I am considering a prius for my wife, she has a pacemaker... we've heard that there is a potential problem with the magnetic field from the 'fob' interfering with her pacemaker. Can anyone give us definitive information about this urban myth?
I can not provide definitive information, but I know that this topic has come up in the past. I know that hybrids have been on the roads for more than a decade. The Prius has been in the US since 2001. To my knowledge (5 years on this board) there has not been a single incident of a Prius or any other hybrid interfering with a pacemaker. But you asked about the fob specifically. The Prius fob is no different than any other fob available for any other vehicle. Oh sure it has the smart key technology but so does Nissan, Mercedes, Lincoln, and a slew of other manufacturers theses days. I'm guessing that as long as you do not get the Prius package with the built-in microwave, she should have no problems.
A quick search provided these threads: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/51566-does-prius-interfere-pacemaker.html http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/41041-pacemaker-defibrulator-question.html
The 2010 owner's manual specifically states that one should keep a pacemaker away from the RFID receivers in the car or disable the receivers. My own feeling is that this is done out of an abundance of fear of litigation, not the result of someone actually being harmed. That's not to deny that there may be a specific make/model of pacemaker which has shown a reaction and, as a result, they are suggesting that ALL pacemakers be kept away from the car's receivers. I've had a pacemaker since November, 2008, and been driving both my previous and now my new Prius with no side effects.
Toyota Prius 2101 manual speaks of "RFID receivers in the car"?... keep a pacemaker away from them.. What are they and how can you keep away without staying away from the vehicle altogether.. A mystery to me, can anyone explain?
As I posted in another thread (apparently in another galaxy as well, far far away), so you will never leave the house? The SKS and RFID system runs on less than 50-100 mW (less than 1/10 of a watt). A cellphone can put out up to 0.6W of RF energy. Cellphones are everywhere. I'd guess at least one out of every three people you meet has one in their pocket/purse. They transmit from time to time even when you aren't using them. How about passing a police car? Their radios can emit up to 50 Watts. How about a fire truck? Same thing. Taxi? Ditto. Ever drive past a broadcast antenna tower? They can emit up to 1 million watts. While your concerns are valid, don't you think the pacemaker manufacturers know what's out there in the "real world"? Don't you think they would want to avoid problems by designing the devices to live there without problems? Sorry, but I find these concerns/warnings hilarious! Start worrying about the nuts behind the wheels all around you! The danger from them is -MUCH- greater!
Had an odd experience since my pacemaker op last week. I have a IV with auto locking. On two occasions while driving the yellow warning light with the exclamation sign flashed, the auto door locks clicked open and the green warning saying "key detected inside" came on. I parked, got out, opened and reclosed all doors and resumed the journey. It never occurred again. This never happened before and I wonder if it was the pacemaker kicking in? The key fob was in my pants pocket as usual. Probably just 'new pacemaker anxiety' caused by something else, but what? Any ideas?
Pacemaker users are always warned to stay away from any potential interference. What manufacturer could safely say anything else. As pointed out above, the fields are very weak when compared to cell phones and other transmitters. Use your own judgment, but I've never heard of a problem. Tom
