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My Prius beeps when stopped!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by pollocks, Feb 23, 2006.

  1. pollocks

    pollocks New Member

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    I've noticed for a couple of weeks now (car is less than a month old), that when stopped while driving (lights, stop signs etc) I can hear a quiet beeping sound (like a car horn sort of a beep). I always look around when I hear a car beep while stopped because I'm nosy and I also like to make sure nobody's beeping at me.

    It's only a fairly soft beep - the sort of beep some cars make when the doors are being locked (but not like the Prius door lock beep).

    I did think for a while that people just beep a lot, then I realised the beeping was following me. So the last couple of days I've been turning the music off while I'm stopped, and sure enough the car beeps. There seems to no reason why it's doing it. I rocked the car a bit by jumping around in my seat (I thought maybe it was just a squeak), but that didn't seem to cause it.

    Sometimes it beeps a couple of times while stopped, sometimes it doesn't beep at all. It's also seemed more obvious in the last week or so, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm listening out for it now, or if it is getting worse.

    We've had the car for less than a month, like I said, and don't drive it much as my husband cycles to work, and I'm not working, so just potter about and never go too far. We have done a couple of longer trips though, and are currently driving from California to Arizona and back and so have racked up around 900 miles in the last week, and have nearly 1800 miles on the odometer already.

    Does anyone else's Prius do this, or have you had another car that's done something similar??? Is my car just trying to have a chat with me?????? :)
     
    #1 pollocks, Feb 23, 2006
  2. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    anyone standing outside the car able to hear it?

    now is it loud enough to be a warning?? if you have to turn the stereo off, then probably not. warning beeps are at a volume and frequency that makes them fairly easy to hear even with the stereo at a pretty hefty sound level.
     
    #2 DaveinOlyWA, Feb 23, 2006
  3. pollocks

    pollocks New Member

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    As a little aside, we've been getting 45mpg (really only do small trips), but now we're getting 50mpg this trip so far, and in the 900 miles we've driven this trip, we've spent $35 on fuel, and still have probably 200 or so miles before we need to refill.

    As another aside - don't go to the Glamis sand dunes which are filled with gas guzzling monster trucks in your Prius. You will be laughed at and called a tree hugging hippy. :lol:
     
    #3 pollocks, Feb 23, 2006
  4. pollocks

    pollocks New Member

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    I don't know, I'll try that out when my hubby gets home tonight.

    Definitely not a warning beep, not loud enough.
     
    #4 pollocks, Feb 23, 2006
  5. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

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    #5 maggieddd, Feb 23, 2006
  6. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    there are a lot of small automatic functions that make noise. the ABS pump sound has a pretty wide range of descriptions here at Priuschat. others like the coolant pump you should not hear if the car is "running" or on i should say.

    could be other items too. my Prius does have its little buzzes, beeps and squeals, none of which can be really be heard unless the stereo is off (something that RARELY is the case with me) but i do remember the first time i drove without any sound on (when i picked up my car, i spent 20 mins playing with the controls and setting radio stations during the paperwork session. since i paid by check, they had to verify funds) i was a bit amazed at all the stuff i heard...

    i also attribute the ability to hear a lot of this stuff to the fact that without an engine idling away creating noise polution, we CAN hear this stuff. another reason why i LOVE my Prius
     
    #6 DaveinOlyWA, Feb 23, 2006
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  7. pollocks

    pollocks New Member

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    Wow, how's about that.... Thanks so much for that Maggie! I can go back to putting the music up and not worrying :D
     
    #7 pollocks, Feb 23, 2006
  8. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

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    ;)
     
    #8 maggieddd, Feb 23, 2006
  9. Micky Lee

    Micky Lee New Member

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    Have a qualified Prius technician look at it, especially if it's still under warranty. You may have some problem that could be worse than a low beep.

    I have had a 2005 Prius for almost a year now. I have not experienced anything like what you have described.
     
    #9 Micky Lee, Feb 23, 2006
  10. LHL

    LHL New Member

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    I have the same problem on my 2004 Prius. It started happening right after my car stalled and the dealer did a reprogramming last year. The explanation I got from the dealer was that the sound comes from the ABS system.

    Initially I thought the problem had something to do with the not-so-good OEM tires. With only 21K miles, I had a new set of HydroEdge tires installed about 2 weeks ago. However the problem continues.

    I just received my 2006 Prius and I am not hearing the ABS noise. I think I am going to try a different dealer when my next service is due. :huh:
     
    #10 LHL, Feb 23, 2006
  11. rp

    rp Junior Member

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    I have a 2005 with just about the exact same problem. Started two weeks ago at about 22,000 miles. I get a faint horn like beep when I engage park or hold down
    brake. Sometimes happens when I release brake. Have been to two dealers in
    Los Angeles . One claims no problem the other say its a relay and there are sixteen relays and they aren,t able to fix it. Have contacted Toyota customer relations,
    not much help so far. Will advise.
     
    #11 rp, Feb 23, 2006
  12. pollocks

    pollocks New Member

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    Wow, I can't believe how widespread a problem this is.

    Is it a Prius thing, or a general car thing?
     
    #12 pollocks, Feb 23, 2006
  13. pollocks

    pollocks New Member

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    Ok, I don't think I got a fully sufficient answer....

    We tested it a lot more tonight, and it's more of a squeaking sound, and it's definitely the brakes. I can actually feel it gently pulsing from the brake pedal when it squeaks. If I have my foot on the brake just lightly, it doesn't happen, but if I have it fully depressed, it squeaks.

    I wouldn't normally worry about a noise, but I kinda like to know my brakes are in good working order.

    Does anyone have any definitive info?

    Should I just ring the dealer and see what they say?
     
    #13 pollocks, Feb 24, 2006
  14. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    Prius brakes sometimes let out a little squeek just ast the car comes to a stop. most of the time it's just a bit of glase on the rotors. When mine does it I just do a hard brake on a deserted street form 30-35 miles an hour and that's enough to scuff them clean again. Stops the squeeeks for a couple of months. More so in the winter or what passes for winter/rainy season. Most times it happens just as the regen stops and friction brakes take over.
     
    #14 Frank Hudon, Feb 24, 2006
  15. robinredbreast

    robinredbreast New Member

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    I had a faint squeek I found out it was the brake pedal put some WD 40 and it went away
     
    #15 robinredbreast, Feb 24, 2006
  16. okcwxguy

    okcwxguy Junior Member

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    I notice a faint beep when I start from a stop. Ive narrowed it down to the brakes. It happens when I release the brake pedal. I guess its the ABS system?
     
    #16 okcwxguy, Jan 22, 2014
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