I am considering buying a Prius, and one of the features I would like is auto on/off headlamps, which is only available in the Prius Four+. However, I'm not interested in the other features of the Prius Four and would prefer not to pay thousands extra just for auto on/off headlamps, so I'm thinking of waiting until the 2013 Prius comes out on the off-chance auto on/off headlamps are available in the lower end models. How likely is this scenario? Perhaps I am better off waiting anyway since I may be able to get a good deal on a 2012 Prius when the 2013 Prius is released...? I've emailed Toyota, and they seem to say that with the Prius Two and Three, I could have the headlight switch set to "on" permanently, and the lights will come on automatically every time we start the car (after they were turned off automatically), so I guess this is a fix, even if it's wasteful. However, someone suggested to me that this could drain the battery... :/ thanks for any advice you may have
I don't see how it could drain the battery. I drove my 2005 for 7 years with the lights on, and my original battery was replaced less than a month before I traded the car in. I have no idea what will be in the 2013 models. Since the 2012 year was a minor refresh, I doubt that there will be a lot of change.
Do you mean that you had to replace the high voltage Prius battery after 7 years? I thought they were supposed to last longer than that :/ I think that person was referring to draining the "regular" 12V (low voltage) car battery.
I concur. I doubt auto on/off headlights would suddenly be added to the 2013 on lower models for that reason.
The original 12 volt typically only lasts 4-6 years anyway. To get 7 years out of it is either luck or the 12 volt's voltage was getting really low before replacement. Driving around w/the headlights on all the time (as long as the car is in READY mode) shouldn't cause an additional 12 volt battery drain. The output should be coming from the DC to DC converter (Prius has no alternator).
I did this on my 2010 for the whole three years I had it. No 12V battery problem at all. By default the headlights turn off 30 seconds after the car is turned off, to provide light for you to get to and unlock your house door, but this setting can be adjusted to 0, 60, or 90 seconds. My household's last non-hybrid has also been set in this mode for 15 years. Again, no battery problem, its 12V battery life has been the same as previous cars without this feature. I now have a 2012 Model Three, with DRLs and auto-off but not true auto-on headlights. Because DRLs are more efficient than the full headlights (which we believe costs someshat less than 1 mpg at highway speed), I lean towards the DRLs instead of the headlights. It is the 12V battery under discussion, and it will tend to die in a similar timeframe as those in nonhybrids, maybe slightly sooner due to the different type that can safely be mounted inside the passenger compartment (under the cargo space) . The high voltage battery is disconnected the moment the ignition is shut off, so lights inadvertently left on cannot drain it.
Those auto lights on the Four sure are nice to have I suggest you plunk down some more bucks and spoil yourself Mike
I honestly don't think Toyota is willing to jack up their standardization process especially after a recent mid life cycle refresh with the 2012. My honest opinion: don't bank on it.
I love my auto-on / auto-off headlights........I never have to worry about my lights. As for the 2013 being different.......as others have said.......don't bank on it till the gen4. Maybe then it will be standard on all levels of the Prius.
Maybe for Gen 4 we will have a Zap a Jerk Button Jerk cuts you off in traffic? No problem. Push the Zap a Jerk Button and the jerk's car will get nailed by a high voltage arc from your Gen 4 Prius. No more problem Mike
haha, this reminds me of a jackass in an older body Ford Explorer that pulled to my right on a right-turn lane at a stop light, but did not turn. I knew he was going to try and overtake/cut me off once light turn green so I had the power button pressed and ready. Light turns green and off we go, I think he was surprised that I shot off and paced him the entire time until the speedo reads ~70mph and the "lane" he was on narrows to which he backed off and was forced to merge behind me but then proceeded to speed up on the left lane and cut me off lol. By then, he's already 1/4 mile down waiting at the next red light as I just glided in. I rolled down my window and as I was about to ask him how it felt being schooled by a "POS" Prius, he immediately busted a right out of embarrassment. The event was witnessed by like 5+ cars behind us, lol. That Zap a Jerk button would've come in real handy.
I was referring to the 12v car battery. I assumed that's what the OP was asking about. My traction battery was still going strong.
