1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Can the "key detected refusal to lock" be easily overridden?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Johnny Cakes, Nov 25, 2017.

  1. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2016
    994
    755
    2
    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    There are times I WANT to lock a key in the car. The car will not permit this to occur, displaying a KEY DETECTED error message and unlocking the driver's door.

    Yes, I could purchase a Faraday wallet or take some other key shielding behavior, but I am wondering whether there is any procedure for overriding the key detection protection so I can lock the key in the car. For example, in one of my other cars, if you lift the door handle while closing the door, the car will then permit the key to be locked inside. Anything like that for the Prius?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    nope. you'd have to take the battery out. and that's harder than a faraday.
     
    CNYhybrid likes this.
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,038
    10,012
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Some drivers have quite inadvertently found a few places inside where the radio antennas cannot detect the fob. I think my spouse has left her fob in the back of my car a couple times without triggering this anti-lockout feature, but most of the time I end up on an unwanted and unassisted treasure hunt, trying to find which pocket or parcel she stashed it in. I.e. she has already left the car, and I've become captive to it, unable to lock and leave until I've located her left-behind fob.

    If you must leave a fob inside, try the back, or even the storage area under the rear floor. The sensor for the hatch may force a bias towards the front of the 'trunk', or even low in the back seat.
     
    #3 fuzzy1, Nov 25, 2017
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2017
  4. Bay Stater

    Bay Stater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2016
    534
    771
    0
    Location:
    Central Mass
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    You can use your other remote key physically pressing the lock button to lock the car. I run into this scenario when my wife leaves her purse in the car (with the other key in it).:whistle:
     
  5. herqulees

    herqulees Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2014
    59
    24
    0
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Same here as Bay Stater said. When the girlfriend leaves her purse in the car I can't just tap the door handle to lock it but I can press the lock button on MY key fob and then it will override it and lock the car/set the alarm. I've been curious to see if it would start if someone broke in. I mean this is basically leaving the key in the ignition, but does the Prius ignore the key it senses was left inside it and waits for the key that locked the car to come back? I will test it eventually.

    FYI/alternative method to leave the car running AND locked: roll the driver window down, get out, press the door lock button inside the car, pull the window auto up button. Since we have no remote start this is what I do on cold mornings for her when I leave for work and walk past her car.