smart key battery drain

Over the weekend (48hrs) remove the car battery (+) lead and see if the fob battery dies again.

If not then the car is the cause, if yes there is a short in the fob draining the battery and the car has nothing to do with it.

my2cents.

 

Is there a button stuck on the fob? Do you have the same problem with the spare fob?

 

I agree this is something with the fob not the car ... no way ...

 

if one fob is fine, it must be a bad fob. i vote for the stuck button mentioned above by fire.

 

Is it smart to store the key are certain distance away from the car?

 

Yes. When nearby, the key and fob interact with a query and response: "You there?" "Yes, I'm here." It goes on and on, draining the fob battery and the 12V battery on the Prius.

Tom

 

This even happens with a fob for another car. I have a radio that can tune in the 134.5 Khz car-to-fob signal. With the correct fob, the slow pulse changes to a chatter when the fob gets within about 3 feet of the car. The led on the fob also lights up when this happens. With a fob for another Prius, there is a different chatter, and the fob led doesn't light. But both the car and the fob are using their batteries...

 

This is something they should have put in the owner's manual.

 

thought they did.

 

They do, but you can't force people to read it.

Tom

 

^^^ Very evident when you have the JDM mirrors with puddle lights. The interior dome light lights up too when the key fob is within range = drainage as you stated.

 

I actually did read every word of the manual and no where did it state this. Please tell me a page number if you find it.

 

I am still reading the manuals since I just picked up my Prius last week, but would welcome the page number as I live in a condo with parking in front of the unit so I am very close.

 

It is in the manual...!

 

You've read the 2012 manual? Because I have, and I have not found where it says that. If you know better than I do please enlighten me as to a page number. Thanks.

 

The manual has been rewritten for 2012, talking around the point instead of explicitly stating it:

Page 75:

Page 76:

Tom

 

I would challenge anyone :fencing: (Toyota designers, engineers, manual writers and executives included) carrying their key fob in their pocket, who also regularly carries a cellular phone, to keep their cellular phone 3 feet from their electronic key fob. Same goes for people who work at a personal computer all day.

 

Ok, I am having the SAME problem with my FOB Key, and this is my 2nd Prius. I had a 2007 prior to this. NEVER did I replace the battery in my FOB Key. My 2011 Prius is parked in the SAME garage, same place, my FOB key is in the SAME PLACE inside the house when I'm not driving the car as my 2007 was. WTH is going on???

I'm really frustrated about this. My first key died after 2 months of use. I replaced the FOB battery with an Energizer extended life lithium battery, about 3 weeks ago. Go to start the car this morning and ... NO KEY DETECTED. The key is dead!!!

WTH????

 

Maybe put the spare FOB in an empty Altoids tin so the car wouldn't be able to communicate with it or it'd be harder for it to see it in the house? Just make sure someone doesn't throw the supposedly empty tin in the recycle container

Mike