Most Obscure Prius Facts (Way out there)

If you exit my 2004 Prius via the passenger door with the headlights turned on, the headlights will stay on (unlike when you exit from the driver's door, which turns them off). This can happen if you notice the windows are up after you are out, and reach across the passenger side to power up, roll windows up, and then power off.

The 2004 Prius will drain it's batteries down to dead if the headlights are left on while powered off.


And here's a really obscure fact that has little use:

If you disconnect the JBL Amplifier in a vehicle that has one, the radio controls will function normally except that the volume control does nothing and tone controls get grayed out.


And a boring obscure fact:

The MFD beep tones go to all speakers simultaneously, including the center speaker.

 

Park facing downwards on an incline greater than 38% (20deg ) and you might not be able to reverse up the hill.

The petrol engine applies no power in reverse, only the electric motor is used.

No I'm not bashing the Prius. I love mine. Owned since July 2004.

You just need to be wary of very 'very' steep driveways in mountanous areas.

DStart reading about half way down here..... http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?t...asc&start=0

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(norman @ Jan 28 2007, 03:11 AM) [snapback]381886[/snapback]</div>

My experience having parked my 2004 Prius on some steep hills in San Francisco is that it can always reverse up hills. On steep hills it reverses extremely slowly, and I think this slowness led some people to guess that it would fail on steeper hills. But I haven't read any posts from anyone who actually wasn't able to reverse up an actual hill.

 

The Prius can be "jump started" with flashlight batteries.
I'm told ten (10) AA batteries will do the trick.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmccord @ Jan 28 2007, 10:26 PM) [snapback]382156[/snapback]</div>

you just need 12 volts.... you don't need the amperage a regular car battery provides since you are merely booting the computer.

Once the computer is up, the inverter engages and pulls of the main 201 volt traction battery to provide all the 12 volt current you need to run the rest of the accessories and the car.

 

The Prius has 2-Turn Door Locks.

With the manual (emergency) key in the door lock; twist clockwise once, the driver door unlocks; twist twice, all doors unlock.

Wow, talk about old school obscure! Nice to know for that inevitable day when the battery in my key fob dies and I also have passengers to let in the car. . . . saves me from the hassle of having to push the unlock button on the driver door arm rest.

[bonus obscure fact: All Toyotas with power door locks have this feature.]

 

If you have a CD on the slot, the MFD has a "track" button on the upper right hand corner if you choose the "audio" button. You can press it so all the tracks are displayed (and you can choose the one you want). However, when the car is in motion, the "track" button cannot be pressed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmccord @ Jan 29 2007, 12:26 AM) [snapback]382156[/snapback]</div>

I suspected that and wanted confirmation.

On two occasions, I have left an inside light on and found the car dead the next day. It's embarrassing because I park in a large condo garage populated by non-Prius users. I get lots of positive interest from them, but they sure look twice when they see me running charger cables across the floor!

So now I'm going to make up a pack of batteries with connectors on each end and carry it in my utility kit. Especially if I'm away from home, having a quick "jumping" capability will be a boon!

Blair

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Blair @ Feb 6 2007, 05:50 PM) [snapback]386393[/snapback]</div>

Or just get a portable battery jumper for 50.00 from Costco, walmart or online etc etc... it will have a 12 V battery that you can charge with your wall socket and jumper cables with a light and air pump all in one.

No more begging for a jump making yourself look stupid and being vulnerable.... and you will even be in position to give someone else a jump without having to involve your prius!.... "good idea!"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Blair @ Feb 6 2007, 06:50 PM) [snapback]386393[/snapback]</div>

"I'm told ten (10) AA batteries will do the trick. " That is hardly "confirmation", I don't see anyone saying it worked. There have been postings on the technical groups of this sort of thing failing because of the power brake pump coming on when you press on the brake pedal to get into READY mode. If the brake accumulator is at all low, this is a high probability event. After all, you have probably just pressed the brake several times trying to get started with the car's failed 12V battery.

The portable battery jumper others have mentioned is a much better idea, or at least one of those 3.5 AH or 7 AH sealed 12V lead acid cells used in computer UPS systems (like those from APC) or model airplane starter packs. Then you'll have enough capacity to handle some of those other loads that are very likely to show up before the car goes into ready and the main battery is available.

 

there are indeed other routes.... 12 V with a fair amount of amps is all you need.... flashlight amperage may be pushing it as mentioned... but the other routes will most likely be much more trouble and expense than just going the route thats already setup for you in the form of a 12 battery jump setup.

YOu not only get other toys with it, but its user friendly and easy to recharge than some "makeshift" setup.

The only reason I see to go "makeshift" is if you already have something laying around you can use and don't mind the technicalities of fiddling with it..... then you save 50.00 bucks for your troubles.

 

heck i got a portable jump box from a place called Big Lots a place that sells overstocks, damaged shipments, etc. was $24. works well enough to jump a 1988 corolla, since ive had to jump that twice. both times, lights were left on, so the battery was pretty dead.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Feb 7 2007, 08:59 PM) [snapback]386790[/snapback]</div>

Hey.. I have a big lots too!

they're pretty cool.... you never know what your gonna find in there!

 

i agree, its like a big garage sale except the stuff is a lot cleaner and newer!!

because they dont keep any regular stock, its like going for the first time everytime i go there. go there once every few weeks or so just to browse. picked up a lot of good deals there. i also got this kit that had a 12 v air compressor and 12 volt impact hammer for $29.99 with the impact hammer and two floor jacks (yes one from Big Lots for $16.99) i can rotate the tires on my Prius in 12 minutes. in fact, just did it last week.

now if you add the time it takes to re-adjust the tire pressures... then again... forget that, the air compressor that comes with the kit is just as slow as any other 12 volt compressor

 

One thing I didnt see anyone post on, the info button on the steering wheel will toggle between the fuel consumption and the fuel economy screen. I LOVE MY PRIUS!!!

also the MAP button does the same thing, but just with the NAV system.

 

Not sure if this has been mentioned but if you press and hold eject button the stereo will eject all CDs one right after the other. Also if you press and hold load button you can load each disc, one right after the other.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(koa @ Feb 25 2007, 04:51 PM) [snapback]396436[/snapback]</div>

Even if it has, I didn't notice. I am glad you did post on it, since I didn't know that.

Dave M.

 

Although the rear wiper control is marked LO and HI, it's actually INTERMITTENT and CONTINUOUS (but slow).

 

To get the heated mirrors to work, you need to have front defrost on (not a tip.) But, I like to have them on and not use heat or defrost. Here's how:

hit the climate button and press front so it is selected. The fan will come on. Hit off to turn the fan off, and the front defrost is still lit, but with no fan or heat. This should keep your heated mirrors on since front defrost is on, even though it is inactive.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Dec 8 2006, 10:50 AM) [snapback]359357[/snapback]</div>

You can register "Areas to Avoid" using the Nav Menu button and "My Places". It gives you 10 areas that you want the Nav to go arround. No more having to ignore the Nav's idea of which way is the best. This has solved it for me.