Is a lock necessary on storage drawer on T4R with keyless entry?

[geo]

I want to make a storage drawer for a 5th gen that has keyless entry. Is it necessary to include a lock on storage drawers to deter a thief? If the drawers are built to fit up against the inside of the rear hatch, will the closed hatch secure the drawers?

Or would it be quick/easy for a thief break a window, enter the vehicle, and open the rear hatch from the inside?

Thanks.

 

[Jeremy556]

You will want something to secure them in the closed position, other than the rear hatch. Imagine parking on a steep uphill and opening the rear hatch.

 

[geo]

Yes, a latch would be required to stop the drawer from rolling out when parked facing uphill. But I still would like to know how quick/easy it would be for a thief to open the rear hatch. If it is easy, the drawers would need a lock and a more theft-resistant opening.

 

[eddiebx]

Yes, a latch would be required to stop the drawer from rolling out when parked facing uphill. But I still would like to know how quick/easy it would be for a thief to open the rear hatch. If it is easy, the drawers would need a lock and a more theft-resistant opening.

It's only going to as long as it takes the thief to smash the front window, press the unlock button and then walk to the rear hatch and press the hatch release button to open the hatch...

Unless you disable the factory hatch release button electronically while you are parked, then it would be a pain in the butt to manually release the hatch from inside the tailgate.

 

[Jeremy556]

Yes, a latch would be required to stop the drawer from rolling out when parked facing uphill. But I still would like to know how quick/easy it would be for a thief to open the rear hatch. If it is easy, the drawers would need a lock and a more theft-resistant opening.

They can probably just hit the power lock button to unlock the hatch. You can try it out: Leave driver's window open, lock doors with the remote, reach in and hit the unlock button on the driver's door and see if the hatch opens. You should expect the alarm to go off when you hit the unlock button.

 

[geo]

No, I already tried this. When the vehicle is locked and turned off, the button to unlock the doors doesn't work without the keyless fob. As far as I can tell, a thief would have to manually unlock and open the rear hatch either by: (a) jimmying the lock on the rear hatch, or (b) climbing into the vehicle and opening the inside panel of the rear hatch. Does anyone know how hard it is do do these?

 

[eddiebx]

No, I already tried this. When the vehicle is locked and turned off, the button to unlock the doors doesn't work without the keyless fob. As far as I can tell, a thief would have to manually unlock and open the rear hatch either by: (a) jimmying the lock on the rear hatch, or (b) climbing into the vehicle and opening the inside panel of the rear hatch. Does anyone know how hard it is do do these?

The button does not work when the vehicle is locked, but what we are saying is, if you press the unlock button that's on front door's interior switch it will unlock the hatch and the button should work again, hence why I said if they smash in your window and unlock it at the front door, they can probably open the hatch no problem.

To answer your question, you need to remove this small panel in the inner panel of the tailgate, then cut open the plastic liner and reach in to pull the lever in order to manually release the hatch from the inside. It's going to be a pain to do especially with a storage drawer in the way. Go check out the manual, it describes how to open the hatch manually in the event of the button failing.

 

[eddiebx]

Since we're all allergic to reading the manual, here you go

 

[Okki]

Since we're all allergic to reading the manual, here you go

Also keep in mind that when you have a drawer system that is all the way out to the tailgate, you will not be able to access the access-panel in case of emergency, because it will likely below the top deck of your drawers.

As far as locks go:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fRjNnnLOpmE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Just saying that where there is a will, there is a way.

Okki

 

[geo]

Thanks for posting the manual. That is just what I wanted to see.

On my 2014 limited, once the vehicle is locked and the "smart key" is taken out of range, the unlock button in the vehicle stops functioning. (This is what gave me the idea of using the rear hatch to secure a drawer.)

So it looks like if the drawer is high enough to block access to the rear door panel, a thief would have a hard time getting into the drawer from inside the vehicle. How about jimmying the rear hatch from outside? Is this as easy?

 

[eddiebx]

Thanks for posting the manual. That is just what I wanted to see.

On my 2014 limited, once the vehicle is locked and the "smart key" is taken out of range, the unlock button in the vehicle stops functioning. (This is what gave me the idea of using the rear hatch to secure a drawer.)

So it looks like if the drawer is high enough to block access to the rear door panel, a thief would have a hard time getting into the drawer from inside the vehicle. How about jimmying the rear hatch from outside? Is this as easy?

