Prius v Problems & Complaints.

So now I'm even more confused. You heard the stereo before you bought the car. You bought the car and now decide you think Toyota should make it better? And you are "working with Toyota..." I think not.

Please, if Toyota has acknowledged a problem, please, please, post the evidence of that.

By the way, nobody suggested you should get a high end one that will cause ear damage. $200 - $300 is not a high end one, and even the high end ones have volume controls on them so ear damage is user error, not a result of having a high end stereo.

 

i'm still wondering what the problem is?

 

If you're a rear-seat passenger, you'd not wonder what the problem is at all. The first time I was really aware of the issue was when a rear seat passenger asked me what we were talking about, since she didn't think the radio was even on.

I'm sure that monetarily, this isn't even a real cost issue for Toyota. Maybe they're not really aware of the issue either. Think of it this way, cars that cost Half of the v, have rear speakers you can actually hear.

 

I believe the OP is questioning the sound volume for the rear speakers when playing music or video streaming. It happens to both of my Priuses the regular and the v (lowercase v). I think Toyota designed it to be more on a rear fill with more on a front stage listening and not the rear volume we are accustomed to.

 

That would be a stupid thing to do, assuming they actually did that.

 

Totally agree. But I can't complain because I'm always in the front seat.

 

I can imagine the rear speakers being programmed as attenuated background. Are there side speakers available if the desire is to blast both front and rear ?

 

imo, the oem systems are garbage anyway. never expected more without an upgrade. i think the o/p may a newbie with first car. the comment about an upgrade for ear bleeding sound instead of quality is a give away.

 

Bingo, bisco.

 

We buy the Prius not for the stereo or the sound system. We buy it for gas savings. We just have to suck it up unfortunately or just replace the HU-head unit with an aftermarket one. I'm satisfied with the stock HU though.

 

The OP is absolutely correct. We all like music in our cars. I have a new car and the rear speakers DON'T work well.
I listened on 3 test drives, bought the car. A week later (in my garage) I located the fader, and found the same thing.

We can't possible try everything on the car during a test drive. If the spare tire doesn't work well, are you SOL?

Love the Prius v (lowercase v) so far, but those speakers need to be FIXED/Changed (sorry, that output IS malfunctioning) on this $ 26,000 brand new car. Where do I sign up for the cause?

 

i just notice this in my 14' prius v too....so annoying

 

Put over 500 miles on this weekend with rear seat passenger. He has his earbuds on after awhile, because he could't hear much. Reminded me of this thread, and my next budget item

 

When we buy cars who says "Let me fade to the rear speakers to make sure they work correctly?" No one does. I've purchase quite a few cars and have never seen an issue as bad as this. When my rear passengers told me "Can you turn the radio on" I was at a loss for words and that was the start for me. No one is stating they are looking for a high end system. We are saying that we want a system that's at least balanced. The fact that I have to fade my system 80% to the rear just to hear the back speakers is laughingly disgusting.

I've been working with Toyota on this and even DCH Toyota of Simi Valley agreed it's by design and that it's a crappy design. Toyota in general really doesn't seem interested in fixing this problem. Sure you can go after market but spending $32k with taxes on a Prius v 3 and having this kind of issue makes me respect Toyota a little less.

Toyota needs to make it work, not make it better.

 

You sure do get what you pay for tho. This is my first Toyota. I'm really not impressed with the build quality coming from my previous cars and family own cars but I really like the MPG and the fact that it makes a great incognito daily driver (saving up for a Porsche).

You can try and install a small alpine amp/subwoofer (cost me 240$ total), decrease all the bass from the speakers. The sound is balanced and will fill the cabin. Im pretty happy with the sound that I get out of my prius wagon now.

vs. doing an amp/rear speaker...imo

 

Plan A - taking Prius V into dealer today to see what my options are for THEM to fix rear speaker issue.

Bruce, where did you place/secure the "small alpine amp/subwoofer"? and what speaker wire connection did you connect to?
Thanks

 

Well after a long discussion with a case open regarding the rear speakers and other issues I have had with the Prius V, the final answer is (Quoted as stated on my voice mail) "No available remedy because the engineers consider them consistent with the system. which they confirmed for the new model year, everything remain the same." So as for those not happy with the sound from the rear speakers, Add an amplifier and get better sound if you generally like the sound from the rear speakers or have kids who want to here the music turned up. At least dealing with Toyota, the got to hear just how bad it sounds on the rear speakers as is, and we got to learn that they do NOT care what the customers want, but only what they choose to do.

**** The person I was dealing with at Toyota acknowledged the issue of the speaker when seeing the video and even seeing the chat from here of others regarding the issue, but posted above it the Final answer. So it does not matter how crappy it sounds from the rear speakers to them, but yet they only did this design in the Prius V, which is a family vehicle. LOL. ****

 

It must be the Tommy James & the Shondells fault! Too 60's for a 2014 car to play right! I will check or Pri, but I currently have the balance set just a midge to the rear, but I surely do not remember there being near no volume out of the back speakers. Now,, back to how Tommy really should sound:

 

Did they recently upgrade you to entune 3.2? I asked because when I had my car taken in, they upgraded mine, and the sound changed when they upgraded the version of my Entune. If you turn the sound fully to the Rear speakers, I think you will find the same issue. With the 3.2 the speakers can be adjusted to about where you stated and not sound to bad yet.

 

Thanks for the post. Will check mine tonight. Good Youtube video.