Keyless theft

[2bikes]

Hi all , our new rav4 arrives 1st march 😎question on the keyless entry ,if the Mrs approaches car with shopping etc then opens boot to load said items ,is it possible for a scally to just jump in drivers seat, hit start button and drive off leaving Mrs staring at an empty parking space !

[Chriss27]

Not sure on that. I have a Corolla without keyless entry but have adjusted setting on infotainment so the fob needs to be close to start/stop button before it will start. Maybe an option 

[Gerg]

I don't have a definitive answer, but, on the Auris, a selection can be made (in Techstream, don't think it can be done through the dash on that car) as to where the key must be in order to operate the ignition successfully.  The two areas offered are: any where inside the car, or, just the front seat area.

I can't remember what the default is.  Standing at the rear of the car loading the boot is too close to call as to if you are inside the car or not.  On the Auris, I think the actual detection module is at the rear of the rearmost quarter light, not that far from the hatch door.  I came across it when I had the interior trim off in that area.

On the Carista phone app, they list some of the customizations that are available.  For the last  model of Rav they listed this:-

 

Which looks promising. They don't list it for your model, but that's probably an oversight.

HTH

 

 

[Rosgoe]

I used to have a auris hybrid and yes once it was started you could take the key put it in the house and drive the car no problem so in answer to your question more than likely it would be possible for someone to jump in the vehicle and drive it away.

I haven’t tried it with the corolla but I bet it’s the same.

[furtula]

There are multiple antennas around the car, used for unlocking, however to unlock the car, or the trunk, you need to start very close to it.

You can check this at night, when you come close to the car, the lamps will turn on, signalling that you are in range.

From what i remember, the 1st gen had like 4 or more antennas, even though it only allowed you to be able to unlock it when standing just next to the drivers door (keeyless).

However, to start the car, you need to have the key very close to the star button. For example, if i take the key and put it in my pocket, which is further away from the start button, the car will not find it to be in range, and it wont allow me to start. 

If you want to check the range, once you start the car, you can remove the key from the vehicle, and it will say no key detected or something like that.

The scenario you are describing is unlikely, as you need to be close to the button to start the car.

But, as mentioned above, once the car starts, you can drive it just fine without the key, so be aware of that.

[satts67]

As above poster stated assuming Mrs still had keyless fob on her person (as you tend to do with keyless) the car would only be of limited use once the engine was stopped by said thief.

[2bikes]

Thanks all ,I will experiment with distances once she gets the car in a couple of weeks ,see if it will power up while key is in boot proximity 🤔

[philip42h]

I rather doubt that the engine will start if the fob is outside at the back of the car but it will most certainly stop - with load beeping - as soon as the key fob is out of range! (I tried getting out of the car, leaving the engine 'running', to post a letter with the key in my pocket - silly me ...)

[Devon Aygo]

The answer is no, if your wife has the key and is outside the car than the start button would not operate. There are key proximity sensors in both front doors, tailgate and centre console which triangulate the keys position and it must be within the cabin for the start switch to work 

[182_blue]

The other day my wife had the key in her bag just outside the passenger door, I was in the drivers seat and it wouldn't allow me to start the car. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Article on Honest John this week re keyless thefts: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/owning-1/2021-02/range-rover-dominates-list-of-most-stolen-and-recovered-cars-of-2020/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter 18 February 2021&utm_content=Newsletter 18 February 2021+CID_4950cd7b4a8b17bfe00909f0c05fd60c&utm_source=campaign monitor&utm_term=Keyless thefts account for 93 of stolen vehicles according to Tracker

[Kos_ta]

I have MK3 RAV with keyless entry and it definitely impossible to start the car if the person with the fob loading the shopping in the boot dedpite the car is unlocked. In fact it's impossible to start the engine if the person with the fob standing just outside the driver's door. 

[Peterd23]

The system is a clever one and knows where the key is as Devon Aygo has said. You can't start the car without the key being inside the car - I have tried it quite a few times. Of course it is a different matter if you leave the engine running !

One additional thing is that when you go to open the doors the car knows which side the key fob is and will only unlock from the door nearest to the key. In your example, if your wife was stood by the locked drivers door a scally by the passenger door would not be able to unlock the car.

[PeteB]

1 hour ago, Peterd23 said:

...if your wife was stood by the locked drivers door a scally by the passenger door would not be able to unlock the car.

However, when a key holder unlocks one door, by default (at least it was on mine), all the doors and boot unlock.  I went into the menus on mine, and set it so that if the driver's door is unlocked using keyless entry, or if you press the unlock button on the remote, only the driver's door unlocks.  It takes a second press of the fob button, or holding the driver's door handle more than about 5 sec to unlock the rest of the car.

[Peterd23]

Thanks PeteB, wasn't aware of the improvement made to this on the newer model. Don't think this will allow my other half to approve trading mine in yet though !

[PeteB]

Might be worth checking the manual for your model - my last 2016 Prius had the same options, and possibly (although I'm not absolutely certain) the 2012 Gen 3 Prius I had before that.