I am not sure how to say this so it is clearer, but try this exactly: leave the driver's side window down and lock the doors with your smart key. Put the smart key far far away from the vehicle. Now reach through the open window and press the unlock button that's on top of the driver side door panel (near all the window controls). Now go to your hatch and see if the button can open the hatch or not. I suspect it will work just like mine with the regular "dumb" key, lol. The hatch button is only disabled because all of the doors are locked...so all the thief might need to do is unlock all the doors.

Worrying about if you can jimmy it open or not is irrelevant if the button still works, lol. But like Okki said, if there's a will, there's a way! I'd just throw an extra lock on there for safe measures, but that's just me

 

[Titanpat57]

locks are for honest people...

but as stated the latches will hold the drawer shut at all times (nothing more aggravating when you forget to latch the drawer closed and it's banging off the hatch every time you start and stop)

the drawer system was probably my single most useful mod...I'm in and out of it all the time. ( I did put in airbags to assist with the steady load/towing)

 

[phillyd2]

As far as locks go:

Just saying that where there is a will, there is a way.

Okki

That's cute :wink2:

 

[geo]

I am not sure how to say this so it is clearer, but try this exactly: leave the driver's side window down and lock the doors with your smart key. Put the smart key far far away from the vehicle. Now reach through the open window and press the unlock button that's on top of the driver side door panel (near all the window controls). Now go to your hatch and see if the button can open the hatch or not. I suspect it will work just like mine with the regular "dumb" key, lol. The hatch button is only disabled because all of the doors are locked...so all the thief might need to do is unlock all the doors.

Worrying about if you can jimmy it open or not is irrelevant if the button still works, lol. But like Okki said, if there's a will, there's a way! I'd just throw an extra lock on there for safe measures, but that's just me

eddiebx, Yes you were perfectly clear, but the vehicle doesn't act as you expect. I did exactly what you said--once before my original post and again during this thread just to be sure I remembered correctly. Once the vehicle is locked (with the window down), and the smart key is taken away, the button to unlock the doors (on the door panel near the window controls) does not work, and the rear hatch won't open.

 

[eddiebx]

eddiebx, Yes you were perfectly clear, but the vehicle doesn't act as you expect. I did exactly what you said--once before my original post and again during this thread just to be sure I remembered correctly. Once the vehicle is locked (with the window down), and the smart key is taken away, the button to unlock the doors (on the door panel near the window controls) does not work, and the rear hatch won't open.

Oh very nice! I unfortunately don't have the smart key 4runner to test it out myself. So I guess your answer is clear, all you would need to worry about is someone accessing that internal lever I pointed out above from the manual. Short of accessing it from the inside, there's really not much room to work with from the outside unless they really destroy your exterior trim. So I guess if you fashioned your rear drawers to block the access port you'd be in pretty good shape

 

[1engineer]

eddiebx, Yes you were perfectly clear, but the vehicle doesn't act as you expect. I did exactly what you said--once before my original post and again during this thread just to be sure I remembered correctly. Once the vehicle is locked (with the window down), and the smart key is taken away, the button to unlock the doors (on the door panel near the window controls) does not work, and the rear hatch won't open.

So let me get this straight....If I am sitting in the passenger seat of your vehicle and you get out, lock the door and take the key fob, then I am stuck? Imprisoned? Have to write a sign that says "HELP!" hold it up to the window and hope someone can free me from the clutches of your LE?

 

[eddiebx]

So let me get this straight....If I am sitting in the passenger seat of your vehicle and you get out, lock the door and take the key fob, then I am stuck? Imprisoned? Have to write a sign that says "HELP!" hold it up to the window and hope someone can free me from the clutches of your LE?

Come on G, you've never pulled the front interior door handle? It forces the lock to unlock along with the latch that opens the door. Not to mention you can manually flip the little lock lever next to the interior handle. With all these powered/automatic everything nowadays, we forget about the basics

Do you really think Toyota would set themselves up for that kind of potential lawsuit, lol.

 

[1engineer]

Come on G, you've never pulled the front interior door handle? It forces the lock to unlock along with the latch that opens the door. Not to mention you can manually flip the little lock lever next to the interior handle. With all these powered/automatic everything nowadays, we forget about the basics

Do you really think Toyota would set themselves up for that kind of potential lawsuit, lol.

Shhhhhh....

 

[eddiebx]

Shhhhhh....

Wait hold on...was that an attempt at humor again? :noidea:

 

[c2one]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbX_I_lrmIc&sns=em