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driving with no key on me?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by zeroeffect4, Oct 16, 2008.

  1. zeroeffect4

    zeroeffect4 New Member

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    hey fellas, i did a bit of an experiment today. i unlocked the doors and set my key back in my garage. Then i got back in and drove the car around the block with no key! I thought that you had to have the key on you at all times or the car would shut down. I guess it is the same with all you guys?

    I guess this is in the right forum, electronics?
     
  2. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    Once started the car will run without the fob until it burns all the gas or is powered down.
     
  3. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    . . . but then will not restart.

    You only need the key to START the car. Once started you can toss the fob out the window for all the car cares. You, on the other hand, will care.
     
  4. SCfromSC

    SCfromSC I take my gas in a sippy cup

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    But he didn't say he started the car. Just that he unlocked it and put the fob in the garage. So the question is, did zeroeffect4 start the car before he put the key in the garage. Or did you just unlock it, set the key aside, and THEN get in and start the car?
     
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    This sounds like an experiment for everyone to try. Just like the good ol' days in 04/05 when we seriously had no idea how things worked and would try all sorts of silliness to discover the undocumented tricks.
     
  6. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    I think there's a missing step in the above description. I don't think you can drive the car around without first pushing the power button to get it started.

    The real question is, did the OP push the power button while the key was OUTSIDE the car? If he did that and the car started, where exactly was the fob in relation to the car?
     
  7. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    I do not believe he could have started the car with the fob in the garage. My car won't start with the fob on the deck. The start receiver is directional so the signal needs to be detected from within the car.

    Tonight's test: Open the driver's door. Put fob on ground just outside the door. This results in dome lights and 1 beep. Same results with fob on ground just beyond the front bumper.
     
  8. zeroeffect4

    zeroeffect4 New Member

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    correct sorry guys, I should have been more descriptive in my post. yes, I did start the car and back it out. then take the fob out of my pocket. I would think that if it detects no key, when the light blinks on the dash it should shut down when putting your foot on the brake, like my remote start in my other vehicle.
     
  9. alanh

    alanh Active Member

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    The issue is that it can lose the signal due to the fob battery going dead, or just being temporarily losing the signal due to where it's positioned. You don't want the car abruptly shutting off while you're driving if this happens.
     
  10. SCfromSC

    SCfromSC I take my gas in a sippy cup

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    While I have not tried it myself, my understanding of the vehicle is that once it is started you can put the key back in the house and drive off. Just don't shut the car off before you get back home cause without the key there will be NO RESTARTING.
     
  11. dpoole34

    dpoole34 Junior Member

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    This is the reason that when using a remote starter, the vehicle is sometimes wired to shut down when you open the door. Then you have to restart it to drive away. (unless they installed an idatalink transponder bypass, Then you have 45 seconds after unlocking to drive away)
     
  12. pdhenry

    pdhenry It's HEEERE!

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    When the car is in Ready mode and a door is closed with no fob in the car, there are three beeps that can be heard outside the car. If you were to leave the driver's door open while you set the key down in the garage there will be no beep until you get back in the car and close the door, at which time you may not hear it while inside the car. You should still see a flashing icon on the instrument panel indicating that the car doesn't sense a key.
     
  13. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    A more realistic scenario (that used to happen a lot to me) is that you switch drivers (i.e. when carpooling or getting dropped off) and forget to give the other driver the fob. When we first got the car, my wife and I ran into this pretty often. At first I didn't realize why the three beeps, and she didn't understand the yellow key icon on the dash.

    Nowadays we each carry our own fob all the time. She puts her in her purse, mine in my pocket. No more trouble... :)