Disabling Smart Key System in Camry
Created July 4, 2006, at 1:11 pm by Anonymous
I understand the Prius has a button under the steering wheel. But I cannot find the button in the 2007 Camry Hybrid. So far neither Toyota or the dealer can give me a clue. I dont what to risk my 84 year old mother's health. she has a pacemaker.
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Hi, I have a friend with a pacemaker and am in the same situation. Did you ever find a solution by chance? Thank you!
Heath
I have the same question about the Camry and a further one, that comes from the manufacturer of the pacemaker. Is there a metal barrier that separates the battery and inverter (that more efficiently converts DC to AC) from the passenger compartment? That is necessary for making it safe to sit especially in the back seat.
Craig and Heath and Collier: Please ask your dealer - and also Toyota Corporate - about this. In fact, send your questions to them by way of a certified letter / return receipt requested (it'll get their attention). Enclose any information you may have from a pacemaker manufacturer (Collier) re: pacemakers and hybrid cars.
The issue is called Extremely Low Frequency radiation (ELF) or Electro Magnetic Force (EMF) - see http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/elfradiation/hazards.html for a work-related discussion.
My understanding is that unless a pacemaker wearer is actually touching the conductors or the insulation over the conductors, the hazard is insignificant.
Here's a discussion from a pacemaker manufacturer of the effects of a chainsaw magneto or an arc welder on implantable pacemakers / defibrillators: http://www.medtronic.com/rhythms/daily_saw.html. Again, both exposures are from holding the device, not sitting as a passenger in a car.
Let us know what you get from the dealer or manufacturer.
I had this same concern since about twice a year I visit my parents (both w/ pacemakers). I saw in the TCH Owner's Manual it said that the dealer/service department could disable the SKS antenna system in this circumstance.
I wanted to know if I (underline) could disable it or would I need to pay $$$ every time my parents visited. Service/dealer/salesman didn't know. They finally got the idea that I wasn't going to let this question fade away.
They FINALLY contacted Toyota and found the instructions in the Service Manual (Door Lock - Smart Key System).
Here they are:
Precondition:
Power switch OFF, driver side door closed and unlocked.
(a) Unlock the driver door once with the UNLOCK switch of the electrical key.
(b) Open the driver door within 5 seconds.
(c) Unlock the driver side door twice with the UNLOCK switch of the electrical key within 5 seconds.
(d) Repeat open -> close twice for the driver door within 30 seconds, and open again.
(Driver door: OPEN -> close -> OPEN -> close -> OPEN)
(e) Unlock the driver door twice with the UNLOCK switch of the electrical key within 5 seconds.
(f) Repeat OPEN -> close once for the driver door within 30 seconds, and open again.
(Driver door: OPEN -> close -> OPEN)
(g) Close the driver door within 5 seconds.
When the electrical key cancel is activated, the wireless door lock buzzer sounds TWICE.
To return to the original condition, perform the procedures again. When the original condition is returned, the wireless door lock buzzer sounds ONCE.
(After watching the service department do this, I suggest having a Rum & Coke handy. It helps.)
Once this is done, the "old-style" remote keyless entry still works, but not the item whereyou need to be right next to the door. Also, to start the car, you need to hold the keyfob right in front of the POWER switch since the antenna system has been shut down.
Good Luck. Remember: Bacardi or Jim Beam are your best friends when first doing this. ;-}
I don't have a pacemaker but I had cardiac irregularities when I test drove the Prius in 2001. Almost passed out twice. My friend had to take the car back to the dealership.
Have been on medication ever since.
TOYOTA SMART KEY DISABLE/ENABLE
(Disable/Enable Smart Key Antennas)
Precondition:
Power switch OFF, driver side door closed and unlocked.
(a) Unlock the doors once with the UNLOCK button on the smart key.
(b) OPEN the driver side door within 5 seconds.
(c) Unlock the doors twice with the UNLOCK button on the smart key within 5 seconds.
