Key Detected In Vehicle

[caseyold]

Hello all...I am sure this has been covered on this forum, but I started getting an error message in the dash this morning indicating "key detected in vehicle". Vehicle still operates, but it is causing the doors to unlock and a couple of different lights in the dash to flash intermittently. Any ideas before I take it to the dealership? Thanks in advance!

2014 4Runner

 

[LandCruiser]

Hello all...I am sure this has been covered on this forum, but I started getting an error message in the dash this morning indicating "key detected in vehicle". Vehicle still operates, but it is causing the doors to unlock and a couple of different lights in the dash to flash intermittently. Any ideas before I take it to the dealership? Thanks in advance!

2014 4Runner

Get out.

Open and slam every door and liftgate.

 

[meder24]

Check the battery in the key fob.

 

[tinman831]

Try disconnecting the battery for a few hours and plugging it back in.

 

[Masaro]

Liftgate is probably not shut

This freaked me out when I first got the 4R. Turned out that the liftgate was latched but not correctly shut. When you brake, accelerate, drive over bumps, etc that sensor is triggered. I wonder why it displays that strange message as opposed to "liftgate open".

 

[rblt]

I experienced this alarming event today for the first time in exactly five months of ownership. Indeed it seems in preparing to go out, I had not closed the hatch hard enough, although close enough to not trigger the gate open alert on the display.

A quick return to the driveway and google "key detected in vehicle" while still in the turned off vehicle, got us the answer. Just one final excitement, apparently it did become locked/armed, so when I hopped out to open/close the tailgate, I promptly set off the alarm...

Will know for next time, but the first time with flashing yellow [!], alert tones, flashers blinking, door locks locking/unlocking and "Key detected in vehicle" certainly triggers anxiety and confusion. Even detected some fumes which added to the concern about the flashing yellow [!], but now realize that was probably cold start exhaust being drawn into the slightly ajar tailgate.

This "not quite latched" tailgate issue seems to confuse the software into thinking we are trying to lock our keys inside the vehicle...

 

[Ron4RNevada]

I lost my second key the second week I had the truck. It's probably mine. Want my postal address so you can send it to me?

 

[GeorgeS1955]

I had the same “key detected…” last fall. It was intermittent and a real pain. I initially thought it was a conflict between the new smartphone that I had just purchased (to replace a flip phone). And it only happened in the early morning when I was leaving for my deer stand… Did not have time to contact the dealer, and it did not happen later in the day. Go figure… Well, it just started happening again this fall, smartphone still working fine… This is what it is - leaving early in the morning, after loading up the 4Runner, I would quietly close the rear hatch. It latches, but was not properly resetting the latch monitor. And every time I hit a bump, the dash lights flash and beep. Solution - close the hatch a bit harder at the risk of waking up the neighbours (maybe check that the doors are all closed properly too).

 

[Rocko9999]

This "not quite latched" tailgate issue seems to confuse the software into thinking we are trying to lock our keys inside the vehicle...

Had this pop up today-yellow key with exclamation in the middle of it, on my 2011. Not blinking. Went off after 30 seconds or so. All doors were shut including hatch. Is this faulty switch or just oddball glitch?