Key Battery and the Car Alarm

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

Yesterday, I went out to unlock my car to go and buy the groceries. Pressing the button on my key wouldnt unlock the car. Grabbing the handle wouldnt unlock the car. Re-Pressing the button now that I was much closer wouldnt unlock the car.
I decided I'd put the little key thingy in the door and unlock that way. That was a mistake. The car alarm started - which is lovely at 9 on a Sunday!!!
I couldn't shut the alarm off with my keys. Thankfully, I had managed to unlock the car when I set the alarm off. The only way I could stop the alarm was to to start the car - and even then it wasnt immediate.

Questions:

1. Can the battery in my key be replaced? If so, can I do it?
2. Should the alarm go off when I try to open the car with the key in the door?

[dBC Member Find all posts View Profile Close dBC]

1. Yes and yes. P400 of the Owner's Manual talks you through the process
2. Yes, although it's dealer configurable to not trigger in that case, the default is to trigger. P515.

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

1. Yes and yes. P400 of the Owner's Manual talks you through the process
2. Yes, although it's dealer configurable to not trigger in that case, the default is to trigger. P515.

Thanks. Appreciate it.

In my case, its page 501 for battery replacement.

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

Yesterday, I went out to unlock my car to go and buy the groceries. Pressing the button on my key wouldnt unlock the car. Grabbing the handle wouldnt unlock the car. Re-Pressing the button now that I was much closer wouldn't unlock the car.
I decided I'd put the little key thingy in the door and unlock that way. That was a mistake. The car alarm started - which is lovely at 9 on a Sunday!!!
I couldn't shut the alarm off with my keys. Thankfully, I had managed to unlock the car when I set the alarm off. The only way I could stop the alarm was to to start the car - and even then it wasnt immediate.

Questions:

1. Can the battery in my key be replaced? If so, can I do it?
2. Should the alarm go off when I try to open the car with the key in the door?

1. Yes & yes: Battery replacement in the 2010-2016 Prado key fob is easy Spilsy. (ive done it myself in a 2010 Prado, and just had a look at the battery in my 2016 Prado key fob.

2. I now have a GX model Prado, which has an engine immobilizer but no car alarm, but I think the close proximity of an operational key fob prevents the car alarm activating if you open with the mini key...so what you experienced sounds right I suspect.


To open/replace the battery in Prado key fob:

Take the "mini key" out the fob and insert the end (the tip) of the mini key into the tiny slot beside where the mini key came from and twist it slowly (but reasonably forcefully)

That twisting action will click open the key fob into two halves, (don't drop the circuit board /battery assembly which sits inside)

The battery is a Panasonic CR1632 3 volt button battery (BTW don't swallow the button battery or ever let kids swallow it, they can kill)

Assembly is simply clicking the halves of the key fob back together, ensuring the circuit board is aligned correctly....very easy to do.

*******************
Just as an aside my key fobs have survived accidental full wash cycles and an accidental swim in the ocean..before and after battery replacement...amazingly...but I would't deliberately test the key fob for water resistance.

As another aside, when I travel away on a trip, I wrap my spare key in glad wrap and then in a layer of al foil, and hide it securely...(not saying where) ..the al foil blocks the signals from the key fob, so the key fob is no longer recognised by the car...allowing you to hide the now "inert" key fob securely in "very close" proximity to the car...(or even inside the car itself), with the mini key removed from the spare key fob and hidden elsewhere outside the car...just in case you loose your other key fob.

..anyway, I'd change the batteries in both key fobs Spilsy....you wont believe how easy it is.

..and I change the battery in both every couple of years at least.

Hope that helps.

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

Cheers. My 2nd key has been living at my parents place since I bought the car. Its never been used. I will be buying new batteries very soon and will replace them. I dont need to scare my neighbours again soon. Particularly the 95 year old who has her bedroom right next to where my car is parked.

[Doug32 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Doug32]

Luck for us these batteries are common types. I purchased a new battery from JayCars for about $4. (I also bought a spare to keep in the vehicle.)

[wv1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wv1]

Cheers. My 2nd key has been living at my parents place since I bought the car. Its never been used. I will be buying new batteries very soon and will replace them. I dont need to scare my neighbours again soon. Particularly the 95 year old who has her bedroom right next to where my car is parked.

If using the key you can with a turning sequence open the door without the alarm going off or alternatively ask toyota to program the ECU so it does not go off when using the key. I did this at my first service and it was done free of charge after first saying it could not be done until I pointed out the option in the owners manual.

[AK7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AK7]

I bought a battery replacement from Jaycar and at the same time bought one for my work car. The Jaycar batteries are only OK for a few months (in my experience), but they're cheap enough to get you out of trouble until you buy a decent branded battery (which can be bought cheap on eBay).

[jezza17 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jezza17]

HaHa same thing happened to me but i used the key setting the alarm off in a packed caravan park at 6am!!ops:

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

You can get 5 of the Energizer branded CR1632 on eBay for a tad less than $9 - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5-New-ENE...-/281267117109

Reminds me that I need to order some as the key fob on Mr Fido666's set has stopped working.