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    Yeah, it got cold near the end of the cleaning after the sun went down so I put them on -- then I tossed them back in when I went in the house.

    But in spending the two hours looking for the fob, I now have an intimate knowledge of every nook and cranny in the Prius -- how the seat rails work, and all the little areas that can be exposed when the seats fold every which way. :) I wasn't even checking the warm-ups but rather tossing them aside when I was like "hey, that made a weird sound when it landed."

    Not for lack of me trying!! OK, everyone move along! Nothing to be seen here!!
     
    #20 Johnny Cakes, Apr 7, 2019
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