Yes I know I should check the Owner's Manual. And yes I know this was covered (I think) somewhat recently here on PriusChat. But I am going to ask anyway. Today when leaving work, I hit the start button and the MFD lit up but nothing else. I removed a CD from the player and then realized that nothing other than the display was on. I hit the power button again and the MFD went off and again and everything worked perfectly. I drove home. After pulling in the driveway and shutting down, I decided to try starting again. Again the MFD lit up but nothing else. When I hit the power buttom a second time the speedometer, odometer panel lit up along with several of the warning lights which then did not go out. The light on the power button was now red instead of amber. I tried to shift into gear and it would only go to neutral. I hit the power button again and it turned off. I did this about three times and then came into the house. After about 5 minutes, I went out and everything worked fine. I drove around the block, came back, turned it off, turned it back on and everything seems fine. Now I'm thinking "what happened?" Is it possible I was starting up without my foot on the break? I'm thinking I may have since I was fooling with the CD first time around and had just parked the car the second. Would that cause the symptoms listed?
Did you have your foot on the brake each time? If not, it sounds like you went into the two ACC modes.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paflyfisher @ May 24 2006, 05:33 PM) [snapback]260542[/snapback]</div> Your described symptoms would happen if, when you started from work, you didn't put your foot on the brake the first time, but you did the second time (i.e. after you had ejected the CD). Then, when you got home, the symptoms you describe would happen if you didn't have your foot on the brake at all before you went in the house. The sequence of states without your foot on the brake is: Off -> Accessory Mode (i.e. radio) -> IG-ON mode (i.e. all the dash lights on, but you can't go) -> Off If, at any time in this sequence, you put your foot on the brake and push the Power button, it will go to "Ready." If you're sure you had your foot on the brake when you were pushing the the buttons, you might want to get the car checked out; maybe there's some switch out of whack.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ May 24 2006, 05:51 PM) [snapback]260552[/snapback]</div> The foot on the brake is one of those things I have always done (well since I got the Prius a month ago). However, since I got in with the intention of changing CDs, I may have sat there and not put my foot on the brake. I don't know. Same thing when I got home. I parked it and was about to open the door and get out when I decided to try again. So again I may not have had my foot on the brake. Its tough when you start getting old.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paflyfisher @ May 24 2006, 04:58 PM) [snapback]260555[/snapback]</div> Now you all have me worried, I'm old or at least older. Is a Prius too tech for me???? I mean flashing lights for no reason would drive me nuts....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(B Rad @ May 24 2006, 07:44 PM) [snapback]260601[/snapback]</div> Nah! Not to worry. Starting with my foot on the brake was becoming automatic for me. Then today when I apparently didn't because I was more interested in playing with the CD player, I had no recollection of whether I put my foot on the brake before starting or not. Trying to remember what I did five minutes ago is where getting old comes into play!
Related Question: Can you go from ready to ACC or IG-ON without turning off all power? (I want to keep my cell phone plugged in for a bit longer, but don't want/need the car to say in Ready mode).
Once you're in Ready mode, another press of Power will shut down. This catches me by surprise on the occasions that I stay in Ready for a short stop, waiting for someone. I instinctively press Power to start driving, then realize I've just shut down!
