I'm looking at the 2012 prius and I had a few questions. 1. If I am driving at 50mph and the shift knob goes into reverse, what will happen? Will the car come to a violent stall? For example, if a kid sits in the passenger side seat and reaches for the air recycle button but accidentally hits the shift knob into reverse by doing so what would happen? 2. Do people here normally take their Prius to the dealer for maintenance or an you take it to the local garage instead? 3. When at a standstill, and releasing the brake, has the Prius ever lunged forward a little?
(I have a 2009 prius and to the best of my knowledge, it applies to a 2012, but I do not own one.) If they hold it in R (or P) for over a second, it goes into N. I have used the dealer for all my cars, but there is not routine maintenance in the first 120,000 miles I would not feel fine at a independent mechanic. If it was a hybrid specialist, you might never go to the dealer except for recalls. (or TSBs) (if I would be nervious at all at a independent, it would be brake work) Mine has never done so, Most of the 'lunging forward' folks feel is a switching from regenerative braking to friction braking, often when braking lightly. More brake pedal solves that.
I do not go to the dealer for routine work like oil changes, filters, fluids, brake pads. All can be easily performed at an independent shop for half what a dealer charges. I go to the dealer for warranty work and recalls - that's it.
Thanks Jimbo. I just realized i posted in the Prius V forum instead of the Prius 3rd gen forum! The Prius V shift knob is in a nice location, the Prius 3rd gen i'm more worried about. Regarding my first question: If the shift knob goes into reverse for less than 1 second, then will the car go into reverse even if i'm driving 50mph? Thanks
Above some very low MPH (3?) nothing happens when you shift into R or P from D unless you hold the position for over a second. Oddly, you have to hold it longer to go in N if you aim at N.
Where I bouoght mine, they told me the 2012 Prius v had 2 years or 24,000 miles of free maintenance like oil changes and air filters. and that was from Toyota so I think that would apply to them all no matter where they were bought. After the "free" maintenance is over, I might go to an independent. My dealership though, offers $9.95 oil changes for as long as you own it and that goes for Synthetic oils to.
Sadly, no. "Free" maintenance is a dealer incentive - some offer it some of the time. The good news is that a new Prius requires nearly zero maintenance, so you don't lose much by not getting free maintenance for an introductory period. Tom
