Hi all. Semi new Prius owner. Purchased the 4 with every available option. Was bummed when I purchased car from dealer that for the model I wanted, it didn’t have the two things the touring has that I wanted: 17” rims and fog lights. Found a set of oem 17” rims and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what size tire to purchase as well as brand. Please let me know.
For the 17-inch wheels, the tire size and rating is P215/45R17 87V, as stated on page 735 of the Owner’s Manual (PDF). I have no advice on tire brands. My Three Touring came with Yokohama BluEarth S34RY tires, which seem satisfactory but have only a 320 B A quality grade.
I'm probably going with Michelin Primacy mxm4. Just my 2 cents, I would look for something other than the OEM 4th gen rims, something without plastic.
Hey. Thanks but I am an oem guy and like them. Besides, I got these for 525 minus the tpa sensors. Am I correct in thinking that my 15” sensors will fit on the 17”s?
You're lucky with the Fog Lights - they're hopeless. Just ornamental. Instead of focusing under the fog, they just glare other drivers.
That's if you switch them on when it's not foggy. These days, I've noticed driver's have their highlights on when the no need for them anyway. Just extra illumination for the sake of it!
Fog lights are a bit outdated these days, I think manufacturers just put them on for cosmetic purposes. They were introduced when vehicle lighting was not as good as it is now, more to aid the vehicles visibility in fog rather than to aid the driver seeing where they are going. Lights on modern vehicles lessen the necessity for fog lights IMO. LED & HID headlamps rather than filament bulbs and huge, bright, rear lamps have far superior visibility than older cars.
Good fog lights are intended to be mounted low on the vehicle and aimed low to avoid reflecting back off any fog to reduce glare for the driver. My kids just bought me Chinese OE style fogs for my 2016 and we'll see how well they work after I install them. They are combination driving, fog and amber turn signal units that cost $255 on eBay. If the OP lived further north, I would have recommended the All Weather Nokian WRg4 215/45R17 V rated tires for their better wet/snow/ice traction. JeffD
A good (not a PRIUS) foglight is only useful a short distance in front, and at relatively low speed. It can only shine downwards, or the fog will reflect it back to the driver's eyes (and dazzle other drivers) eg My old VOLVO was like this, and great in fog. It also must be used alone, without low beam, which will reflect back and blind the driver. The PRIUS is hopeless, it just "sprays" the beam, largely unfocussed.
And in some states, fog lights have to work for you to pass inspection. You can't claim they're optional. You can't unwire them. You have to physically remove them. If they're mounted on the car they have to work. Or so I was told a few years ago when I had a busted fog light.
How strange. Does that mean that if fog lights are fitted they must be ON whenever driving????? Perhaps you (or they) misunderstood the rule.
No - what he's saying (and it could be the same here maybe, but they don't check it) is that IF it is a feature of the car (like a light, but I guess not an interior light), it must work. Take it back 70years - and your Austin A40 (supplied without indicators), if they were fitted aftermarket, would be marked as a defect if they were there, but not working.
Weird. Like over here, traffic indicator signals must work to pass MOT inspection, but not using them when appropriate is not an offence! Another case of pointless regulation. There needs to be more joined up thinking in beurocracy!
When I lived in Pennsylvania back in the 60's I worked at a shop where if a car had a light on it, they had to work. Cars are built with lights that have to meet certain standards and it seems reasonable that if a car has a light on it that they should work. Even back up lights were included. We have no safety inspection in Indiana but the police can pull you over if you have a light out. They tend to pick on license plate lights and head lights. I don't know about turn signals, I don't think I have ever seen anyone use them. lol
Texas has annual inspections. I guess they're for safety, but they only take 10 minutes without emissions testing. They exempt new cars (with ICE) from emissions testing for two years, so I'll get to do that this year. We pay for it here, there was no fee in Illinois. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
