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Replace Battery in key warning

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Samsurfer, Nov 17, 2005.

  1. Samsurfer

    Samsurfer New Member

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    The warning to replace the battery in my key came up. I replaced the battery and the warning still comes up. Anyone else have this problem? Is the warning triggered by low voltage/signal in the key or is it just a time thing? If I press the bar that says "Don't show this warning again" does it reset or deactivate the timer or sensor?

    Samsurfer
    2005 Prius, pkg #6 White
     
  2. craigcush

    craigcush Member

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    I do not know about a reset, but..

    Recommend a voltmeter to check the battery. I put the old one back in by mistake on another car! duh.

    May have a bad battery, I noticed a filmy coating on one that suddenly worked after cleaning. Contacts too.
     
  3. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    You mean it displays it on the MFD? Neat! I thought it was only a special beep.

    Wait, are you sure that's what the message said, or is it the Car in Neutral warning? The "Car is in Neutral" warning will also come up if you open the driver door while the car is in Drive or Reverse.

    The original intent of the warning I am thinking of was to let you know that if you leave the car in neutral, then the car can't recharge the HV battery, therefore you could run it down to a point where the car has to shut down. Toyota must have decided to use the same warning if you made a bonehead decision to try and walk out of the car while it was still in gear.
     
  4. Samsurfer

    Samsurfer New Member

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    DanMan,

    Yes, on the MFD. It said low battery. However I changed the battery and the warning still comes up. It only comes up when I turn off the car with the MFD in the Map mode. It has nothing to do with being in neutral. That is a different warning.

    The low battery in key warning only stays up for 20 or 30 seconds then goes away until I start the car again.

    Thanks for replying.

    Samsurfer
     
  5. storm petrol

    storm petrol Member

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    Is this feature only active on cars with NAV? Will it appear on the MFD of a car with package 6?

    Thanks,

    storm petrol
     
  6. cei955

    cei955 Junior Member

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    I have a 2005 prius and the electric key unlocks the car but does not lock it.

    I have no warning light.

    How do you get the key apart to replace the battery?
     
  7. adam1991

    adam1991 New Member

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    You read the owner's manual, where the process is outlined quite clearly.
     
  8. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    I don't know why some people are so ungenerous.

    Slide the latch at the end of the fob and remove the metal key. Slide the latch again and at the same time the back of the fob; it slides off showing a square plate held down by four screws. You need a #0 philips screwdriver to remove the screws and reveal the battery compartment.
     
  9. adam1991

    adam1991 New Member

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    I don't know why people don't read the owner's manual to their shiny $25,000 toy.

    I don't know why people come here to be spoon-fed the instructions that are clearly outlined by the manufacturer. Lazy? Selfish?

    I don't know why people spoon-feed said instructions to people too lazy to read the owner's manual.
     
  10. Tom6850

    Tom6850 Retired

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    One thing good about PC is that most members want to offer help to fellow members. I agree most things can be found in the owners manual but it can be and is confusing to a lot of us. I simple question here can make trying to figure out a problem a lot easier. Just reading the posts has given me more information than I ever got out of the manual. Many thanks to Bill and members like him.
     
  11. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adam1991 @ Mar 23 2007, 06:21 AM) [snapback]410770[/snapback]</div>
    I don't know why people with ZERO positive to contribute bother to come here.
    I don't know why said people continue to make an obnoxious jerk of himself by posting pointless things like "read the manual" and "stop playing video games with your car".

    Rule one, if you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all. The key fob thing is probably buried in the manual. There's a lot buried in that manual. But it isn't always easy to find. PC is here to spoon feed people that need to be spoon fed...accept that and you'll get a long much better on this forum.

    Some of us have a lot of knowledge and experience. Some of us don't. Some of us don't know where information can be found. We're all different. If you're too closed minded or uptight to accept that then you need to find another forum home Adam.

    I've warned you privately and now I'll warn you publicly. If you can't be polite, considerate and helpful then you need to stop posting or we'll limit your posting ability to make sure your posts are, indeed, polite, considerate and helpful.
     
  12. yups

    yups Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Mar 23 2007, 10:26 AM) [snapback]410857[/snapback]</div>
    Yeah Adam, what the hell. I don't even stop to ask directions when I'm lost!!! You expect me to read a freakin manuel!?!?(see Spencer Davis' rendition of "I'm a Man") And i resent the spoon fed analogy. Its specific info from a poorly translated TEXT Book buried inbtwn too much info and not enough, aka crapola. If I wanted a bigger headache, I'd order the Three Volumes of the damn repair manuel.(Three!!!what's that about? Does that mean Chilton isn't coming out with their version of the vague and not quite right.)
    This site is freakin awesome. The hacks, upgrades, and idiosyncracies of this machine listed here is the difference btween folgers drip coffee from a 20 year old plastic Mr. Coffee and a freshly made espresso from just roasted esppresso beans. Hell, I didn't even know the dash would let me know when to change the key cr2023. this car rocks....and this site is the bomb.
     
