I like the way you can lock the Prius by pushing the button on the door. However, there have been some occasions where I push the button, and I get a long beep. It doesn't lock the car. Usually, when it does lock it, it gives me a short beep.

Anyone run into this problem? Why will it sometimes lock, and sometimes not lock.. When it does not lock, I have to lock it with my key fob, but that's not as cool.

You know, one big reason for the Prius is the coolness ....

 

The long beep usually means you are out of range from the receiver. Step a little closer to the door before you push the button. The range is very limited (about 1-3 feet). It gets worse as the battery in the fob gets weeker.

 

Sometimes it takes a time or two.

Make sure you've got your key fob with you, outside the car. One time my wife left her keys in my car and it took me 10 minutes to figure it out and lock the ****ed thing.

 

Any idea what the fob's battery life is?

 

If one of the doors is not fully closed, it will do the long beep on locking. Did it to me yesterday when the rear hatch wasn't fully closed.https://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/2647/signature.png

 

Thanks for all the responses. I'll have to try this out again. Most of the time, when it does give me the long beep, I'm very close to the door. I know it's not the battery, because I just got my Prius 1.5 weeks ago.

 

Toyota says about 2 to 3 years in the smart key equipped vehicles. That sounds about right considering the amount of 2-way communication the fob does with the vehicle.

 

I had the same problem and it was because my wife left her purse in the car with the key fob in it. Thus the Prius detected that the fob was still in the car and wouldn't allow me to lock the doors via the button.

I had to take my fob out of my pocket and lock it with the button. Too bad the system can't be smart enough to detect the one in my pocket and realize that another was left in the car.