2005 Trunk Smart Key Entry Not Working

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by SwaggyWebb, Dec 29, 2025.

  1. SwaggyWebb

    SwaggyWebb New Member

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    Weird issue, my keyless entry was working on my trunk (as in car is locked, I walk up to it and put my hand on the latch and it unlocks/opens).

    Lately that is no longer the case.

    I have techstream and verified that the antenna or oscillator picks up the key for both the interior and exterior rear hatch sensors (as in ran the test and heard a beep when i took the key back there).

    The trunk opens when I unlock the car, so to me it isn't the latch either.

    Any advice on what could be wrong? Is there some part I'm missing between whatever makes the car beep when I run the active test and the actual handle?

    It isn't the key fob either because I tried with both key fobs and got the same results.
     
    #1 SwaggyWebb, Dec 29, 2025
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    But when you walk up to the driver side door locked and reach your hand out it unlocks and you can get in the car and start the car without ever looking at the remote or touching it? You have factory manual steps ?
     
    #2 Tombukt2, Dec 30, 2025
  3. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    You have to do more than reach your hand out; you have to touch the back of the door handle to unlock the door(s).
     
    #3 dolj, Dec 30, 2025
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    .my 09 SKS car right now . I have remote in pocket . I walk up to my 09 extend my hand fingers to the door handle . My hand or fingers have not physically touched the cold azz handle at all . 8 hear the audible click clunk . And then only then do I have to lift the cold azz handle. I'm doing this right now in
    22° weather in front of my house and hdd to Dunkin
     
    #4 Tombukt2, Dec 31, 2025
  5. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    My 07 SKS car right now. I have the remote in my pocket. I walk up to my 07, extend my fingers to touch the rear of the door handle. My hand or fingers have physically touched the handle; only then do I hear the audible click clunk, and then only then do I have to lift the handle. I'm doing this right now in 15°C weather in front of my house.
     
    #5 dolj, Dec 31, 2025
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Jesus Christ my hand did not touch the door handle until after the clunk and click I have to pull on the handle to open the door not for it to unlock.the sensor don't need touch apparently I guess my finger breaks the circuit ? I don't know . Same at trunk I just stand by the trunk hear the click clunk . Then I have to touch the rubber and lift . I'm standing at the car now . With two buddies of mine they have same car too
     
    #6 Tombukt2, Dec 31, 2025
  7. SwaggyWebb

    SwaggyWebb New Member

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    Yeah when I touch the regular driver door handle, the car unlocks.
    When I do the same on the trunk, it no longer unlocks. But the trunk unlocks when i hit the button and I verified the key fob is being read by the car when I'm at the back of the trunk.
    Is there some third part in between the physical trunk lock/button and the receiver for the SKS system? I'm thinking that must be what is bad, but I don't know what part that is or where to find it.
     
    #7 SwaggyWebb, Jan 1, 2026 at 1:24 PM
  8. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    It doesn't work that way on my 2007 with SKS. For the front doors and the trunk, I have to physically activate the unlock. To me, this seems to be better security.

    I am just pointing out the difference, if it really works the way you are saying.
     
    #8 dolj, Jan 2, 2026 at 1:40 AM
  9. SwaggyWebb

    SwaggyWebb New Member

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    So I appreciate you response, and I've read through your P&G link in your signature as well for future use!

    This made me look more into what I actually have in case I was crazy (since I recently switched from a 2007 with 220k miles to a 2005 with 41k miles on it), but both do have a 3 door SKS system. So my drivers door unlocks my door (but I recently switched it to unlock all doors because I usually drive with a passenger besides to/from work), and my passenger door unlocks all doors when I walk up and put my hand on the handle with the fob in my pocket. For some reason my trunk won't do that anymore. But the button on the trunk locks the car when I press it, and the key fob unlocks the car and I can open the trunk. So something between the key signal and the trunk latch is not acting right.
     
    #9 SwaggyWebb, Jan 3, 2026 at 3:58 PM
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  10. SwaggyWebb

    SwaggyWebb New Member

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    I am wondering if it could be the liftgate handle assembly or the trunk control module unit (PN 90980-04174)? Something is causing the signal not to get from the car to the trunk release, but the release will work if I hit unlock on the key fob twice...
     
    #10 SwaggyWebb, Jan 3, 2026 at 4:37 PM
  11. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    I was going to suggest the trunk lock mechanism as I have had that fail, but this does not fit with you description of the symptoms.

    I was then going to suggest maybe it was the lock switch, but that also does not fit with your symptom description.

    The only other thing I could suggest is that the oscillator (as it is called) might not be picking up the signal from your key fob when you are standing at the back of the car. There are four oscillators inside the car; one inside each of the front doors, on in the rear of the center console and the last in the trunk under the floorboard to the rear and left of the electronics bay of the hybrid vehicle (HV) battery.

    I'm not sure how you would test that though. Maybe others could chip in with that.

    [EDIT]
    That is a noise filter condenser, not sure if that is related to your problem. In addition, there is one of those in the tailgate as well (same part number, but PNC 86011P). The oscillator is P/N 89741-47110
    I didn't assimilate this on first read, maybe the lock mechanism hasn't failed completely failed and is sticking or only intermittently working?
     
    #11 dolj, Jan 7, 2026 at 8:23 PM
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2026 at 8:41 PM
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