Engine does not switch off even if I walk away from the car?

Instead of putting the car into "Park" first, just hit the power button. That way the car is either still in Drive or it's off - nothing in-between.

 

+1!!

If you just hit the Power button in lieu of the Park button when leaving the car (it puts it into park automatically) you will eliminate the problem of leaving it on.

 

That basic problem here is that computers do what you tell them to do, not what you want them to do.

 

I push park in the Prius...
My right hand is hard wired to go directly to the steering column and grab and remove the key, only to come up empty every time.

 

I personally prefer to just press the Power button, skipping right over that old Park thing...

 

Similar thing happened to me when I picked mine up from the Dealer... I exited the vechile and couldn't figure out why the thing wouldn't lock. The sales person came over to assist me again and go over the features once more. He didn't call me a "dummy" but I could tell by the look on his face he was thinking it when he said the moter was on!

 

In a normal car you have to TURN the ignition keys counter clockwise to shut off the ignition, so in the prius instead of turning the key, simply push the button. In a normal car you wouldn't just park your car and walk away, you still have to TURN the key to shut off the engine first...

 

There are visual and noise clues. The speedo and dash lighs are on as is the ready light. As for noise cues (at least on my 2nd gen), if you leave w/the power still on and close the door, the car emits a bunch of beeps and the yellow key light comes on.

 

Gen III does too and try locking the door (by touching the door handle) with the key inside and it beeps at you as well.

 

Hi Rich,

After years of driving a "normal" car, I'm programmed to automatically reach for ignition area whether there is a key or not. When I'm there, I just remember to hit the power switch instead of turning the key.

Just imagine if you were drving a "normal" car or at least think of the Prius as television, power on when watching, and power off when finished. No I don't need to see the screen to be reminded that I have to power off the TV, it's by habbit...

Good luck and seriously glad you didn't get any CO fumes in the garage hours later with the engine running...

 

The Power Button isn't what's giving me fits, it the push the lever forward to go backward/pull the lever back to go forward! Anyone else find this a bit backward, not to mention completely different from a "normal" car where you tap it back a notch to go backwards and then pull it back a couple more notched to go forward?

 

The Prius shift pattern is more like that of a car with column-mounted standard shift lever, like we used to have before standard shift levers were moved to the center console.

 

The Prius shift pattern follows the old standard, which is why it was used. Nearly all manual transmissions had reverse in the upper left. Some quasi-standards continue because of familiarity, not because they make more sense. Look no further than the QWERTY keyboard for a good example.

Tom

 

Yep, on Gen II, if you try pushing the black buttons (lock dimples on 3rd gen) w/power still on, it emits a long beep. Also, pressing the remote's lock button does nothing if the power's on, at least when standing outside the car.

 

I am curious, has anyone ever owned a car that did turn itself off if you walked away from it?

I am trying to visualize why one might expect this behavior.

 

No, but I've known a few women who were turned off as I walked *toward* them.

Tom

 

Um, not me. Wait, we're still talking about the car, right? :huh:

 

don't mean to sound rude or offensive but i could not stop laughing when i read the original post. smart keys are supposed to be a convenience, not to make us lazy. no matter what care you drive, you still have to turn it off when you get out...LOL!

and i always lock my car doors when i leave it, even in a garage. If the engine is running, the car won't lock. So there's your idiot-proof safeguard right there.

i know seriously...? lol.