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Intermittant, Single BEEP

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Red Solitaire, Jun 5, 2008.

  1. Red Solitaire

    Red Solitaire New Member

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    After 2,000 miles, my 08 Touring suddenly developed an odd, intermittant, single beep from somewhere in the dash. It happens irregularly, but usually with at least a minute between beeps. "One ping, only", but no display warnings or dash lights. No weight on passenger seat, drivers belt fastened, not in reverse (although the beep is the same tone/pitch as the reverse beep).

    Clues??
     
  2. chajones

    chajones Junior Member

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    You will get a single beep when the last pip on the gas gauge starts flashing to indicate low fuel.
     
  3. Jared

    Jared Member

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    Just out of curiosity - I always let the gas go down to flashing before filling up so I am used to the "add fuel" warning. Is there another more serious warning before you run out of gas? I have driven over 40 miles on a flashing gas pip and never run out.
     
  4. prius729

    prius729 New Member

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    From all the posts I've read on running out of gas, I think you've been lucky so far not to run out of gas.
     
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Yes, you get an MFD warning to buy gas.

    Tom
     
  6. chajones

    chajones Junior Member

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    You probably have about 2 gallons of fuel left when the last pip begins to flash, so that's why you haven't run out yet. I understand it is not good for the fuel pump to consistently let the tank run that low.
     
  7. AussieOwner

    AussieOwner Active Member

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    I don't think that it is the low fuel warning that the OP is hearing.

    I have had the one-off beep with no warning lights, more than half a tank of gas, everyone buckled in, crusing along at the speed limit. I have heard it now only a couple of times, not enough to identify a possible cause. I have thought that it may be a traction control warning, but the last time I was not braking, just comfortably cruising with the traffic flow.

    Also, courtesy of a neighbour who is re-building their home, I do get a traction control warning flash nearly every day as I need to brake just as I go past their house and hit the rough patch that their plumber put into the road when he connected to the sewer. But this just gives me a flash on the dash, no beep.

    So, anyone else who can offer a possible cause for the beep?
     
  8. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Can the "scheduled maintenance reminder" have gotten confused somehow?
     
  9. ny biker

    ny biker Member

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    I thought of that, but the Maint Reqd light should be on in that case.

    Also I thought maybe a door was ajar, but also I think there's a warning light for that.
     
  10. chrisspaulding

    chrisspaulding sexy, high tech, fun

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    .
    If you have Sirius, it could be an accidental setting to be reminded whenever a favorite artist's song is on. That happened to me and caused a beep confusion for a couple days. ;)
    .
     
  11. Jared

    Jared Member

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    Could be your cell phone. I once went crazy in the middle of the night trying to track down a beep that happened about every 5 minutes. I thought it was the home alarm system. It was a cell phone low battery beep.
     
  12. Red Solitaire

    Red Solitaire New Member

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    Yes, that is exactly the thing I experienced. I thought it might be a warning that the passenger airbag had a problem, because the beep seems to come from the right side of the dash; but I would think that warning beep would be more frequent and/or steadily repeated. As it is, it beeps only once, and it can be anywhere from a minute to a 3 or 4 minute interval between beeps. For now (I drove about 30 miles, today) the beep seems to have stopped, but I suspect it will be back.

    Good guesses, all... thanks. If the "mystery beep" keeps occurring, I'll mention it when I take the car in for it's 5K service stop. If the tech solves the problem, I'll share the solution with the forum.

    Thanks, again for the good suggestions.
    Red
     
  13. chrisspaulding

    chrisspaulding sexy, high tech, fun

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    .
    Speaking of your 5K service appointment...

    Remember to specify with the service person NOT to fill your oil to the full mark, but 1/4 under it.
    You can search PC for the full thread(s) on why. Short story: overfilling(to the full mark) the oil sometimes causes engine issues and big drops in MPG - e.g. from 52 to 47

    That's how I understand it
    .
     
  14. nikfish

    nikfish New Member

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    I'd look at the display to see if it's a message from your radio station... I've had that a couple times.