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Prime door lockout

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by IABoy987, Apr 1, 2022.

  1. IABoy987

    IABoy987 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2011
    180
    76
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    The wife put her purse with fob in Prime and did not start car, but closed door to put letters in mailbox, maybe 1+ minute round trip. When she returned the car had locked itself. She had to borrow my fob to unlock car.

    Is this a Prime safety feature prevent thefts? I would be concerned that this would have happened in a parking lot without access to a matching fob, or worst case, the borrowed fob's battery was dead (I know the fob key can be used (if you're smart enough to remember it ;)) ). When I take car in for service they put fob in cup holder and car doesn't lock itself.

    Even more "spooky" is on rare occasions, the car has locked doors in garage overnight and requires a handle pull or two to unlock doors.

    Manuals don't address this that I could find.
     
  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,964
    8,840
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Strange. I don't think this has ever happened to me. I have left my key fob in a car and got out of the car numerous times, but the car is usually running. Or, as you said, the key in the car shut down and left it unlocked for the dealer service station, nothing happens.

    So, you are saying that the car was off when the door was opened and the purse with the fob was placed inside? The only time auto-lock function is when you use the fob to unlock the car, but the door is not opened within a certain time period (default is 60 sec, but can be customized to 30 sec, 120 sec, or OFF). Another auto-lock feature is linked to the shit position or can be customized to be linked to speed, but for this, you have to be inside of the car and car in READY and shit in D.
     
  3. Old Bear

    Old Bear Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2017
    712
    1,049
    20
    Location:
    Boston, Massachusetts USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    As far as I know, my 2017 Advanced does not have an automatic locking feature. My previous car did and I recall it being useful because the car would lock within a few seconds after exiting -- provided that it was shut off and the fob was not inside the car.

    Again, as far as I know, my 2017's functionality is to sound a continuous beep if a fob is left inside the car. I have experienced situations where Mrs. Bear left her purse containing her fob inside the car when we both exited the car. It responded with a continuous beep and would not let me lock the car using my key fob until she removed hers from inside the car.

    I would be very pleased if my Prime would lock itself automatically so that I could use the pre-conditioning climate function from my phone without having to go out to my garage and manually lock the car using the fob.
     
  4. pghyndman

    pghyndman Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2018
    498
    464
    0
    Location:
    CT shoreline
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    FWIW, none of my PPs would lock when a key was inside the car, whether running or off. Occasionally I'll let my wife out at a storefront and park but cannot lock up by touching the handle (she left her fob inside the car). I must either find and remove her fob from the car or use the LOCK button on my fob.