deactivating theft deterrent system

Make sure you didn't accidentally activate the panic button on the fob. If that's not the case, check your 12V battery. A low 12V battery has been known to cause odd activation of the alarm.

Tom

 

all doors must be LOCKED before the theft deterrent system activates
it will not activate if the doors are UNLOCKED

so that rules out the alarm, yeah so make sure someone didnt hit the panic button

permantly Deactivating/activating isnt something trivial you can do, the only way to do that
is for the dealer to use his toyota scan tool

 

I've managed to sit on my own panic button on occasion. If the
fob takes a beating in your pocket, the button pad inside it
could begin to go flakey. Try this experiment: open up the fob
and take the battery out, and forgo use of smartkey or the
remote clicker for a few days. See if it still false-triggers.
You may also have an alternate fob [in better shape?] you could
use for a while.
.
_H*

 

as long as the doors are unlocked, the alarm is deactivated
so i dont think its necessary to pay the dealer to have it done

 

Speaking of the key fob. I'm guessing this is a dunb question and it's probably covered in the manual and on the forums but....

Why can't I leave the keys in the car? What would happen?

Thanks.

 

You can't lock the car, and thus can't confirm that the doors and hatch are actually shut (to prevent killing the 12V battery) as well as making it easy to steal the car.

 

Hi....
We just got a 2006 Prius a couple weeks ago and are still in the process of figuring things out.
I just noticed today that the little 'car w/ the key in it' icon on my dash is flashing. I mean..all the time the car is turned off. Whether the door is open or not, or if doors are locked or not...it still flashes. When I turn the car on, it stops.
I have read this part in the manual a dozen times or so and still can't figure how to turn it off. I don't know if it's been flashing the whole two weeks since we bought the car or if I've just done something recently that is causing it to flash. I'm really thinking that it isn't supposed to be doing this.
Can someone please help me?
Sharon in Ut.

 

You don't turn it off. You can pull out the battery and it will stop flashing, otherwise leave it alone. It's there to tell you that the immobilizer system has been enabled.

Tom

 

Re: flashing 'car' icon

Ok....sounds strange that it should keep flashing indefinitly, but I'm happy to know it's ok.
Thanks,
Sharon in UT

 

You might try this. Roll down the window, Lock the car and make sure the alarm system arms. Your security light will go from solid to flashing. After arming reach in the window and pull the hood release. If the alarm goes off you can disarm the alarm simply by bypassing the hood switch which is usually up in the hood latch in the grill area. If your lucky you can reach the plug and just jump the two wires together and the alarm won't arm. Even if the hood is closed with the latch the alarm system thinks it's still open and won't arm the system. A couple of drawbacks to this. The system can't protect your car. And since the alarm is waiting for the hood to close your Body Control Module might not go into low power mode and draw more power from your battery than necessary. It would be worth a try.

Jon

 

Regardless, the little light on the dash is supposed to flash when the car is off.

Tom

 

Sure.

I'm not certain if the page number in the 2007 Owners Manual are the same as the 2006, but in my Owners Manual, on page 7 there is a list of indicators and their meanings. The indicator you describe is refered to as:

"Hybrid vehicle immobilizer / Theft deterrent system indicator light"

On page 21 there is an explanation of the "Hybrid vehicle immobilizer system" for smart key use:

"DEACTIVATION USING THE SMART FUNCTION

The hybrid vehicle immobilizer system is a theft prevention system. When you enter the vehicle carrying a smart key and press the "POWER" switch, the electronic code in the key is automatically checked to determine wether is corresponds to the registered ID code for the vehicle. If the ID code is verified, you can start the hybrid system."

continued on page 22 with:

"Carrying a smart key and pressing the "POWER" switch automatically cancels the system which enables the hybrid system to start. The indicator light will go off."

On page 22 there is an explanation of the "Hybrid vehicle immobilizer system" for non-smart key use:

"DEACTIVATION USING THE KEY

The hybrid vehicle immobilizer system is a theft prevention system. When you insert the key in the key slot, the transponder chip in the key transmits an electronic code to the vehicle. The hybrid system will only start when the electronic code in the chip corresponds to the registered ID code for the vehicle."

continued on page 23 with:

"Inserting the registerd key in the key slot automattically cancels the system, which enables the hybrid system to start. The indicator will go off."

Furthermore both page 22 and page 23 indicate:

"The system is automattically set when the hybrid system is off and driver's door is opened. The indicator light will start flashing to show the system is set.

If any of the following indicator conditions occurs, contact your Toyota dealer.

• The indicator light stays on except when the theft deterrent system is setting or activating (See theft deterrent system on page 46.)
• The indicator light does not start flashing when the hybrid system is off and driver's door is opened.
• The indicator light flashes inconsistently.

For your Toyota dealer to make you a new key with built in transponder chip, your dealer will need your key number and master key. However, there is a limit to the number of additional keys your Toyota dealer can make for you.

In other words:

If you turn the car off and open the drivers door, the light should start flashing. It should continue flashing no matter if the doors are locked, unlocked, opened, or closed. If you insert the key into the slot (or carry the smart key into the car and press the "POWER" button), the indicator should stop flashing. This sounds like exactly what you are describing, so it seems that it is working fine.

There are further details on page 46.

Try looking in the index of your Owners Manual under "Theft deterent system" and "Keys" if your pages don't match mine.

 

Thanks very much for the explanation. It all makes sense now.
Sharon in UT

 

It flashes to tell would-be thieves "don't bother trying".

 

I have taken my 2005 Prius in for service 4 times regarding the spontaneously sounding alarm. They have replaced the 12v battery and reduced the sensitivity of the alarm but problem still persists. In the owner's manual (pg 45) on the Theft Deterrent System it says that 'this function can be deactivated', however I've called 2 Dealers (West Los Angeles area) who say it's not possible. Any thoughts?