Left-field question: Can you walk away and leave a Prius running with the doors locked?

sure, just use the mechanical key to lock the drivers door

 

If your fob can't transmit, it can never be in the wrong place. Removing the battery, placing it in a Faraday cage, etc. will all work.

 

I have done it now and then, but thinking hard about security. The locked doors are the only thing stopping someone from driving the car away. If they don't have your fob, they'll be sad if they forget and turn the car off somewhere, but they could put a lot of miles on first.

 

So now that you've been told how...why would you?

 

Don't know about the OP, but I've done this when I would be away from the car, but needed continuous 12v without running down the battery. Obviously, the theft risk given the location where it is parked goes into the "worth it or not" equation.

 

A lot of places extended/unattended idling is illegal, both for pollution and security issues. Might void insurance too, if someone does take off with it. The car has a data recorder?

 

Sorry...you lock from the outside to keep people from stealing...but then leave it running? You car, your money, your problem.

 

No need to be sorry! I lock the car from the outside to keep the casual thief from deciding to check the car for valuables. Where it is parked, the thief would not have the identification necessary to get past the armed guard at the closed gate.

Since the Pri only idles for a minutes or two every hour, not sure that would violate the law. But at least in the city where I work, it is illegal to leave your keys in the vehicle.

 

Yeah I think that's the main thing: leaving a car unsecured, possibly driveable. Think adventurous kids...

 

I'm glad that I read this thread. Until today, I mistakenly believed that if I carried the fob with me when leaving the car running, it was unable to be driven away. I see that this is not true. In the past, I have left the car running on occasion for AC related reasons with dogs in the car.

 

Get one of those wheel boots the parking cops use.

 

Is there a difference locking a car while running for AC for the dog? Or shutting the car down and using the fob to turn the AC on with using the lock button and holding down the AC button on the fob? New owner here with a dog who travels in the summer. Just learning the ins and outs of the Prius V. I don't even have possession of it yet!! Very excited for tomorrow's pick up.

 

This is because the car cannot tell the difference between a fob that leaves the car, and a fob in which the battery dies. One wouldn't want the car to halt just because the fob's coin cell dies during a journey.

In fact, one doesn't actually need to ever replace a dead fob battery. While inconvenient, the car can still be locked, unlocked, started, and driven without a fob battery.

 

I guess one could only hope for the day that "adventurous kids" want to drive a Prius.

Mike

 

I think the fob-initiated 'remote A/C' has a time limit built in of some length, maybe 20 minutes?

Or as the saying goes, A/C that lives by the fob, dies by the fob.

 

20 minutes is perfect for me. Thank you! My stop is more like 10 min and then walking my dog. Most times he is considered first. yeah....He is my other child!

 

I've been doing that for years and got poo poo'ed on here for saying I do it haha. My quick keyless locking method- first set car to park (optional- set parking brakes). Make sure you have key fob in your pocket, roll all but the driver window up. Step out of the car, press reach in and press lock all doors, pull driver window switch up & pull your arm out.

No one can steal your car because all doors are locked. Side note, I always use parking brakes before putting car in Park. Some states require you to set parking brakes if you have to step away from the car with engine on in certain parking areas and shoulders.

Disclaimer- this reply may not apply in all situations.