vehicle proximity notification system aka the noisemaker

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/102843-old-new.html

 

The noisemaker is very unobtrusive. I tried to hear it, and the only way I can identify it from inside the car is if I roll down the window and drive into my garage. Of course it stops the minute the car stops moving, so that is a challenge.

It is very soft and very environmentally friendly. I was surprised about it. My salesman said he didn't think it had one because he couldn't hear it in the parking lot.

 

I bought a 2011 Prius in part because I didn't want the noisemaker on the 2012's. While I may not have heard it in the car, I didn't want people outside the car to hear me coming like the Jetson's spaceship. I have read that it isn't that loud, but still I like my quiet 2011.

 

Same with me. I bought a 2012 about 4 days ago and didn't even know about it until a comment made in the forum. I don't notice it at all. I will try to hear for it next time I drive.

 

After rolling the windows down and hearing it from outside the car it is really stupid sound.
It sounds like a tractor beam from Star Trek. My friend was cracking up of how retarded it sounds...which I agree.
Though with the windows rolled up, it isn't that bad you can barely hear it.
I miss the silence when driving around low speed with battery.

I wonder how you can go about getting rid of the noisemaker.

 

Didn't they leave in the voice of commands of delete destination or suspend guidance, or something along those lines?

Those work on the much older nav system of the Gen 2 Priuses...

 

From what I've read you can't get rid of the noisemaker. At least not legally. The Toyota dealers won't take it off and they won't install an on-off switch either. Liability issues.

Even if I couldn't hear it myself inside the car I don't want others outside the car to hear that spaceship noise coming from my Prius.

I like the stealth mode in my 2011 Prius. I am hoping that by the time I buy my next Prius in a few years that the noisemaker issue will be resolved. I hope they have done away with the darn thing or at least having an on-off switch.

 

"Even if I couldn't hear it myself inside the car I don't want others outside the car to hear that spaceship noise coming from my Prius."

Yeah, it is kind of embarrasing. I was going through the parking lot at work this morning and there are people walking to the building and it is very quiet early in the morning.
They were probably thinking a UFO was about to land.

 

Perhaps it does make your face red a bit. Of course those nice people could actually hear you and I note in your post you didn't say you ran them over.

Would you feel more than embarrassed if you'd hit someone? I know I would.

I don't have a Prius yet - I am saving for one - and even so I find a change in my own behavior: I look around parking lots quite a bit more now as I know there are silent cars around.

I know it's the driver's job to not hit anyone, but I'd rather not rely on someone else for my safety if I can help it.

I'd be interested in the results of any studies that show the effectiveness (or lack there of) of the noise maker.

 

I have had a Prius before without the noisemaker and i managed to not hit anybody the whole time I had the car smart arse.

I used the term "embarrasing" loosely. I was just making the point of how stupid the sound is and I rather not have it like the Prius I had before.

 

There has to be a speaker somewhere...

 

I found this, showing a person removing the speaker.

Vehicle proximity notification system - Club Lexus Forums

 

Woohoo! There ya go. Someone give this guy a beer. :tea:

 

Now some clever person needs to come up with an easy mod involving a rocker switch and "on/off" ability

 

I know the first thing I am doing when I get my car home

Mike

 

It's also the pedestrian's job to look around, not blindly walk out into the road because he doesn't hear a car coming.

The noisemaker in my view an unnecessary "political correctness" modification in the car which detracts from the driving experience.

I drive more carefully in my 2011 Prius because I know it is quiet so I am very careful around pedestrians. Also I have not noticed any shocked expressions when I get near a pedestrian in a parking lot, I think they hear the wheels on the pavement and know I am there, even when I am driving at low speeds.