In less than a year, 4 times I have parked, and forgot the car was running and left it. The longest was for 4 hours. Yeah, I know it beeps and warns me, but still I have done this four times. My buddy who also has one is up to three. So my question is, have you left yours running by accident and if so what is the longest time? Remember, there is safety in numbers
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(even4steven @ May 8 2007, 01:59 PM) [snapback]437702[/snapback]</div> only tried once and figured it out because I could not lock the door so no problem, plus I will use the newbie excuse #1 I'M new at this prius kinda thing never had the techno stuff growing up.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ May 8 2007, 04:03 PM) [snapback]437707[/snapback]</div> I always lock my car unless I'm in my garage, so the few times I've done it, I realized it because I couldn't lock the car. I did it once in the garage, but heard the beep beep beep. I've never walked away without knowing I left it on.
Crap, now I'm worried that I might have done that when I left it at the park and ride this morning... *checks watch nervously* :blink:
Not by accident, but I do so purposely quite often. If I am going to make a quick stop someplace, if the conditions are right, I'll leave the car running . . . If I am going to remain close by. If it is parked in a 'safe' place. If it is not cold outside (so the car doesn't have to start the ICE to keep at operating temperature). If there is no chance I will be staying longer than I expected. With the lights, radio, A/C, and MDF off, the Prius looks and sounds like any other parked car. I doubt a criminal type is going to think, 'hmmm, there is a Prius which just parked . . . I wonder if the driver left it running.' Yeah, I'll leave it running for about 15 minutes max (depending on state of charge).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ May 8 2007, 05:37 PM) [snapback]437788[/snapback]</div> NEVER!!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 8 2007, 05:07 PM) [snapback]437770[/snapback]</div> I'm with this guy
My wife and I have been curious, but haven't tried this -- What happens if you do leave it on (taking the keys away with you) and someone else jumps in and tries to go for a ride? Will the car realize that it's driving away from the person holding the keys and stop? Or once the system is on, it's on -- no matter where the keys are?
Nope, the base model won't let me take the key with me until I hit the power button. I tried a few times though... Dave
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rob_md @ May 8 2007, 05:27 PM) [snapback]437824[/snapback]</div> The second one; once the car is started, it may beep at you if you leave with the key, but it'll keep running just like it always does. You may think this is a bad idea for someone trying to steal the car, but think about the alternative: you're going 80 in the fast lane and the battery in your fob dies, and the car decides to shut off. The battery in the fob dying should not result in you dying. And, as has been pointed out before, as soon as the thief turns off the car, they have no way to turn it back on again (unless putting a screwdriver in the key slot works like it does in a conventional lock).
I have done it several times, due to the bad habit of hitting the Power button without pressing P first. I have walked out of the car and left it in D, because a very quick pressing of the power button is frequently not enough for the car to engage P and shut off. I am working hard on always pressing P before shutting down the car.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(even4steven @ May 8 2007, 02:59 PM) [snapback]437702[/snapback]</div> yes; me too. but the best way is to just hit the power button. it puts the car in park befor it shuts down.
I've left it powered up all day at some of the car-shows and events, particularly when running anything off the inverter. No harm in it, other than you're dissipating the 350 steady-state watts in the electronics and since the SoC tends to drift down to two-pink-bars territory, you have to make all that up again once you get rolling later. And of course the inverter coolant circulation pump is always running, but I haven't yet heard of anyone needing to replace that for wear-out reasons. . _H*
I've left the car running on purpose, and then forgot I had left it running, if that makes any sense. I'm trying to break myself of my bad habit of just hitting the power button without putting it in park first. Earlier this week I must have hit the power button too lightly/quickly, because it didn't power off. The only thing that stopped the car from lurching into a fence was the fact that I had depressed the emergency brake. Otherwise, I'd be having body work done right now...
