Auris 2013. Flat battery issue

[Peter 101]

I have discovered that when I park my Auris on my drive. Lock it and hang my key fob just inside my  front door  it drains the batter. If I park it 5 meters away from the door it holds the charge. I now keep my keyfob away from the car. Any one any comments, I'd be interested to hear your experiences 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Moved to the Auris club.

If the car has smart entry, keeping the keys by the front door may still be in range of the car, and the Battery may be flattening due to communicating with the key.

Aside from the above, keeping the keys by the front door, and presumably the letterbox, may leave the car vulnerable to theives.

[furtula]

With what you are doing, it's incredibly easy to steal your car. The thieves just need a signal enhancer, one goes to your front door, picks the signal, the other one is positioned next to the car. The car thinks the key is there, lets you in, and allows you to start it. Once started, you can drive without a key.

If you are used to keeping your keys next to the door, i advise to get a Faraday box, they even make small ones designed for key fobs and phones.

[Bob110023]

I actually keep mine in a Faraday pouch. I have stood next to the car and pressed the unlock button to check the signal, nothing happens. Take the fob out of the bag and presto its magic. Definitely get the added protection.

[Gerg]

On 10/26/2020 at 10:46 AM, Peter 101 said:

If I park it 5 meters away from the door it holds the charge.

The car, when left parked and undisturbed, has several distinct levels of 12v Battery power consumption, depending on how many of the car's onboard computers are still active.  The various computers enter a 'sleep mode' at predetermined times, until after 20 minutes, the last one that can shut down does so.  When it is in this state the 12 volt power consumption is very low.

When the key fob is detected very near the car (this key detection is effectively always on, although on some cars this detection turns off after 5-7 days to further save Battery charge), the car powers up all the computers again in anticipation of you entering the car.  The power consumption in this state is many, many times higher than when in the aforementioned 'sleep' mode.

When your key fob is stored very close to the car, then the car never gets to shut down into the lower power mode - it is perpetually readying itself for you to get into the car, as it detects you are very near!  So the 12 volt Battery drains quickly.

This change in loading on the battery can be seen with a current meter.

[BigRedSwitch]

Gerg, is it not sufficient to disable the key fob by holding down the "lock" button and then pressing the "unlock"  button twice and then releasing the "lock" button?  I think this is mentioned in the Auris user manual.

Also, remember to disable/protect the spare key fob too!

[Gerg]

26 minutes ago, BigRedSwitch said:

is it not sufficient to disable the key fob by holding down the "lock" button and then pressing the "unlock"  button twice and then releasing the "lock" button?  I think this is mentioned in the Auris user manual.

Hi Ian, yes, I think you are entirely correct. 

I just forgot to try this (just to be absolutely certain), when I was looking into this earlier in the year!  When I get some time I'll look to try this out with a current meter attached.  The car that has the keyless entry is clocking up a lot more miles now, so Battery charge level not such an issue for me at present.

[Peter 101]

Thanks  fellow Toyota owners it all makes sense now. I have purchased a Faraday pouch to keep the keyfob in my local toyota dealers didn't know this and would have had me buying a new Battery!  FYI my keys are not visible from the door, but in a cupboard adjacent to it.  Such a relief to know. I'm not going loopy. 

[Gerg]

4 hours ago, BigRedSwitch said:

Gerg, is it not sufficient to disable the key fob by holding down the "lock" button and then pressing the "unlock"  button twice and then releasing the "lock" button?  I think this is mentioned in the Auris user manual.

I've just checked to see if the car 'wakes up' in any fashion; when the key fob is taken near the car when the 'no communication' option is enabled on the key fob, as you described above.

I found the car stays in the low power 'sleep' mode, right up until the moment you press one of the key fob lock/unlock buttons - exactly as you would expect.

So, yes, you are correct!

[BigRedSwitch]

That gives me more confidence for the autumn and winter!  Thank you.