Puzzled! Alarm tripping only when tablet left inside!?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Chris Flowers, May 20, 2013.

  1. Chris Flowers

    Chris Flowers New Member

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    Ok I can't quite get my head around this one.

    My 2 1/2 year old son watches movies on my Nexus 7 tablet while we're on journeys (I can literally recite Monster's Inc. from start to finish now...!). My wife had left the Nexus 7 in the car (lectures about security not required!) while she was inside her friends house. Anyway, the alarm repeatedly went off. Puzzled, yet superstitious, my wife removed the Nexus 7 from the Prius. Low-and-behold, the alarm stopped tripping.

    Now she believes this is someone "looking out for us" (see superstitious previous) from above or something, reminding us to remove goods from the vehicle.

    I on the other hand, think something else is going. So suspecting the battery is failing or something, I thought not a lot more of it. Anyway, it had been a couple of weeks since the above incident and we'd both been driving the Prius without issue. So today, I took my son out in the Prius with the Nexus 7 tablet. I left it in the car and popped into the pet shop with my son. Once again the alarm tripped. It repeatedly tripped until I removed the Nexus 7 (thinking back to the other week) and went in to the next shop with my son. The alarm did not trip again...

    Ok so I'm left thinking that the Nexus, in some technologically-flim-flam way, interferes with the alarm sensors some how!? Is this possible? I would just call battery failing and just coincidence but I can now pretty much repeat the problem just by putting the Nexus in the car and leaving it locked!

    Anyone have some thoughts on this please? Thanks in advance.
     
    #1 Chris Flowers, May 20, 2013
  2. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Please run the test at Weird stuff happening? MPGs dropping? Test The Battery | PriusChat after the car has sat MANY hours or overnight (or you can use a voltmeter). Please tell us the 3 values (not just 1). Don't go changing the battery first until you tell us the values...

    If you have HIDs, you can avoid unnecessary cycles on the lights by toggling between off and parking light positions.

    Weird stuff can start happening w/a low or bad 12 volt. Don't waste $ on having a dealer "test" the 12 volt (07 Prius Dead - Any Guesses? | PriusChat). If you're on the original 12 volt, it's likely near or at end of life now.
     
    #2 cwerdna, May 20, 2013
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  3. Eclipse1701d

    Eclipse1701d Prius Enthusiast

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    Does the tablet have a cellular network connection. If so, turn off the cellular, or put it in airplane mode. Then see if it still trips the alarm.
     
    #3 Eclipse1701d, May 20, 2013
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  4. Chris Flowers

    Chris Flowers New Member

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    Thanks for the replies. I'll test the 12v. I happen to have a digital multimeter for work. I'll report back the values. Previous owner was the father-in-law so I'll ask him if it is still the original battery, most likely is.

    No cellular network. It does have a whole host of other connectivity options though. To satisfy my curiosity I think I'll shut the Nexus down and see if it still happens!

    Thanks again.

    GT-N7105
     
    #4 Chris Flowers, May 20, 2013
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