  13. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Samsurfer @ Nov 17 2005, 10:43 PM) [snapback]157334[/snapback]</div>

    Is there a warning triggered by a low key battery, or could this just be a calender reminder punched into the MFD? I put in reminders for tire rotation and things like that, so perhaps your service people placed one for the key?

    Tom
     
  14. Tom_06

    Tom_06 Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Mar 23 2007, 03:44 PM) [snapback]411107[/snapback]</div>
    The service manual only mentions some beeping for a low battery - there is no mention of a warning in the MFD. That manual says if you push any button on the FOB and the red led on the FOB lights, then the battery is ok.

    The service manual goes on to say that if the FOB is within smart key range of the car for 10 minutes with no activity such as unlocking, locking, starting the car, etc. the smart key system turns off! I wonder if this is what the OP was seeing. It says the system is reactivated by using the manual key or one of the buttons on the FOB.

    I have tried the instructions to remove the back cover on the FOB a bunch of times but cannot get it to budge on either of my FOBs. Any suggestions short of a hammer? Yes, I have removed the key first and am holding the key-release lever over while pushing. The service manual has pictures, so I am fairly certain I am pushing on the correct part. Maybe I am not cursing loudly enough.

    - Tom
     
  15. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

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    <_< Interesting... I wasn't aware that you could receive a warning when the fob battery was depleted. Could the OP or someone detail where the warning appears and its appearance. In looking through the Owner's Manual, I couldn't find a reference to such a warning.

    Insofar as the Owner's Manual diagram and instructions on fob battery installation, they are found on pp 34-35 but they aren't well indexed - typical for the manual.

    Thanks for your response.

    Tom: I found that to remove the fob cover, after removing the metal key, you have to press down and up quite hard to get the cover to slide up. Cursing does help...
     
  16. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    Tom, after you take the metal key out, slide the latch on the bottom of the fob about half way and try sliding the back off. If the latch isn't moved, or moved to the other extreme, you can't slide the back. Sometimes slipping a fingernail into the slit at the top back helps to get the it moving. Someone on here called it a "Chinese puzzle fob" like the boxes with hidden and sliding parts.

    I thought the hardest part was finding a #0 philips screw driver. Man, those are tiny screws!
     
  17. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom_06 @ Mar 23 2007, 05:44 PM) [snapback]411117[/snapback]</div>
    It sounds like you're doing it right, but let me just explicitly outline how I open my fob:

    1. Remove the metal key
    2. Make sure you're pushing the release lever all the way over to the side.
    3. With the release lever moved over all the way, put your other thumb on the Toyota logo, with the rest of your fingers on that hand wrapped around the rest of the fob.
    4. Push the top (the part with the Toyota logo on it) toward the release lever.

    The part that should come off is the entire top (i.e. the bit with the Toyota logo on it), as well as the end that has the release lever mechanism in it.

    Mine certainly took a little extra force the first time, but it was not to the point where I was worried about breaking it. If it still doesn't work, I don't have any further suggestions.
     
  18. jgills240

    jgills240 Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom_06 @ Mar 23 2007, 04:44 PM) [snapback]411117[/snapback]</div>
    I had a little struggle the first time too. I found that placing the fob buttons down on your first 2 fingers (pointer & middle) with the slider side away from your body and your thumb on the toyota symbol on the back is the best way to do it. slide the slider all the way over with your other hand, then use your super spider grip on your thumb to push the back off. Doesn't really work well if you've been struggling for a bit and your hands are a little sweaty.... :)
     
  19. Tom_06

    Tom_06 Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Mar 23 2007, 06:04 PM) [snapback]411130[/snapback]</div>
    Bingo! Got it with both the fingernail and halfway on the latch. Thanks, and thanks to the others with suggestions. Now this is stuff not found in any manual.

    #0 Phillips I have from model building. Some Jeweler's screwdiver sets include the small Phillips sizes.

    - Tom
     
  20. jsorger

    jsorger New Member

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    Are you sure that it refers to the key battery or is it some sort of other low-battery warning? I ask because my key simply stopped working when the car was 2 years old. No beep, no nothing (I have the NAV package on my 2004). Replaced the battery and all was well.

    But perhaps I need to read my owner's manual...