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New here -- Prius III questions

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by lindajm22, May 12, 2011.

  1. lindajm22

    lindajm22 New Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2011
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    Location:
    CT
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Hi everyone! Just picked up my new Blizzard Pearl Prius III a few days ago. Dropping it off at the dealer tomorrow to have heated leather seats installed. I was a little discouraged to learn that my leather will not be Toyota installed, but rather a local company is going to be picking it up and doing the work. My salesman assured me though that it will actually be better quality than Toyota so I am hopeful that I will love it.

    I am having a hard time understanding the instrument panel, what with all of the moving lights and the many ways to view information :eek:. I have been on electronic overload since picking it up on Monday, sitting in it for hours on end and driving it around town just to try and figure out what I am looking at.

    I absolutely LOVE it! Much more than I thought I would. But I'm sure I will love it even more once I know how to READ it. The manual is a little hard to follow. I've been trying to read here on the forums for as much info as I can find, and I have found a lot of things I had no idea about, but is there somewhere in particular that explains in plain language how to decipher the instrument panel?

    Also, I am trying to understand the solar roof/ventilation function, and also the remote A/C function. Any help with those things would be great as well.

    Thank you! :D
     
    #1 lindajm22, May 12, 2011
  2. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
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    Location:
    2014 Prius c
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    congratulations on the purchase and welcome to forum!
     
    #2 cyclopathic, May 12, 2011
  3. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2010
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    Location:
    Mt. Pleasant, SC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Congrats on your new Prius and welcome to PriusChat.:welcome:

    Honestly, I think the very best way to begin to answer your questions is to use the index of the owner's manual and find specific topics. That in conjunction with a search through the forum threads will more than satisfy your questions.

    I found this video thread on PriusChat very helpful as it reviews the Hybrid System Indicator along with tips on how to maximize MPG, if that important to you:
    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...pg-driving-tips-video.html?highlight-radioman

    Enjoy the high MPGs, technology and low emissions.
     
    #3 twittel, May 12, 2011
    2 people like this.
  4. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2009
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    Location:
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Welcome aboard! Just take an old rag and cover up the display. Drive the car a few weeks like any other and then research what the displays are telling you.
     
    #4 spiderman, May 12, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  5. barcelona11

    barcelona11 New Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2011
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    Location:
    Central NC, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I'm new at this too, and I have worked on learning the displays and modes by:
    1) I had my tech-y 11 year old son read the first two chapters in the manual with the assignment to tell me anything interesting.
    2) I then read the first two chapters as he does not have driving experience and missed a couple of things only drivers would understand.
    3) I have learned a few things here on PriusChat.

    The display to the right has several modes. These have abbreviations, but I haven't learned them yet.

    The one with the picture of the car is pretty cool, but not very helpful. My daughter likes me to turn to it because it is fun to watch. One useful thing about this display - when fully stopped, press the brake pedal enough to stop all the arrows. If there is flow, the battery is draining for no good reason.

    The one with the bar graph shows mpg over a 1-minutes interval since startup, or a 5-minute interval. I like to look at the 1-minute intervals near the end of a trip (errand). I have learned from this display that my Prius takes about 4-5 minutes to warm up to best performance. I can also tell at a glance if the journey should average more or less than 50 mpg. I like to see how many minutes I attained 100 mpg.

    The other bar graph displays mpg according to the last reset of the trip odometer (you can toggle between Trip A and Trip B . The right-most bar, which is brighter, is the current average since resetting the trip. I use my Trip A for each filling of gas and Trip B for time between service.

    The most useful display is the one with the battery charge on the left and four segments of the horizontal bar. This is the one that can help you learn to adjust your driving technique to maximize fuel economy while minimizing emissions. The video on driving technique explains the use of this bar very well. Basically, you try to keep the indicator in the green, left half of the bar or in the middle half of the right half, and out of the Power bar at the far right.

    As far as the modes go, here's what I have learned. EV puts the car into electric-only mode. When cold, the max speed is 10 mph. When warm, that limit is higher. The salesman said 25 mph, but it will go into the 40s under the right conditions. It will drop out of EV if you accelerate too briskly.I use this mode for parking lots, school pickups, and drive thru lanes. Be aware that your car is silent, and watch for pedestrian safety.

    Eco mode desensitizes the accelerator pedal. It also affects the air conditioning. I haven't played with this mode much, I think I am doing fine with normal mode at the moment. Will try it once I have need of the AC.

    Power mode sensitizes the accelerator pedal. This is useful to me when merging on the interstate, climbing the giant hill right before I get home, and overtaking. Push the button to enable it, then push again to disable as soon as the maneuver is complete.

    Yes, the manual is not complete, but it is a good place to start. Hope you enjoy your new ride as much as I've enjoyed mine. I've had it two weeks as of today, already put 600 miles on it. It's a blast to drive, almost like a game with a useful purpose.
     
    #5 barcelona11, May 12, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  6. lindajm22

    lindajm22 New Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2011
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    Location:
    CT
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    That video was great! Thank you so much. It seems like a lot to think about while driving, but I'm slowly getting it and I'm sure it will become second nature soon.

    Thanks everyone! This is a very active forum and I'm glad I found it.
     
    #6 lindajm22, May 12, 2011
  7. lindajm22

    lindajm22 New Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2011
    34
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    Location:
    CT
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    This is JUST the info I was looking for. Thank you! All the different screens and modes are so confusing. I will take another look at the manual in this regard. I really appreciate your help.
     
    #7 lindajm22, May 12, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  8. jamesa53

    jamesa53 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2011
    74
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    Location:
    Indiana
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    At least you got the right color:D

    You like it now, wait until you fill it up for the first time!!!!!
     
    #8 jamesa53, May 13, 2011
  9. Mrs. Pulse

    Mrs. Pulse New Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2011
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    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    wow great video, i too just purchased a prius. 2011 3 - which im picking up in two days. This video was great! LOVE this site!!
     
    #9 Mrs. Pulse, May 15, 2011
  10. DaYooper

    DaYooper Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2011
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    Sout of da UP eh!
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    How did the leather turn out?
     
    #10 DaYooper, May 15, 2011
  11. lindajm22

    lindajm22 New Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2011
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    Location:
    CT
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    They came out perfect! Better than factory I think. They also covered the door panels and the center console with leather. The heater switches are located on the same lower panel as the factory switch would be, but there are two separate round switches, one for each seat, and each switch has two heat settings. The leather really changes the entire look and feel of the car. I am very pleased with how it came out.
     
    #11 lindajm22, May 15, 2011
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