Do Not Lock Your Prius When Moving

[inspiredron]

If the Prius driver locks the car doors to keep out intruders he can open his own door in the normal way by pulling the interior handle. Unless the driver uses the electrical unlock button his passengers must first move the locking snib behind the handle before the handle will move. That is fine for normal entry and exit but if you have a crash at speed which prevents the driver from using the elecric unlock button the passengers must remember to unlock their doors before trying to get out. Toyota CS have told me that, unlike most cars with central locking, air bag activation WILL NOT unlock the doors.

I have reported the danger to VOSA but Toyota have reassured them.

BE WARNED - and this seems to apply to Gen 2 as well as Gen 3 cars.

[Jan&tone]

Since my brother died in a car accident where his doors were locked and the vehicle went into a river and he and his passenger couldn't unlock the central locking because it was 'shorted' I have NEVER locked the doors from inside when I'm driving - frankly I think it is completely stupid to do so - there are very few areas in the UK that one should feel the need for this to be done and the risks by doing so are minimal compared with the risks of doing it...

my opinion only and no doubt others will disagree, that is their perogative.

[hertsnminds]

Door locking is personal preference and depends how you are using your car. If you leave a bag on the front passenger seat and stop at traffic lights it is much easier for someone to open the door and just grab the bag. If you have children in the back of the car they can, and usually will, pull on any handle they can, if doors are not locked they will be opened. If you are in a crash then I can see that there are times when it is better to have the doors unlocked (easier to get out quickly) and times when it is better for them to be locked (so the doors don't fly open and leave you with less protection).

[RNS]

As a taxi drive i always keep my doors lock ,keeps me alot safer. and my night alot of less eventful.

[Parts-King]

My current Verso locks the doors automatically at about 18MPH and find it a pain! I am going to have it programmed out. Every time I get out and go to the boot I forget and its locked so have to faff around unlocking the blinkin thing

Kingo

[inspiredron]

Since my brother died in a car accident where his doors were locked and the vehicle went into a river and he and his passenger couldn't unlock the central locking because it was 'shorted' I have NEVER locked the doors from inside when I'm driving - frankly I think it is completely stupid to do so - there are very few areas in the UK that one should feel the need for this to be done and the risks by doing so are minimal compared with the risks of doing it...

my opinion only and no doubt others will disagree, that is their perogative.

Your brother's experience reinforces my concern becuse exactly the same thing could happen with the Prius. I find it difficult to believe, let alone accept, Toyota's apparent indifference to this potential danger which you have confirmed is real and not imaginary.

I have had two other cars with the ability to activate central locking while travelling - a 1994 Volvo and a 2001 Renault. In both cases the lock prevented the doors from being opened from outside but DID NOT DISABLE the internal handles. Also, in both cases I was informed that air bag activation would release the locks automatically.

[kithmo]

Sounds like the prius is double/dead locking the doors with the internal switch, it should be easy enough to reprogramme (or re-route the wiring even) to single locking.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

As a taxi drive i always keep my doors lock ,keeps me alot safer. and my night alot of less eventful.

lol I do and I don't. If in Leeds on a night I always keep my doors locked - once they're in your car, you ain't ever going to get them out again! We had one driver who forgot when dropping off in Leeds and a big bloke got in, he tried to inform this large gentleman that he was out of area and unable to take him and was promptly hit on the head with a machete! Incentive to lock your doors in a sh*t part of Leeds if ever there was.

[Doesn'tExist]

I've been the victim of two attempted car jackings and me and my children were only saved because I had the doors locked, that and my reaction to ram into one of the three thugs. I've also been in an icy river unfortunately and survived that too because I always have a glass hammer in the car. Locked doors are the least of your concern when you get into the water, heck you have to let the car fill first in order for you to manage to open them with the pressure against them.

So not surprising I have a different opinion and personal experience.

[timberwolf]

Really, a Glass Hammer, wouldn't that shatter? I think I know what you mean, I think it is called an Emergency Hammer?

[Jan&tone]

I did say that my opinion was just that and others would have their own thoughts. I have been in vehicles that automatically lock the doors as they pull away, presumably when they reach a set speed, but I personally would try not to buy one unless that was an option that could be turned off.

[Doesn'tExist]

I did say that my opinion was just that and others would have their own thoughts. I have been in vehicles that automatically lock the doors as they pull away, presumably when they reach a set speed, but I personally would try not to buy one unless that was an option that could be turned off.

Yes and I respect that, just sharing my own situation. Does make me wonder though how long it takes a prius to fill so you might be able to open your door as electrics or not you won't be able before then. I was lucky I had that training before I started to drive and prefer not to wait so smashing a window is good :-)

Ps funny that, it is the first option I have enabled.

[kithmo]

Would you get electrocuted by the high voltage Battery if the car filled with water ?

I was thinking of a TV program that showed you could be electrocuted by a hair dryer in the bath.

[inspiredron]

Sounds like the prius is double/dead locking the doors with the internal switch, it should be easy enough to reprogramme (or re-route the wiring even) to single locking.

No - it is mechanical in the handle itself. The drivers internal handle must have a little peg that flicks the red marked locking rocker just above the handle. The driver's handle does not do anything to the central locking, it merely moves the locking part as the internal handle itself moves. Try it!

Priuslock.pdf