How do I open the hatch door when powered up?

Suggestions? Unlock the doors before you get out. It sounds trite, but it works.

Tom

 

I don't think this behavior is limited to the hatch. If the passenger door is locked and the car is on, I don't think the SKS will unlock the passenger door when you grab the handle. Same with the drivers door. I'll try it when I leave work and report back later.

 

Never had that problem, I'll have to try it out tonight.

 

I have my remote programed so it unlocks all locks when I enter the car that way when I get out and need to open the hatch it is unlocked.

 

Sounds to me like a safety feature - if they hadn't done this, then someone could walk up and open your hatch if you're stuck in traffic.

 

Can you press the unlock button on the keyfob to open the hatch in this situation?

 

I think it'll depend on your setting. If you have the setting set to what you have said then it's a safety feature that keeps the doors locked because the car is on. It doesn't want intruders coming up and just unlocking the doors. I would have my key in my pocket with the car started and all doors locked, then my dad would come up with the 2nd key in his pocket and it still won't open the door for him. Unless the car is not started, I would unlock the driver's side then he'll go to passenger side and unlock all doors.

 

Mine is the same. You cannot open back hatch with car on. They don't want you to get run over cause you left the car on I guess.

 

I don't know of a way to change it. I tried it last night, and this appears to be the way SKS is designed to work. It is not just the hatch. I tried all three doors (driver, passenger, hatch) with the car in "Ready" and the fob in my pocket. None of the doors unlock.

I haven't tried the buttons on the fob yet, if I get a chance I'll try that today, unless someone else posts about it here first.

 

Ok, it's this simple. When the car is on (READY) the SKS system is disabled.
So now it's like any other car. If you approach a fully locked car and only unlock the drivers door, then start the car, and get out to get something, ONLY the drivers is unlocked, so the rest won't open.

If you approached the car in the beginning, and unlocked all the doors, all the doors would open, even after you start it.

SO, It all depends on how you have your SKS locks set. If it's set for just the drivers door (which you said your is for safety), and you start the car, then you need to unlock the other doors manually to access any other door before getting out of the car.

The expectation that a smartkey would allow unlocking of doors after you start the car, that you didn't wish to be unlocked before the car was started,
makes no sense.

And the expectation that the car should recognize the driver's SK or multiple smart keys, after the car is started, is just plain dangerous. The last thing I want (and Toyota too, i'm sure) is someone (or the driver) to be behind a running car, that the least little mental glitch by the operator could result in them getting run over. Especially with the Prius, where interpretation of what running mode it's in is such a big problem with people.

 

I just tested parameters on our car. The door locks are set to open when either driver or passenger door is opened. Tried to open the hatch at READY without driving it with driver door both open and closed. Also drove it up and down the driveway, set the parking button and tried to open the hatch with driver door open and closed. In each case, without exception, the hatch opened. The only anomaly I noticed was the READY light remained on with each test. I may not have noticed previously if it stays on in normal operation, so I can't say that was a variation from the norm.

 

What was the point of this experiment, your SKS is set to unlock all the doors, and they were. No surprise.
OP's SKS is set to unlock only the drivers door, so the rest are locked.
He wants to get out of the car, after it's running, and access things, yet he can't with the SKS set like that. He doesn't like it. All he has to do is manually unlock the doors, or change his SKS setting.

And how is your READY light remaining on an anomoly? You never powered down the car.

 

See what I mean

 

How do you program the remote to do that?

 

I have the same problem with the front door of my house, bloody thing wont open when it's locked. I tell you it is really starting to get to me.

 

Reprogram your house and pray that the bladder never gets screwy!

 

It's in the Owner's Manual, near the beginning, in the section/chapter about Keys and Doors.

In my 2007 Owner's Manual, it's on page 32 under a heading "CHANGING THE DOORS TO BE UNLOCKED".

If I understand the instructions correctly, I think you have to press the Lock Button and the Panic Button (the red button) at the same time until you get to the unlocking mode that you want.

BTW, what's with that Panic Button? What's it supposed to do?