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Mystery message

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by P-man, Mar 29, 2013.

  1. P-man

    P-man Junior Member

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    We've had our Prius for about a month now and love it. We just came across a mystery message that I hope some of you more experienced folks can help us understand. The message is:

    SHIFT TO P POSITION WHEN STARTING

    The manual describes this as meaning "The transmission is out of P when attempting to start the hybrid system" and to correct it "Shift the shift position to P before pressing the "POWER" switch."

    I don't know the full sequence of steps my wife went through to get the message (I wasn't there), but it frustrated her efforts to start the car for a while. I've tried quite a few things and haven't been able to duplicate it.

    Please point out the error(s) in my thinking: I believe "P" is for "Park". It's enabled and disabled with a button on the console, and a green light comes on when it's enabled. When you turn the system power off with the "Power" button, it automatically enables "Park" before shutting down. So it should always be in "Park" when you try to start the system. But even if it somehow ended up off and not in "Park", there's no way to enable (or disable, for that matter) "Park" with the system off, and no "shift position" otherwise marked "P". So how are you supposed to shift anything or enable "Park" before starting the system? What sequence of steps would anyone have to go through to get that message?

    Thanks!
     
    #1 P-man, Mar 29, 2013
  2. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    You probably are not stepping on the brake during the start sequence or forgetting to do so. Then if you put in D or R this message will display.
     
    #2 BZzap!, Mar 29, 2013
  3. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    I've had this about 3 or 4 times and usually at random and usually (but not always) after I've just fuelled up.

    Isn't it to do with one of the doors not being fully closed or something?
     
    #3 GrumpyCabbie, Mar 30, 2013
  4. Les_PL

    Les_PL Active Member

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    Sometimes it happens when I open the doors and proceed to close the garage gate (the car in ON, Park position). Coming back, shutting the door and the message appears randomly. Not often though. And nothing to worry. BTW - the P button only enables Parking, not disables ;) Perhaps your wife shifted to Neutral??
     
    #4 Les_PL, Mar 30, 2013
  5. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    I usually get this message if I have a door open, like in the driveway, and the car begins to roll a little before I close the door.
     
    #5 jdcollins5, Mar 30, 2013
  6. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    Same here. I posted about it here a while back. Something got lost in translation in this message IMO.
     
    #6 Former Member 68813, Mar 30, 2013
    jdcollins5 likes this.
  7. P-man

    P-man Junior Member

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    Thanks, everyone. Armed with the clues you've given me, I was able to duplicate the problem:

    Push the Power button twice without pressing the brake. The display looks normal except for the Ready indicator. Try shifting into R or D. Car beeps twice, and does nothing else. But push on the brake pedal while you try shifting into R or D and you get the message SHIFT TO P POSITION WHEN STARTING. Nothing about restarting while stepping on the brake or anything useful. And there's no way to shift into P even if that would help.

    Having a door open produces a slightly different and equally useless message. Start the hybrid system, then open a door. Shift into R or D. Car beeps twice. Push on the brake pedal when you shift into R or D and you get the message SHIFT TO P POSITION. Nothing about the door being open. And the car will move if you press on the accelerator.

    This is a user interface only a software engineer could love.

    Thanks again for the info.
     
    #7 P-man, Apr 2, 2013
    GrumpyCabbie likes this.
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