I have a 2006 package 6, (i.e., WITHOUT the GPS, so no obvious external time base). Nevertheless, the dashboard clock is unnaturally accurate. I never have to adjust it, and the minute always flips within one second of my WWV-calibrated watch. Always. Other than changing the hour twice a year for each DST change, I have never needed to touch the minute button since purchasing the car 3 1/2 years ago. Do others have similar experiences? Is the Prius clock somehow externally synchronized (like my watch)? Or does my Prius' dashboard clock just happen to have an anomalously accurate time base?
I never have to reset my clock either, but then again I nver have to set the clock on our Chevy Venture either.
My experience is like yours. I've had my car since February 2007, and through 6 standard time/daylight savings time changes now the only thing I have to adjust is the hour numeral. Haven't had to change the minutes numeral ever. But I've read others say that they've had a different experience than yours and mine.
There some really good crystal oscillators out there now, devide by, devide by, you eventuly end with a very stable 60 Hz reference which is the timebase reference the clock chip uses. The only time you might see some error, is if the devide by circuitry does not give you that exact 60 Hz reference due to a very extreme heat or cold condition, the Quartz that is the basis of the oscillator circuit can aso be temp touchy. That being said, they usually have a usable temp range the exceeds what we as eathlings tolerate!!
During baseball season, I listen to the Cubs games on WGN radio. They do the hourly chimes and I use it to set my clock. Within a month, it's off by a few seconds.
The Prius emits a field which alters the perception of the truly devoted. Your clock may be off, but you can't tell. Tony, on the other hand, has become jaded. Tom
I do admire the Red Outfit he dons for the Avatar pic...... and he may be a few seconds phased shifted from this space time continuum and or reality.... That could explain the clock losing seconds thing...[
As part of the cost reductions in the 2010, I got a significantly sloppier quartz crystal. Reset it last week, it had gained about 135 seconds in 3 months.
Ok, the truth has been revealed. My Prius' clock is accurate to within a hundredth of a second per year. I, on the other hand, lose time.
I have a 2010 and have not had to reset the clock since I bought it. I have one of those atomic clocks at the house and set my watch by it and then compare to the Prius clock. Has not lost any time in five months.
I listen to the Sirius traffic channel and the time is always on the button. I think they look at my clock and then announce the time over the radio.
Yeah I don't recall ever changing the minute in any of our Toyotas after it comes home from the dealer. I've never really noticed until you brought it up.
I think I bought a lemon. I was just thinking of coming here to complain that my clock loses time. I don't think to check it every month and reset it, so I'm late to appointments all the time and don't even realize it. I had to add 4 minutes to it yesterday to get it correct. With all this advanced technology, you'd think they could have a more accurate clock.
That'll be a fun conversation: "I'm going to set it and to make sure no one fiddles with it you need to sit here and watch it for the next eight days and then we'll see how inaccurate it is."
My dash clock is acurate, but for some reason the NAV system is one hour ahead. When I set the destination on a trip, it displays the arrival time as off by one hour. (It says we are going to arrive before we even start.) Does anyone know how to adjust the clock setting on NAV system?
Gee, the clock in mine always seems to end up running fast. But I don't mind too much... Won't be late for an appointment. I generally live with it until next time change and fix it then.
I have more than slight experience with electronics, having an Extra Class ham license and working in computer design for a decade. Without a temperature-controlled chamber, it's extremely unusual for a time reference to maintain this sort of accuracy for months on end. I'd sure love to know how Toyota accomplished this feat without an external reference. My suspicions are (in order of likelihood): Theory 1) The clock actually does have a WWV receiver, like my watch -- but only the minutes are synched. This is a VERY inexpensive circuit, probably costing less than $5. You'd think, though, that Toyota would mention its presence. Theory 2) All Priuses actually have a GPS receiver, the time base for which is used for the dash clock. Only those who pay for the nav package get access to the GPS. This is just a theory. GPS receivers are actually quite inexpensive. The electronics cost less than $25. It's the licensing of the map database and user interface software that cost significant money, and that's all just software configuration that can be loaded in the final build stage of the car. Theory 3) An anomalously accurate oscillator. Considering the number of people reporting highly accurate clocks, this seems unlikely. Or perhaps someone has discovered a crystal cut that's much less temperature-sensitive than what we used to expect.... Thanks, folks. I was hoping for a definitive answer. Ah, well. I'll continue to wonder.
