locking the hatch

There's no special technique I'm aware of. As long as it's closed all the way, it should lock. The hatch only locks with the remote, as far as I know - there's no separate physical key hole like there is in the driver's door. Do you have the SKS that unlocks the car as you approach? Maybe the car really is locked when you're not there. Leave the keys in the house and see what happens.

 

First, make sure that the hatch is fully closed - you may have to slam it more aggressively than you expect. To ensure the hatch is fully closed, turn on the hatch courtesy light. The light will go off when the hatch is shut.

Since 2008 option pkg 2 includes SmartKey, I wonder why you are using the lock button on your fob. It would potentially be easier to leave the fob in your pocket and press one of the square black buttons on the front doors or the hatch, to lock the car.

When checking the hatch to see if it is locked, you need to take the SmartKey fob out of your pocket, and place the fob about 15 feet away from the car. Then try the hatch to see if you can open it.

If the hatch is shut but does not lock, then it would be well to visit your dealer for assistance.

 

If the hatch isn't closed the car doesn't lock, just beep. To quote John's manual, "Just slam it, dammit." There is a hand hold on the inside of the hatch but a hand on the Toyota emblem works for me.

 

Are there cars that actually "unlock" the door as you approach? On my 2007 I know that the courtesy lights will come on when I get close and all I have to do is touch either of the front handles or the rear latch and it will unlock, but I hadn't seen one that actually unlocked the car.

 

The SKS does not unlock the doors as you approach. You have to touch the inside of the driver's or front passenger's door handle, or press the inside of the hatch handle. In standard configuration, touching the inside of the driver's door handle will unlock only the driver's door. Touching the inside of the front passenger's door handle will unlock all of the doors, including the hatch. Pressing the inside of the hatch handle will unlock all of the doors, but not release the hatch. Pressing and holding the inside of the hatch handle will unlock all of the doors and unlatch the hatch.

Note the deliberate use of the words "touch" and "press". The front door handles only require contact, while the hatch is pressure sensitive.

To lock your car, use the lock button on either front door or on the hatch. Leave your fob in your pocket or pusre.

Tom

 

I think the simple answer to the OP's question is that the hatch locks along with the doors when engaging the power locks for all doors, smart key or not. I.e. when you press the Lock button on the door or the FOB, it will lock the four doors and the hatch.

He may think it was not locked (but really was) if he has the smart key and was pulling up on the hatch and it unlocks & opens...?

If the hatch truly isn't locking with any of the lock buttons, then it should be investigated as it sounds like something is faulty...

 

The important thing to note is that you must do something more than just shutting the hatch to lock it. You must either hit an external or internal lock button. If you put something in the hatch and just drive off, it would be possible for someone to come up to the car when stuck in traffic, pop the hatch, and pull the contents.

 

Are you sure about that? When I press the pad on either door, all doors unlock. As far as I'm aware the configuration hasn't been changed. I'm the 3rd owner of the car, but my parents are the second owners and the didn't change it. I guess the first owner could have but I doubt it. My parents bought a 2007 Prius and it unlocks the same way as mine.

 

I can't tell you with certainty about the 2004 model, but the 2007 in my driveway operates as reported earlier. Touching the driver's side front door handle unlocks only that door. Touching the passenger's side front door handle or the hatch unlocks all doors. This can be reprogrammed to that touching any of the doors unlocks all.

 

It's a user configurable option. Touching the driver's door can unlock only that door or all of the doors. It ships from the factory unlocking only the driver's door, but it's easy to change.

Tom

 

I have the exact same problem. I'd thought hitting the lock button locked the hatch. But tonight AFTER I locked the other 4 doors by hitting the lock button on the fob, I tested the hatch and it opened easily as it was unlocked.

I bought this 2013 Prius Four used and initially had a problem with the entire car locking. When I clicked the lock button, ALL the interior lights would come on and a LOOOONNNGG beep would sound, but it would not lock.

After being told by the dealer and a locksmith ludicrously expensive, complicated fixes were needed, I felt around the rubber gasket that seals the hatch shut. One quarter of it was loose. I carefully put the gasket into place and then the car seemed to lock--interior lights went off, 4 doors locked, head & tail lights flashed, and car chirped.

I foolishly assumed that the hatch locked too, without testing it until tonight. What can I do to lock the hatch?

Plus, where before it did everything to let me know it wasn't locked, now it does nothing about hatch being unlocked. Hatch closes, but doesn't lock. No warnings or messages or symbols either.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

 

P.S. I left the keys in the house and tested the hatch. It was LOCKED!!! But when I go anywhere near the car with keys in pocket, the hatch isn't locked, yet the doors are. So, thanks anyway, false alarm.

 

If you have the key with you and touch the inside of front door handle and car unlocks it's working just as it should. If the doors don't unlock then there's something wrong with the SKS system.

 

Your car is a Gen 3, so you should be posting in the Gen 3 forums. Maybe they know of this problem or if it is common or not.

 

Yeah, this would have been better in the Gen 3 forum, but the quick and easy answer is that your car is behaving as it was programmed to behave.

You can read the owner's manual for free. In the section about the door locks, you'll find something like what was in my 2013 PiP manual: