How to test the solar panel

You've followed the correct procedure, though I'm not sure the temp setting matters. After shutting off the car for five or ten minutes (can't remember the time), the fan will start up if there is sufficient sunlight falling on it (thin, skuzzy clouds are ok, but not big fluffies). Inside the car, you'll hear some "flatulence" as the computer opens the air vent, or whatever it's doing, and you'll feel the breeze. Outside the car, you can hear the inrushing air at the base of the windshield on the pax side. The sound happens at temps down to the 50s, though the fan may not run in cooler temps (it is supposed to check for that).
Double check the position of the switch - on vs off is only one or two mm.
But it may still be hot inside when all is said and done - it's not running the AC. But you can use the AC button on your fob to get three minutes of cooling before entering the car if you have sufficient charge on your traction battery before you park.
More detailed testing would probably require a trip to the dealer.

 

evebill8 - additionally - you need to make sure the the SOLAR ROOF switch is set to "on" - as Buzzhead also commented.

There is a switch on the lower panel (to the LEFT of your steering wheel) that has a push-on / push-off switch for the solar panel. There is only a "very slight" difference between on and off so you may need to push it several times to make sure that it is pushed in (on). There are no indicator lights or any other way to tell that the switch is engaged and the solor roof panels are "on".

Following that, you should be able to hear the fan running after about 5~8 minutes in the direct sunlight. I'm not sure if the ambient air temp makes a difference as I turn mine off when its "cool" outside.

 

There isn't actually any procedure. All I've ever done is push the solar-ventilation button. That's it. The Prius doesn't even need to be on and there's nothing related to the AC system that you must do. It just works.

It works in surprisingly cold temperatures too. On several cold spring days I've waited out in the Prius listening to the solar cycling while the girls are in stores shopping. It's quite entertaining, as well as making the vehicle itself comfortable.

I'm really going to miss that... when I get my plug-in Prius this spring. Oh well. That will be a reminder just how effective it really was. There's a big difference between hot & warm. Having that modest air circulation took the edge off.
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Try again while sitting in the car. At full sun (you have that there, right?) it seems to blow at about the equivalent of two or three bars on the fan scale. If you're not getting that, it may be time for a trip to the dealer.

 

Let me get this straight. You could not sit in the car for 10 minutes.

In San Jose.

In November.

Really?



Just like any other vehicle, tint and a windshield reflector really help but it will never keep it at ambient temp due to the greenhouse effect from all those windows.