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What is function of sensor on dashboard

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by hvanwersch, Nov 27, 2009.

  1. hvanwersch

    hvanwersch Junior Member

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    Can anyone tell me what the purpose is of the sensor behind the windshield on the right-hand side of the dashboard of my 2010 Prius V?

    This Prius model does not have daytime running lights nor an automatic setting for operating the headlights. Therefore I am at a loss to explain the sensor.
     
  2. bighouse

    bighouse Active Member

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    I was told it has to do with the SR venting...
     
  3. lunabelgium

    lunabelgium Member

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    For the air-conditioning !
     
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  4. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    It's for the climate control system.
     
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  5. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    Tells the climate control ECU when the sun is on the window and the ECU increases the cooling.
     
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  6. DetPrius

    DetPrius Active Member

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    I think if it detects the sun coming in through the windshield it will pump more air out the top vents vs the bottom.
     
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  7. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    It’s a photo diode. It detects light and will give feed back to adjust the temperature of the car

    For Prius cars that have auto head lights it is also used to turn the lights on and off. In the US it is not an option. There is a thread that shows how to modify the car so enables auto head lights.
     
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  8. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    It is also used to regulate the light intensity of the dashboard. If you turn the headlights on during the day, the dashboard does not dim at all. You run into a tunnel, it does dim. At least on the versions sold in Europe.
     
  9. AussieDave

    AussieDave New Member

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    I believe it is a combination of all the above depending on what equipemnt you have.

    I have an Oz Itech which means it

    feeds into the climate control system
    feeds into the panel lights to dim the lights, HUD and the sat nav screen
    controls the auto headlights

    in my car if I go under a bridge and thus into shadow the panel lights, HUD and sat nav dim down as it must be night time. There is a setting somewhere to set the sensitivity of this but I have yet to find it.

    David
     
  10. PaJa

    PaJa Senior member

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    The light sensitivity is an dealer customisation option or you need Toyota Techstream SW and the interface.
     
  11. hotbrass

    hotbrass New Member

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    What are the choices on the dealer customization?
     
  12. AussieDave

    AussieDave New Member

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    I had that one on my list for the dealer to do but they said they could not find all on my list as it was from the US model. It is in the Oz manual however.

    David
     
  13. hvanwersch

    hvanwersch Junior Member

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    _________________________________

    Can you tell me where I find the thread you refer to?

    Thanks a lot,
     
  14. hvanwersch

    hvanwersch Junior Member

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    ____________________________________________

    On the US models this is not the case. There is a separate button on the panel left of the steering wheel which regulates the intensity of the dashboard lighting.
     
  15. dwhutch

    dwhutch New Member

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  16. jayvee

    jayvee Member

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    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii.../64812-automatic-headlights-9.html#post953788

    Start at Post #87 - this is where the auto headlights using factory wiring really starts. Posts prior to #87 include using an aftermarket method - but I was able to add them pretty inexpensively. My method is described in post #87.
     
  17. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    Has anyone in the states had this customizable feature for the dash brightness sensitivity set by their dealer? What are the pros and cons of doing this?

    I am going to my dealer tomorrow for my first 5K service and was thinking about having them set mine to use this sensor sensitivity feature. From what I have read from the Europeans, this seems to be a nice feature.
     
  18. jayvee

    jayvee Member

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    The default settings seem to be pretty good, but I think I would like to perhaps have the display and nav go to "night" mode a little later (when it gets a little darker outside) and return to full brightness a little earlier - these are the first two settings on page 591 in the owners manual. I believe the the first would be -1 (less sensitive) and the second +1 (more sensitive).

    I tend to like bright displays, though. Others may not.
     
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  19. liskipper

    liskipper Member

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    Can you direct me to this thread? Thanks.
     
  20. Philosophe

    Philosophe 2010 Prius owner

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    Same in Canada.