Toyota App Digital Key question- Can you drive with no keys and just your phone?

[tgrneal]

I’ve noticed that if I leave my phone in the car and take my keys, the truck won’t lock. So that got me thinking, if the truck believes my phone is a key can I take no keys and bring just my phone?

well I tried it and it worked! Don’t know if it supposed to work that way but I drove at least 5 miles with just my phone (and got the truck muddy) and everything worked just fine.

Anyone else with a digital key? Can you confirm? I couldn’t find any articles or literature explaining this.

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[EastonTaco]

Yes phone can be used as a key on models equipped with this option which it seems you have. I use it for runs to the gym when I don’t want to bring my keys or wallet. Not sure I would trust it alone on a long trip, there have been some posts on this site telling about glitches.

 

[tgrneal]

Good to know! I don’t trust it for trips to work. But to the mailbox and back is cool

 

[24TacomaGirl]

Yep. Working as designed. I routinely leave my physical key and/or keycard at home!

 

[Dirt]

I’ve noticed that if I leave my phone in the car and take my keys, the truck won’t lock. So that got me thinking, if the truck believes my phone is a key can I take no keys and bring just my phone?

well I tried it and it worked! Don’t know if it supposed to work that way but I drove at least 5 miles with just my phone (and got the truck muddy) and everything worked just fine.

Anyone else with a digital key? Can you confirm? I couldn’t find any articles or literature explaining this.

Only as long as you have cell service where you're standing.....

 

[webshot]

I've had it fail on me multiple times. Don't trust it!

 

[bsquaredMTB]

I've used it with mixed success but it only works for free during the 1-year trial. After that it's a paid subscription. I am certainly not paying for that.

 

[Gearman]

have tested with just the app on my Apple Watch. works great. No more key fob for me

 

[Dirt]

have tested with just the app on my Apple Watch. works great. No more key fob for me

I'm curious. Drive into some remote place where you don't have any cell service and shut your rig off. Give it a bit then try to start it. I'm told that the fob or key card needs to be present in areas with no cell service. Let us know the outcome if you don't mind. Thanks.

 

[Gearman]

I'm curious. Drive into some remote place where you don't have any cell service and shut your rig off. Give it a bit then try to start it. I'm told that the fob or key card needs to be present in areas with no cell service. Let us know the outcome if you don't mind. Thanks.

My watch is not cellular, and the research I did regarding digital key technology with apple phones before I considered a Tacoma, my understanding is the phone or watch are using Bluetooth to connect to the vehicle to replace the key fob.
Key fobs from auto manufacturers are not cellular, they are small radio transmitter.

So the app on your mobile device syncs with your car and essentially is another key fob. Unfortunately Toyota has you use this feature through there app so they can lock it into a subscription service. More money$$$$ for them

You can put your phone in airplane mode to test for yourself.

 

[Dirt]

My watch is not cellular, and the research I did regarding digital key technology with apple phones before I considered a Tacoma, my understanding is the phone or watch are using Bluetooth to connect to the vehicle to replace the key fob.
Key fobs from auto manufacturers are not cellular, they are small radio transmitter.

So the app on your mobile device syncs with your car and essentially is another key fob. Unfortunately Toyota has you use this feature through there app so they can lock it into a subscription service. More money$$$$ for them

You can put your phone in airplane mode to test for yourself.

Thank you for the explanation. I am one of those at the age where I'd prefer the flip phone if I didn't need the smart phone to control my hearing aids.

 

[Gearman]

Dirt,

Did some testing. Put phone in airplane mode Toyota app no longer works, so Toyota‘s version of digital key no longer works. This not a true digital key whereas you have a key within inside your wallet on your phone that would work as other MFG (BMW, Mercedes) where as it is a true replacement of your fob.
Kind of a bummer.

 

[ATacoInAZ]

I’ve noticed that if I leave my phone in the car and take my keys, the truck won’t lock. So that got me thinking, if the truck believes my phone is a key can I take no keys and bring just my phone?

well I tried it and it worked! Don’t know if it supposed to work that way but I drove at least 5 miles with just my phone (and got the truck muddy) and everything worked just fine.

Anyone else with a digital key? Can you confirm? I couldn’t find any articles or literature explaining this.

I know you can drive with no key. I was taking my gfs car to the shop and she followed me in my taco. She was about a qtr mile behind me and she was able to drive the truck the whole time. Just wouldd tell her there is no key

 

[rijc99]

I know you can drive with no key. I was taking my gfs car to the shop and she followed me in my taco. She was about a qtr mile behind me and she was able to drive the truck the whole time. Just wouldd tell her there is no key

But if she didn’t have the fob or phone key she won’t be able to restart it again once she shuts the car off. Once the car has been started it no longer checks for the fob or phone key. That’s normal of all keyless go cars.

You can start the car and drive with just digital key although many times it’ll require me to open the app to initiate the handshake. Overall the implementation is very poor compared to Tesla which works 99.9% of the time. Good for the times when I’m just running to the gym and don’t want to carry either the fob or key card but not enough to use full time.

 

[EVOTACO]

Dirt,

Did some testing. Put phone in airplane mode Toyota app no longer works, so Toyota‘s version of digital key no longer works. This not a true digital key whereas you have a key within inside your wallet on your phone that would work as other MFG (BMW, Mercedes) where as it is a true replacement of your fob.
Kind of a bummer.

I was curious to test this as well. With my Samsung S22U, I was actually able to unlock/lock the truck and start it while in airplane mode with only Bluetooth activated. The catch was the Toyota app had to be running prior to closing the app (including background) and removing data (cell & Wi-Fi). Apparently, there is something still running in the background though. Once I restarted my phone, in airplane mode with only Bluetooth activated, it would no longer work for me.

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