Been lurking for a couple of weeks as I researched buying a Prius. Picked up a 2011 Prius 2, certified, only 23500 miles on the odometer, 2 keyfobs (yay) and it was certified by the dealer. The car is super clean. This past Monday was my first week and i am loving the car, though I wish it was a bit more steady at highway speeds. Maybe it might get one of those aftermarket stabilizer bars? First tank of gas averaged 48.7 MPG according to the trip computer- SHAZAM- love that. So in reading the forum here I have learned how to set up the door locks to unlock all the doors with one touch. Very cool, and thanks in advance for what I will learn from the many who are willing to share. Too bad the reverse beeping alert cannot be reprogrammed as easily. Does anyone have an answer to why the beeping is even happening? I could understand if it were on the outside to alert folks behind me that I am backing up in my quiet stealth car, but me in the car, I do not know. Anyway, due to her super tech, she has been named Rosie after George Jetson's beloved house robot. And likewise I am now George Jetson by default. Here she is parked away from the masses in the parking lot.. Poor iPhone pic, she's actually Winter Gray.
The reverse beeping is there because you can't tell visually that the car is in reverse "gear". IMO, a necessary upgrade is the dual horn upgrade. Link in my signature below, that is one of the least expensive mods, yet may save your life, or many $$$ in preventing someone from changing lanes right into you. Something about our Winter Gray Metallic color that makes people overlook our car, like it's invisible. SMH
Thanks XLIDERIDER! I did check out the link and spent a good 20 minutes reading the posts, dang this forum is cool time suck! I drive into NYC often so this seems like a perfect mod to start with. Gonna go through the rest of your mods when I get a moment and some more cash. I really want to tighten up the steering feel a bit.
Welcome ! - and I saw your black dawg avatar & had to wish you the best. Our Black 14yr ol' 100lb lab"Fred" passed, almost 2 years ago now. Here he was - senic route up the Cali coast - then the Columbia river & on into Montana. Good times. A year ago we got "Buck" ... the silver one pictured on the avatar, shot taken back when he was just 3 months old. He too, is an eating machine ... mealtime takes just 25 seconds They DO love their food, almost as much as the pri . . . .
Awesome faces on both, sorry about Fred. Here is quick video I had done, reminds me so much of Fred. Boy do they love an open window. Sally goes in the truck:
Wow....that's Winter Gray? The lighting in that picture really makes it look different. I thought it was a custom paint job. The reverse beep is the reverse beep. The overwhelming (it seems) majority absolutely hate it. I'm in the minority that really doesn't mind it. I've been in parking lots, and this is true. When The Prius first starts up it can be incredibly silent. When the engine isn't running it doesn't give the tail pipe smoking visual clues to people that the vehicle is running and might be backing up. Even though it does have the reverse tail lights and Vehicle Proximity "George Jetson" sound. I had a close call late at night in a nearly entirely empty parking lot, when (my fault) I got in my Prius and threw it in reverse and started to back up...and almost hit this 1 guy that for some reason decided in the entire empty parking lot to walk behind my vehicle. I didn't expect him to be there, and he was in the "blind spot" and he didn't realize I had started the vehicle. Luckily it was only a "close call" and not a law suit and a Emergency Room trip. But since then? I really don't mind the reverse beep. I think The Prius because of it's design demands a little more attention when backing up, so now when I hear the "beep, beep, beep" it's just a reminder to be that much more careful. I think the incessant and repetitive in the cabin beeping is just Toyota's way of reminding you STRONGLY that you are in reverse and to be alert. Given The Prius's quiet start up nature, I actually think this reminder is valid. Would it be more helpful if the audio was projected outside the vehicle? Yeah...I think that would help. But then you'd probably get a whole lot of posts where people would want to disable it because they didn't like their Prius beeping like a delivery truck when in reverse and/or waking up neighbors at night.
Regarding the beeps, I had never thought of it that way, good point.. yea and you are probably right about the back up sounds.. I often leave early in the morning and my dog would go insane if she heard those beeping noises. Not to mention the looks you would get at the parking lots when your cars sounds like a truck backing up.. Now as to the color, its my 11 year old in action on my iPhone, she loves the filter effects in Camera Plus. I am a photographer so I think I have to go take a better one with my camera, you were not the first person to mention the exotic custom color..
Your hardly welcome at priuschat.com. I am continuing follow this sites for best replies and really they are very helpful to me. So thanks to be here.