[aiken]

Tomorrow morning, my girlfriend has a 6am flight. We live an hour from the airport, so we're talking a 4am alarm. Needless to say, I'd much rather sleep. We planned for her to drive the prius, and leave it in the short term lot. I'll head down later in the day to collect it.

One problem: can she lock her key inside the car? I'll be bringing the second key, and we'd rather have both keys here.

Thanks
-b

 

[melgish]

Don't know the definitive answer, but it seems to me if you can remove the batteries from the FOB it becomes just another piece of plastic.

That said, I'd strongly recommend that you get out of bed, and drive your girlfriend to the airport...and when she comes back, pick her up with flowers in hand.

Two reasons:

1. The gratitude factor.
2. You've just told the whole world you'll be leaving your keys in your car.

 

[Thomme]

She can leave the fob in the car if she removes the little key from it and physically locks the door with that key. She'll have to take that key with her - dunno if that defeats your purpose.

The first few weeks we had our car, it would occasionally refuse to lock. My wife would sometimes leave her purse in the car while we were out running short errands. Took a while for my pea brain to figure out why the car wouldn't lock. I wasn't putting 2 and 2 together that fob in purse + purse in car = no lockee lockee.

 

[rpm]

She can leave the fob in the car if she removes the little key from it and physically locks the door with that key. She'll have to take that key with her - dunno if that defeats your purpose.

This is only w/Smart entry system, am I right? If so, can't girlfriend shut off SE with the button, then leave fob and key in car, and lock it in?
rob

 

[V8Cobrakid]

Right.. kill the SE/SS system.. and lock it all in. But. you will still need the key to lock the door. I don't think you can lock the car with the little black buttons when SE/SS is disabled. Do a test.. or i could do one now... hehe *walks outside* .. ok.. i did test this before.. but i'm tired.. and had to make sure. anything to do with the door (except key) is disabled when SE/SS is off. So, she would have to take the key with her. Be sure to hide the fob well. If someone does decide to break into your car ( you announced this to "everyone" your fob will be inside... but i'm hoping all us prius owners are kind hearted to not take your car. She will have to keep the key though. O well.. turn the SE/SS back on.. the car won't miss the key.

 

[mrv]

Tomorrow morning, my girlfriend has a 6am flight. We live an hour from the airport, so we're talking a 4am alarm. Needless to say, I'd much rather sleep. We planned for her to drive the prius, and leave it in the short term lot. I'll head down later in the day to collect it.

One problem: can she lock her key inside the car? I'll be bringing the second key, and we'd rather have both keys here.

Thanks
-b

Depends on which Prius you're talking about.

On all Prius, they won't let you lock the doors while the key is in the ignition.

On the classic Prius, simply leave the key inside, and lock the doors with the door button.

On the 2004 Prius with SE&SS, you cannot lock the fob inside unless the fob is batteryless (not an easy thing to do, even with the right tools and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed), or put the fob in an area (like the cargo area) that the interior sensor won't notice it. Or, turn off SE&SS. Hide the remote, and lock the doors with the interior button. (I think that'll work. you might need to lock the driver's door with the metal key, however.)

 

[melgish]

i'm hoping all us prius owners are kind hearted to not take your car.

I'm sure the *owner's* are all perfect angels ... what about those on the waiting list?

 

[hdrygas]

On the 2004 Prius with SE&SS, you cannot lock the fob inside unless the fob is batteryless (not an easy thing to do, even with the right tools and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed), or put the fob in an area (like the cargo area) that the interior sensor won't notice it. Or, turn off SE&SS. Hide the remote, and lock the doors with the interior button. (I think that'll work. you might need to lock the driver's door with the metal key, however.)[/quote]
I have read and would like to hear from others that you can wrap the extra fob in heavy duty aluminum foil. I am not sure about this but my knowledge of radio is not up to the problem. Radio Hams and others with more knowledge than I chime in here!!

 

[Batavier]

Don't know the definitive answer, but it seems to me if you can remove the batteries from the FOB it becomes just another piece of plastic.

That said, I'd strongly recommend that you get out of bed, and drive your girlfriend to the airport...and when she comes back, pick her up with flowers in hand.

Two reasons:

1. The gratitude factor.
2. You've just told the whole world you'll be leaving your keys in your car.

Best solution!

 

[melgish]

Yep... I wonder what he did...

I should have added...

3. Five years from now you won't have to hear "...and you didn't even drive me to the airport when i flew to ..."

 

[aiken]

Thanks for the replies. She ended up just taking one fob with her; too much work to deal with the key thing at 5am. Thanks for the advice; it's good to understand SE/SS a little better.

Somehow, I don't think that even the waiting list people will be going to their local airports and breaking into every Prius, hoping that it's the one with the key locked in . A mod could probably guess my location from IP, but even then, there are probably a few cars at the local airport today.

And yeah, driving her would have been the nice thing to do. But I work from 10am - 3am today, and getting up at 4 would have made that a little difficult.

Cheers
-b

 

[Daniel]

Too late for this particular situation, but you can definitely lock the fob inside the car by using the mechanical key. I did that all winter long (any time it was colder than 15 or 20 degrees below zero) so I could let the cabin warm up a bit. Hard on the mileage, but 30 below zero is even harder on my fingers and toes.

 

[AgentElrond]

Another "too late" post, but I'd personally rather have my wife or I play "shuttle" driver (or call a cab!) then leave EITHER of ours in an airport parking lot.

 

[priussales]

I know this is a bit late as well but here is what I know about it along with the others input.

If you drop the key in the center console/fold away storage under the radio, near the floor board, You can lock the car according to the manual without shutting off SE/SS. But it is easier to just hit the little button and disable the system so you can throw the fob anywhere that is hidden and then manually locking the car with either the little metal key or with the interior lock button. The trunk won't work since it will sense it near and anyone can open it then. And neither does the glovebox according to the book.

Hopefully I have provided a little more insight and at the least, a confirmation.

 

[SeaTrooper]

On the 2004 Prius with SE&SS, you cannot lock the fob inside unless the fob is batteryless (not an easy thing to do, even with the right tools and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed), or put the fob in an area (like the cargo area) that the interior sensor won't notice it. Or, turn off SE&SS. Hide the remote, and lock the doors with the interior button. (I think that'll work. you might need to lock the driver's door with the metal key, however.)

I have read and would like to hear from others that you can wrap the extra fob in heavy duty aluminum foil. I am not sure about this but my knowledge of radio is not up to the problem. Radio Hams and others with more knowledge than I chime in here!!
[/QUOTE]
Ok - just wanted to say thanks for the aluminum foil idea. I work in a body shop and customer wanted fob in vehicle after hours on the street. Wrapped in aluminum foil til about the size of a baseball and put th a t in the cargo area. Used door lock switch on drivers side and closed the door - perfect success. No removing batteries..better still I get to go home for my 3 day weekend and she can get her car whenever she desires over the weekend.
So in conclusion; best solution is alum foil and leaving work early (or letting girlfriend as original poster mentioned drive herself - lol!)
Happy Memorial Day weekend from Seattle Wa!