2012 Prius v - Any Way to Turn Low Speed Sound Emitter OFF?

From What I have heard, it's a federal mandate, so I wonder even if you do, would it pass inspection, at least in PA since we have yearly inspections it would probably fail. Luckily I have a 2011.

 

It's literally a speaker out under the hood of the car - I would think you could just disconnect the wire harness from it -
if you're going in for service or something - or inspection - plug it back in - then when you get home - unplug it again.

I understood it to only come on below 15mph - the only time i can here it is at a drive through with the window down and at a dead stop - just releasing the brake...to move forward. other than that - I can't hear it at all...

wonder how a padestrian could on a busy street or intersection?

 

i have pulled up right behind people walking down the middle of the street and they don't even turn their heads.

 

That's where the foghorn comes in handy.

 

Apparently is a black module with rounded appearance some have said is near the driver's headlight with a white connector. Perhaps possible to reach from top, others say remove some of the undercarriage plastic shield in the area to access. A Post with pics at the end of page 1: Vehicle Proximity Notification System (VPNS) | PriusChat

Typical:

 

Does the sound of a car engine disturb your tot? If not, perhaps you could just wait for the gas engine to start (approx 10 seconds after Ready) then shift into gear and drive off?
The above assumes a cold start.
The VPNS (Vehicle Proximity Notification System) is supposed to operate below about 15MPH when the vehicle is in EV mode, that is, driving with the gas engine off.
When the gas engine is running, the VPNS should not make any sound.

 

Wow, that's some sensitive auditory response...
If I get a chance - and remember - I'll pop the hood and try to take a pic. But as RJ mentioned, I believe it is driver side so as your are looking at it - with hood up - somewhere lower right - I believe it may be just under the inverter/electrical box (the silver lunch box looking thing with orange cables coming out) ... the orange by the way - designates high voltage... you should be fine though unless you poke through the shielding - which you won't be doing.

 

NOTE: After disconnecting the speaker and testing this out, I may reconnect it because the car is almost too silent at low speed. I found the noise maker annoying, but the car moves so eerily silent when pulling in/out of the garage that I'm a bit concerned my kids or wife might pop up somewhere around the car not aware I'm coming.

Finally figured this one out on my v5 w/ ATP, didn't find any adequate pictures online so I'm posting some here. I chose only to disconnect my speaker box, but you could easily follow this process to disconnect and remove it.

First, you will not be able to access this from the top of the engine compartment, so plan on getting underneath your car. I was able to do this without ramps, but if you aren't very flexible, you may want to get your driver's front tire up on a ramp or curb to give you a few extra inches to maneuver.

Tools:

• flat head screwdriver
• philips head screwdriver
• pliers
• flashlight

Procedure

1. You'll be removing 2 bolts and 1 plastic clip to be able to bend this panel in front of your driver's front tire down enough to get your arm up inside the engine compartment.
   
2. Remove bolt 1 with a phillips screwdriver, remove bolt 2 with the pliers, and plastic clip 3 with the flat head screwdriver (view this image if you aren't familiar with removing a plastic clip). You'll see there is only one more phillips screw that holds this plastic panel in place, I left that attached so I wouldn't have trouble to re-fit the panel in the end - if you were removing the entire speaker I think you'd have to remove this screw and plastic panel.
   
   
   
3. Gently pry down the plastic body panel; note you have to slip it out from under the adjacent panel. You should be able to create enough access for your arm to reach up into the engine compartment.
   
   
   
4. Inside the engine compartment you will see the speaker (arrow below) and the white plastic connector (circled below).
   
   
   
5. To disconnect the white plug, you must reach up to the plug, on the top of the plug you must pinch down on a clip that keeps the plug connected. Then you can slip the plug out and your speaker will be disconnected.
   
6. Now just slip the plastic panel back in place, replace the bolts and plastic clip, and you'll be noise free.

 

I still want to change my sound, much like customizing a ringtone on my phone. Why not make this more individualized. Example of other tones to use would be the Empire March from Star Wars or how about driving people nuts during the holidays with Jiggle Bell Dogs.

 

Doe this throw any codes or check engine lights??

 

No

 

Well time to pull the plug on that sucker! I don;t like the fact that part of the "souyndtrack" sounds like squeeking worn out brakes...

 

On my to do list!

 

Now if you accidentally hit someone (car or person), no matter the fault, you will be sued till the sun goes down !