Its a new 08, not many miles. What happens is when you get into the car and push the on button to green, and then again to orange - sometimes but not all the time, the car will only go into neutral. It wont go into reverse or forward. You have to turn the car off and on again to get it to go into drive. It almost never (if ever?) does this if I put the fob in the socket by the steering wheel, instead of turning it on with the fob on the hook or in pocket. Am I doing something wrong or does it need service?
Why are you pushing the power button twice? I think your problem is there somehow. To start the car depress the brake and push the power button ONCE. I suspect you're getting into Ignition On mode and you can't go into anything but Neutral when you're in IG ON. Next time this happens look at the dash and see if it says "READY". If you're having the problem and are clearly in READY mode there may be a problem with your shifter and it may need to be replaced..it should be under warranty.
My guess is that you are not getting into Ready mode. The most common reason for this is not pressing the brake pedal hard enough. When you put the fob into the socket, you are being more deliberate about your starting procedure, which will cause you to be more careful about the brake. Tom
Hmm, I dont think I am ever pushing the brake pedal when starting the car! Wasnt required in our truck or the jaguar this car replaced, so I never tried that. Ill go fiddle with it and see. Thanks! Whats wierd though is that you push the button its once - green light for stereo etc (but not windows) and twice for orange - which lets the car drive - but only sometimes!
Okay, that advice helped me reproduce it willingly. I am getting into the car, putting in the fob (like a key) and pushing the button like turning the key (twice for the two key settings in a normal car). Then I put my foot on the brake pedal and shift into drive where everytime it goes only into N. If I put in the key, put my foot on the brake, and THEN turn the key - the car will say 'ready' and be willing to go into drive. How odd it requires me to put my foot on the brake in order to 'turn' the key! Is there something wrong with this car that it wont go into drive even though I put my foot on the brake when I shift it into drive? Why does it insist I push on the brake when turning the car on? Its like turning the key halfway in our other cars, to listen to the radio a bit before going - then putting foot on brake and starting car and off you go... I dont understand why the car insists you push brake in order to turn the key 'halfway' or it wont go into drive at all unless you take the key out and put it back in! Does it need service, should it require brake pushing that early in the order?
You have to depress the brake, there's no way to get into ready mode if you don't. 1st press (no brake)-ACC mode--no windows, yes radio 2nd press (no brake)-IG ON mode--all accessories/windows, but won't drive. 3rd press (no brake)--turns car off Putting your foot on the brake from any condition and ONE press of power button gets you in to READY.
It's that way for safety with the SKS. If the key was inside the car and a kid hit the power button and bumped the shifter the car would be moving. It takes a little more effort to brake and push at the same time. And frankly, it's good advice in any car to depress the brake when starting up.
Okay, thanks efusco! It's just different is all and we just need to get used to how its different! We like that the car is different (shifter on dash so there is space between our legs instead of a big old shifter console) like cars used to (and should) be (which is why we bought it now instead of the '10 because I heard they were getting rid of the space between legs). Just one of those things we'll have to get used to.
In a regular car, you need to press the brake in order to shift from P to D. Prius doesn't have P "gear" but instead a P button. I think that's the reason they designed it so you'll have your foot on the brake before you put it into D.
I have to second Richard's comment: read the owner's manual! All this is covered in the manual. Since you seem new to the Prius, but it appears that you have a 2008, did you buy the car used? If so, and if it didn't come with the manuals, you may want to consider getting them. My 2009 came with two "manuals"; one is the "Owner's Manual" (red and white cover), and the other is the "Quick Reference Guide" (green and white cover). I imagine that the 2008 probably has the same two manuals. (PS: since I have the Navigation package, I have another two manuals for that, also). You should at least read the QRG prior to operating the vehicle. The starting procedure is in there also.
For routine maintenance consult the Scheduled Maintenance Guide, or this website: Toyota Parts and Service Doing only what is shown there will save you bother and expense.
I have same problem last night. This morning again press start & it took two times to get car on. & Could only go neutral, so then I finally realized the brake sensor perhaps not telling car I have brake pedal on. I pumped brakes 2 times then pressed firmly and tried again to start Nd put into drive. It now works going into drive.
