Rooftop campers...does your key fob drain car battery?

I heard from everyone that the key fob will consistently try to communicate with the car when it is nearby, thus draining the car battery. Some cars with smart key say the key fob shouldn't be stored 15 feet within the vehicle.

For those who have RTT or camp near the tacoma, does this constant communication affect the battery?

I see people buy faraday bags or put keys in Al foil.

What does everyone here do?

 

Never had this happen.

 

Not unless you have your tent on a Supra.

That’s the only current toyota with a constant car connection within a certain range.

 

You have a source for this? That's awesome if true.

 

I’ve run a Toyota dealership for 6 years and I own a Taco, 4Runner and a Supra.
That’s all I got.

 

Most every time I get out of my Taco I will press the lock key on the fob which will lock the Taco then, while keeping the lock button depressed I will press the unlock key twice. You will see the red communication light flash a couple of times indicating that the FOB will no longer actively ping to alert the Taco to the FOB's proximity. As for the parasitic draw of the FOB, I do not know, it is negligible though. I believe the Taco actively listens for whatever frequency the FOB pings so the FOB is using more energy since it is doing the transmitting. The exact amounts I do not know and have not tested. I have left my Taco at an airport for weeks on end so that should tell you the draw is negligible.

Once you get used to clicking the unlock button 2x while the lock button is depressed it will become second nature. Reactivating it is as simple as clicking either the lock or unlock button. To test if this works, lock your vehicle (using whatever method - proximity using the driver's or passenger's handle or the FOB) then click the unlock button 2x while holding down the lock button. Once you see the red indicator blink a few times try to open your Taco using proximity. Your door will not unlock because the Taco does not detect the FOB. Press the lock button again to reactivate the FOB's proximity ping and then try to open the door using proximity. It'll unlock. Easy peasy.

What you don't want is a live FOB when you are up in the RTT and some douche in a campground tries your door handles. Your Taco will sense the FOB and the doors will unlock for said name douche. This trick also helps with scanners in parking lots capturing and spoofing your key FOB to steal the Taco. If your FOB is off there is no signal for them to capture then spoof.

 

Incorrect. Any Toyota with a smart key system has this functionality. Any Toyota or Lexus that uses proximity to unlock the vehicle (i.e. key is in your pocket and all you have to do is touch the handle for the door(s) to unlock) uses this feature. It isn't a constant connection, it is a ping at regular intervals. Here is an article from 2015 discussing smart key FOBs and my mother's 2009 Prius has it as well.

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