What every newb should know

I am in UK but mine is similar to yours in regard to locking doors. The car will not lock the doors with the fob, or by touching the handle when the car is in Ready Mode and there is no Fob detected inside the cabin. It will, however, beep 3 times (as @Prodigyplace suggested above) each time you try.

 

Thanks to everyone who replied. I have also tried and noticed that the powerlock button on the inside does not actually lock the car when the car is in ready state. So, I think I will be ok from now on. First of all, I should remember to shut off the car by myself.
Even if I forget that step, I always remember to lock my car (as that is my habit, I never leave it unlocked even for short time).

So, my second strategy would be to

1) Listen for the (absence of) three beeps, if I am locking the car using the outside door handle.
2) See whether it immediately disengages, when I am using the powerlock button on the inside of door.

Either way, there is a way to check.

Finally, it is always a good idea to check whether the car is actually locked, even if you lock it. So, if I do that check, it will be
clear that the car is not locked and so it will immediately.

I think with this three pronged attack, I should be fine. I am going to leave my lights as is at least for the present.

 

Some people use the power button instead of hitting Park. The car automatically engages the parking pawl in the transaxle.

 

If I'm getting right out, I do like @Prodigyplace said, and just hit the power button. Either way, I check the dash to make sure it's off.

And if the Gen 4 is like my PiP, when you lock it the dome lights shut off, so that's another clue.

 

LOL those light have not been dome-shaped in years!

Also, when the door is locked the summary trip information on the MID (next to the speedometer) turns off.

 

Sounds like our brains work the same way. That's what I meant by checking the dash.

 

Now that is scary!

BTW, do you ever get around Orlando? I may be there early June for a dog show with my son.

 

LOL!! It sure is.

I avoid Orlando whenever possible, but I make exceptions for friends.

 

Going here with my son & his dogs. You avoid Paradise?

 

Orlando ≠ Paradise. I've been to both. Well not the real Paradise; that's yet to come. There's some really false advertising in that ad.

 

One more question. This is on the use (or lack there of) of parking brake in Prius. Is there any recommendation on when it should really be used. Of course, it should be used if you are parked up a hill, I suppose. But, if you are really in a flat area, is it ok to completely ignore the parking brake. Some say that not using parking brake will put some kind of stress on the transmission system and so you should always use it. Is it a good idea to have a compromise of using the parking brake when you are going to leave the car parked for more than four hours and forget it otherwise (when in a flat terrain).

I know that in the dash it lights up PARK if the parking brake is on. However, there is still a possibility of someone attempting to drive the car with the parking brake on. If so, does the car alert the driver in some manner. If not, how damaging will it be to the car? No, I have not yet done such a stupid thing. But, generally trying to be careful about it.

 

Not sure the Park lights up just by applying the parking brake without selecting P first, but...
.. if you attempt to drive off with the parking brake still on it will flash a message to that effect. You won't need it though because the extra drag on the car will be recognised right away.

 

Probably almost as many variations of use as there are members here. LOL! As for me, I only use the parking brake on steep hills or if I'm jacking up the car to work on it. It would be a pretty flimsy transmission or an engine with almost no compression that wouldn't hold a car in place on reasonably level ground.

 

I did my first refueling today (even though the tank was only half empty, I must be a pessimist ).

Anyway, when I did my own calculation, it came to 47.01 mpg. I was mainly driving within the city.
Mostly stop and go situation. This is of course far from advertised figure of 54. I am assuming
that initially it will be like that and then it will pick it up due to various reasons (one of them being
driver getting more used to driving the vehicle in eco friendly manner).

Can anyone weigh in on this? Did your mpg start low and then kept increasing with more use.

 

How’s your weather been? Cool enough that you needed the heater? If so, then there’s at least some of your explanation. On a Prius, the engine needs t9 turn on to supply heat, using gas. The ac runs off the battery so there’s not much of a correspondent penalty come summer.

Additionally, winter blend fuel provides lower mpg than does summer blends.

Sounds to me like you’re in good shape.

 

Thanks, I guess that explains. Yes, the weather was fairly cold this year in my place compared to normal for this part of the year. Actually, I felt fairly cold during this winter when I was in the car and I now realize why. I am now fairly confident, it will pick up in summer.

One more thing. Is there a temp display of what is the temp inside the car. I see a display of outside temp.

 

No, but once you find a comfortable interior setting, you should be able to leave it there all year, within a degree or two. There’s no reason to make constant adjustments. Also, leave the ac on all the times. The compressor will run only when necessary but it will run at times when you might not expect, specifically, to control humidity levels. There’s no gas penalty.

 

Mileage will also improve as you start adjusting your driving habits to increase mpg.

 

Ok. Thanks. I am not directly messing with the a/c or fan settings. I am setting the desired temp and am putting it in auto climate control mode. I assume that should be ok.

 

Make sure it says ECO beside the fan speed. Sometimes if you change drive mode the AC changes to normal.