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What prevents intruder from coming in?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by motifone, Aug 23, 2012.

  1. motifone

    motifone Junior Member

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    Hi All

    The SKS key system is pretty cool -- you can never lock your keys in the car because so long as the keys are in the car, you can open the door. I like that. But what's to stop an intruder coming in at say a stoplight? Can you lock them out? I'm probably missing something obvious here.

    More nuts per area here in Los Angeles, so it crossed my mind. I've had my share of weirdos approach my cars in the past.
     
  2. JBoat

    JBoat New Member

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    When the car is started and in motion, the locks automatically engage. You have to be below a certain speed to unlock them when the car is moving, if memory serves. That means if you hop in, take off and come to a stoplight, they remain locked for the duration of your drive.

    If you leave the keys in the car, get out, use the lock all doors button, and then close the door.. I believe that can actually lock you out. Your keys would of course, have to be outside the range of the driver's side door sensor.
     
  3. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    As long as your doors are locked and the SKS is inside the car, they shouldn't be able to unlock the from the outside since they have no SKS for your car.

    I'm not 100% sure about the case of whether there's both SKS for your car inside AND outside the car though.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    seems we don't really know.:)
     
  5. dmvp

    dmvp Member

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    Maybe just have a friend or family member approach your car and grab the door handle after you've locked the doors to find out! I guess I figured if they were locked I was safe, but didn't really think about the SKS being in proximity, so good question!!
     
  6. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    No, if you're in the car and you lock the doors nobody can open them from the outside whether the car is on or not. They may be able to get in if they have a FOB but that would only be someone you know, right? There are several options as to whether the doors lock automatically and how they do so. RTFM. I've read the options part three times and I'm still unsure exactly what's available. But none of the options change the fact that if the doors are locked (and they can be locked if you are in the car, FOB or not). To lock the doors with the FOB in the car it must be on.
     
  7. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    The default setting is above a speed of about 5 mph they lock and for the doors to unlock you have to hit the Park button. So, if you are sitting at a light the doors remain locked unless you place it in Park.

    The door lock and unlock settings are Customizable Settings and can be changed but the default setttings are above. That is the way the 2010 works.
     
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I changed my default settings so that the doors do not automatically unlock when the car stops or is put into Park. Occupants must deliberately unlock them from the inside. (Fronts open simply by pulling the inside levers, rears first require a deliberate unlock action. This creates some hassle when trying to fetch back seat cargo, but I demand it for urban security.)

    This weekend I discovered that when the ignition is still on (and spouse's fob still inside the car), the outside SKS system is disabled. To open the rear hatch or rear doors, I had to return to the driver seat and either turn off the ignition, or use the unlock-all button. (I was leaving ignition on to provide 13+ volts for an event support radio that becomes unreliable at the lower voltage of the accessory mode.)
     
  9. motifone

    motifone Junior Member

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    I *think* I follow what people are saying here. So long as I hit the lock button on the door, then my understanding is the door should remain locked to outsiders whether I'm moving, at a stop light with car on, or sitting in the car with the car off
     
  10. Gilbert

    Gilbert Member

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    you CANNOT get locked out of this car (atleast on the 2012). if you try to manually set the locks and the door is open, it will automatically unlock all doors. and obiously you cant lock the car with the keys inside (using the door button) because it will know the key is still inside. and no one, not even with another key can open any door while the car is on.
     
    markabele likes this.
  11. subjective

    subjective Member

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    If my wife and I are traveling together on a long trip, each of us carries a car key/operation fob system. What kind of problems could this cause?
     
  12. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    Nothing, my wife and I do it all the time.
     
  13. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    It depends. If either party traditionally leaves their spare key locked in the car, this fob will force them to change habits and take the fob with them. For some folks, this will be a problem.

    After locking herself out of her own (old) car a couple years ago, my spouse has quit complaining about the Prius' refusal to lock while her fob is still inside.
     
  14. kalome

    kalome Member

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    Also.....you can set it so it doesn't unlock when you go in park. I changed mine a while ago to that setting.
    Sometimes I will go in park for whatever reason (check something on phone, look at gps, go into glove box, etc.) and I don't like the doors automatically unlocking.
     
  15. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    If you don't trust it, get in with the fob, lock the doors, and have a friend without a fob try to open them.