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Smart Key FOB doesn't work anymore :(

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by brandie, Nov 5, 2006.

  1. brandie

    brandie New Member

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    Hi all, I hope someone can help me out with this (before I call up the dealership I bought the car from less than a week ago).

    Let me give you a little backstory first:

    I went to Costco today, about a 20 mile drive. When I got there, I was able to lock the car using the wireless remote (i.e. as I was walking away, I turned around and pressed the lock button on the remote). It beeped, locked the car and everything was kosher. When I returned to the vehicle, it unlocked with the SKS via my hand on the driver's side handle, no remote necessary. Everything is still kosher.

    Went to my mother in law's house to show her the car. Locked the car via the remote to visit her and when we came out, I unlocked the car via the door handle. I had her sit in the driver's seat to see all the nifty features. She had a hard time trying to start the car (not pressing the brake, pressing the Power button for a long time, etc.). One instance, I had the key on ME as I stood next to the door and the SKS warning light went off. I moved back into range (nearly sitting on her lap) and the car was able to start.

    From there, I left for home. When I got home, I began unloading the Costco booty from the back hatch and did not lock the car. On the way from the car to the garage, I dropped the remote on the pavement. It was maybe a 3.5/3 foot drop. It didn't look broken or anything so I called it okay. When I was done unloading groceries, I closed the back hatch and pressed the lock button on the remote... and nothing happened. No beep, no flash of the turn signals... nothing. I tried unlocking and got the same result. I got my husband's key from his car, thinking that since I dropped mine it must be broken, and discovered his didn't work either.

    At this point, I'm panicking and trying to call the Toyota dealership here in town, only to find out the service department is closed until tomorrow. Crap.

    After reading the manual nearly word for word, I feel like I know a lot about the SKS, the wireless remote, the anti-theft device, etc. Due to my pseudo-knowledge, I tried to troubleshoot this myself. Here is what I did:
    • I turned the SKS off via the button underneath the steering wheel. Tried to lock the car from outside of the car and got no response.
    • After turning the SKS button back on, I tried "reactivating" the SKS per the instructions in the manual (hold the lock button on the door handle, press a wireless button and turn the mechanical key). No response.
    • I sat in the car, like I usually do (with the key in my right front pocket and/or in the cup holder) and got the SKS out of range warning indicator light of doom. I picked up the key and held it close to the key slot (not putting it in) and the car would start.
    • I tried locking the doors manually, via the door switch, and then trying to unlock the doors from the outside.
    • I tried sitting in the car and locking the car via the remote. This worked. But isn't that sort of, oh I don't know.. counter-productive having to sit inside the car to lock it?
    • I tried standing outside the car with the window down, sticking my hand inside the car and pressing the lock button on the remote, activating the anti-theft system (solid red security light), waited 30 seconds and then tried to unlock the car with the remote. No response.
    • Somehow, I got the car to lock with me outside. After the anti-theft system was activated (30 seconds) I went to touch the door handle to unlock the car. The first try yielded no response... I took a deep breath and tried it again and BEEP BEEP, the car unlocked. Huh? I tried the same procedure for the passenger side door and got no response. I tried to repeat the procedure on the driver's side door again and got no response. Fluke?
    I'm kind of at a loss. The indicator light on the remote flashes when I get within 1 meter of the car, so I know the key is talking to the car... but why won't it lock/unlock the doors? Keep in mind, I'm a stickler for scientific process, so I've tried all of the above scenarios while holding my key (i.e. the dropped one), my husband's key (i.e. the unused one) and both of them together in close proximity (one on the seat, the other on my lap or in my hand). There was no change in responses from holding one key over the other, both of them together, or while one took a coffee break.

    I'm at a total frickin' loss. I imagine I can take it to Reno Toyota and they'll be able to fix it right away... but will they be able to tell me what happened so I don't do it again? Has anybody experienced this before? I've searched the forums and haven't found anything relating to my problem... but I'm sort of frazzled right now, so maybe I missed it.

    Thanks in advance...
    - Brandie
     
  2. orionll

    orionll Active Member

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    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
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    Well you might want to replace the battery in the fob. I don't see how both batteries in both fobs might have died, but you might want to try replacing the fob's battery. Oh, and no this has not happened to me and I have not have heard of it before. You should be get into your Prius by going to the driver door using the manual key, unlocking the driver door and getting in. Also to start the car you can put the key fob into the fey fob slot in the dashboard and the press the power button and have your foot on the brake to engage the car. Now you can go to a place to do whatever (go to a TOYOTA Dealer, go to a store with batteries). Hope this helps.
     
  3. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    hmm. something's up there. you did a great thorough process in trying to figure this out, and that will really help out your tech when you bring the car in.

    DH's first plan, should he got the car in for diagnosis himself, would be to re-register the smartkey and see if that would resolve the problem. the immobilizer works, because the car starts with the key in or near the dash. so that's not a problem.

    coming up with an answer for you over the internet without a good look at the car obviously isn't going to be feasible. hold the car closer to the computer. :)lol:)

    seriously, list out everything you've done so far and all the results, then print that and bring it to the dealer with you. take both of your keys with you! go to your salesperson first, and let them bring you back to service and set you up. you'll get your car into the shop quicker that way. ;)

    good luck, please let us know what they find.
     
  4. 04priussaxman

    04priussaxman New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brandie @ Nov 5 2006, 09:32 PM) [snapback]344286[/snapback]</div>
    I am having the exact same problem with my 2004 Prius. I did not drop my FOB. It just started all of a sudden. I changed the battery, no change. I have the exact same symptoms you have except u cannot lock the car from inside with the FOB.
     
  5. keydiver

    keydiver New Member

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    Are you sure that you aren't near some strong source of interference? Does it act the same way if you move it to another location? Have you tried turning OFF your cellphone, or any other possible jamming source? It sure sounds like either the fob is dying, or being jammed.
     
  6. gandolf

    gandolf New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(keydiver @ Nov 10 2006, 01:19 PM) [snapback]346971[/snapback]</div>
    Something similar happened to me with my Subaru, remote wouldnot work reliably. The problem turned out to be a bad battery in the car. I figure they do it to get the customer into the shop for their expensive "dealer" battery. It might be worth checking out.