3rd Gen Proximity Key- Heads Up

From my understanding, the 3rd gen has a proximity key (in certain options I assume, not standard). If you are close enough with the key, the car unlocks when you touch the door handle. A pretty cool feature, and very convenient.

I wanted to give all of you with this option a warning. Test the range of the key and make sure you store it far enough away from your truck when you are home. I would hope Toyota didn't give it such a ridiculously long range like this case below, but its always worth testing.

Last week I had a case where a woman's vehicle was burglarized, she lost a ton of stuff. She swore up and down she had locked the car, but there were no signs it was broken into. Her car also had the proximity key. After some experimenting, we figured out the issue. She did lock the car, but where she left her keys INSIDE her house (about 40 feet away) was still close enough for the key to work. I was able to walk up and as soon as I touched the handle, the door opened.

A situation like that makes it very easy for criminals to get into your truck an take any valuables. I of course wouldn't recommend keeping valuables in the truck in the first place though...

 

That's really weird.

Both my lexus and my tacoma are like 2 to 3 feet from the vehicle. That's basically arm length.

 

Yeah only works from 2ft away with mine

 

Which is how it should be! This car was a few years old so maybe the technology had just come out and needed some fixes

 

My wife's Prius is the same 2-3 feet to work. In the example cited, was it a Chrysler product? My wife's aunt has a Challenger that will open and start with the key a good 50 feet away.

 

Yea. No worry with the Tacoma. My '16 only works 3 feet away max.

 

Sounds like a lawsuit

 

Alternatively you can shut car Keys radio frequency off. Hold the lock button and then hit the unlock button twice... Red light should should flicker on and off a bunch of times signaling it worked. This should save on battery life

You should now be able to walk up the door and not be able to open or unlock your vehicle.. Hit the lock or unlock button to reactivate the keys

 

What kind of car was burgled?

 

That's insane. My two current rides have it and I've got to be right on top of them to get the doors open. My 2007 BMW was the same way...

 

Something tells me that the lady who had her car broken into is either wrong or full of shit. Those keys simply do not have that kind range where it can be in the house and someone opens the door. My truck also only works if the key is in my pocket.

 

Do the proximity keys on the new Tacoma's kill the motor if you walk away from the vehicle and its still running?

 

No, the car will still run. It will beep and holler at you though.

 

I would have liked that as a feature choice.

 

scenario::::: you're at the gas station and someone shove you out of the way, jumps in and starts it and drive away.

 

You can't take it out of Park unless the key fob is in the cabin.

 

Once they turn it off the joy ride is over. Most likely parked around a tree or wall.

 

Once they turn it off the joy ride is over. Most likely parked around a tree or wall.

 

Same here.. just a couple of feet away.

 

I thought you could be a few feet away and it would still work?