Just brush by any of the door handles with sensors. Front have them, rear for upper trim models in the US. Those three horizontal hash marks. Sometimes when I get out of the driver‘s seat, I get too close to the rear door handle and it locks it before I want it to.

 

This just happened to me. I simply walked past the car - key fob was inside my house - I didn’t touch any part of the car - the car automatically locked all doors and the side view mirrors folded in. Glad to know that I’m not the only one with this issue!

 

Did you recently unlock it and not get in by chance? There’s a configureable amount of time after unlocking that it will lock itself, in case you hadn’t seen that before.

 

I was experiencing this so I put the fob in the house. Then it was happening when I would be washing the front passenger fender, and near the black hood insert. It certainly is odd, especially with the key fob out of range. I do like the "fob disable" potential that was listed above though.

I was experiencing this so I put the fob in the house. Then it was happening when I would be washing the front passenger fender, and near the black hood insert. It certainly is odd, especially with the key fob out of range. I do like the "fob disable" potential that was listed above though.

Thank you --so it is not only me who has this spontaneous door locking when washing the car. I will do what was suggeste--leave the fob in the house. I am thinking that the very wet area around the door handles (locks) may act to somehow attract a signal from the fob to lock the car. You have confirmed that it is not only me, and I knew it was not the result of accidentally hitting the fob key to do this.

 

It is unlikely that the water is attracting the key fob signal. While I'm not 100% sure of the exact touch-sensitive door sensor technology, it is likely similar to simple touch screens. Hence anything that can carry electric current (moist finger or water from washing a car) will complete the electric circuit on the door handle touch pad thereby making the car think a human wants to lock/unlock to door.

 

I was experiencing this so I put the fob in the house. Then it was happening when I would be washing the front passenger fender, and near the black hood insert. It certainly is odd, especially with the key fob out of range. I do like the "fob disable" potential that was listed above though.

 

All three cars I've had with Keyless Entry & Push Button Start (Camry, Outback, Solterra) have the doors lock/unlock when washing when I have the key fob in my pocket. The door handle sensors think your finger/hand is on the touch pad(s) when the water washes over them. I 100% solved the problem by having the key fob about 10 feet way when washing them.

 

Better to temporarily disable or “sleep” the transponder in the key. Hold down lock button on fob, while holding it down, press unlock button on fob twice. Notice the LED light pattern on the fob.

Next, try walking up to the car and touching a door handle. The mirror puddle lights shouldn’t come on as you walk up. The door lock status shouldn’t change when you touch the door handle.

It’s as if you didn’t even have the fob on you.

This will both keep the door locks from cycling when water hits them, and keep your auxiliary 12V battery from discharging from an active transponder being near the sensors.

Do this whenever you are working around the car for anything but a short period. Washing, waxing, vacuuming.

Press the lock button on the fob to take the fob back out of sleep mode.

 

If you were “around the rear taillights”, did you hit the lock button on the right side of the tailgate?

 

No. Did not hit lock button

 

Key fob in your pocket?

 

Yes, fob in pocket