(d) CLOSE and OPEN the driver side door twice within 30 seconds,
(CLOSE -> OPEN -> CLOSE -> OPEN)
(e) Unlock the doors twice with the UNLOCK button on the smart key within 5 seconds.
(f) CLOSE and OPEN the driver side door once within 30 seconds.
(CLOSE -> OPEN)
(g) CLOSE the driver side door within 5 seconds.
When the smart key is disabled, the wireless door lock buzzer sounds TWICE.
Once this is done, you will have to use the unlock button on the remote to unlock the doors (the driver side door will not automatically unlock when you grab the handle).
NOTE:
To start the car, you need to hold the smart key right in front of the POWER switch since the antenna system has been shut down.
To re-enable the smart key, perform the procedure again. When the smart key is re-enabled, the wireless door lock buzzer sounds ONCE.
One reason to disable the smart key is to prevent an after-market alarm system from triggering when you walk near the car (the dome light comes on when you get near the car causing the alarm to sound).
I have used this procedure on my 2008 Camry Hybrid.
Is it possible for a Smart Key to work as enabled in all areas except a certain part of town (e.g UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio) where it works like it is disabled?
It turns out that area of town has a bunch of radio masts and the dealer says I'm probably getting a lot of FM interference.
I work for a locksmith service in upstate NY. Tonight I had my first encounter with a Toyota equipped with the Smart Key. This Camry makes that talking car on Knight Rider look like a Smirf by comparison. The woman called and said that she locked her keys in the trunk. I tired to get the car opened so she could use the inside (manual) trunk release but every thing I did set off the alarm. Finally, she pressed a release button under the bottom center of the trunk lid logo and the trunk opened, leaving me scratching my head and wondering, "What the phuck just happened???"
So...can someone please tell me what happened?
wlbarton@dutchesslocksmithservice.com
Thanks
The smart key is just that... smart! You CANNOT lock the key in the trunk or the car itself. You have to either be holding the key or it must be somewhere on you (pocket or purse) in order to lock a door. If you leave the key in the car and then shut the door, the car will do a long beep at you when you go try to lock the door. It will not lock you out! Drop the smart key in the trunk and shut the trunk door, it will again do a long beep and cannot lock because you left the smart key in the trunk which you need to lock the trunk with in the first place. Thanks for that because I have dumped my purse in the trunk while putting the groceries in, shut the trunk door only to have my car "yell" at me because I left the key in there! It's nice to know I'll never lock myself out of the car leaving the key behind!
It IS possible to lock your key in the car, although difficult.
My wife and I went somewhere, and she decided to leave her purse in the car (her key was in her purse, mine was in my pocket, I was driving). She left her purse on the floor, apparently below the detection range of the car, and I was able to lock the doors with no problem.
This came to light when we parked somewhere else and I decided to put her purse in the glovebox (since I wasn't leaving my jacket in the car this time to cover it). The car "yelled" at me until I realized the problem. Had to take her key out of her purse before I could lock it.
Glovebox...car "senses" key and wouldn't lock.
Floorboards towards the front of the footwell...car had no clue key was there, went ahead and locked.
All cars that are equipped with smart keys has a little button under the trunk lid so the person wouldn't have to fumbble for there keys or remote and press the trunk release on the remote.
Can someone please answer this fundamental question: can one leave the key fob IN the car when it is parked overnight in a parking garage? I live in NYC and normally park on the street, which means I do very little driving--however, I must sit in the car from 9 until the magic 10:30 AM (when it is "safe"); does merely sitting/waiting for 1&1/2 hours 2X a week drain the battery? The car would not start yesterday and had to have it towed to the dealership where they pronounced I needed to replace the battery. How I am supposed to conduct my twice a week ritual of parking the car and waiting w/o having the key? This is a real dilemma. Can I disable this thing--the opening/closing ritual stated above sounds positively insane!
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