The first time the "cold weather" light went on, I was panicking, thinking it was some kind of emergency light (it is orange, and it looks like it's showing me to put something in something). What exactly is the purpose of this light, besides letting me know that, duh!, it's cold out? The owner's manual is mum on the subject.
I just got the car and even though I had a BMW with the same feature for many years, it seems more important and ominous in this car at first. The logic is that at 37 Degrees and below parts of the road surface, especially bridges and overpasses, with any moisture on them may have turned to ice. This is purely a warning that road conditions may be slippery and to adjust your driving accordingly.
lets you know that in central texas it is time for the two days of cold weather, and the bridges will get sanded.. yea right.. for Central Tx under 37 is very cold... I know we down here don't know the meaning of the word "COLD" but all kiding a side... there to remind you that based on the weather... you need to keep a watchfull eye out for "Black Ice" on bridges as they could have icing problems at temp under 37 deg.
Note, of course, that that 37-degree figure is arbitrary. If the ground is frozen, there can be ice regardless of the air temperature. Thus, you can hit a patch of ice even when the "snowflake" is off. Therefore, it really serves no purpose whatsoever, and can make you less safe if you allow the absense of the light to lull you into complacence.
This is the second car that I have had that has the ice warning and I for one think it is a good idea at least until something better comes up. I and I would guess many others have an attached garage and am not always aware of the outside temp. It can vary around here a great deal from day to day. If something a simple as the snowflake can save one person an accident from inattention I think it is worth it. What would be better is a infrared remote sensing thermometer that scans the road ahead and reports road temperatures. On a heads up display :mrgreen:
Have this from a reliable source.... the cold weather warning light was added because the Toyota engineers didn't want to be bothered with web site suggestions like, " Why don't they have a little light to warn folks when the temperature is around freezing and they may slip and slide?"
I only wish Toyota had added another icon that would turn on at -30 C: it would be a frozen butt, to inform the occupants they were about to freeze their a** off. Or maybe just a "real" electric backup heater powered by the 200 VDC NiMH battery. Toyota, you listening? BRRRRRRR
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pjm877\";p=\"60597)</div> And don't forget... if there's even the slightest possibilty of precipitation, it also means that business and schools will close down and people will start creeping along at 40 miles on the freeway and still get into accidents on the flyovers. The warning light is probably more useful for folks who live in climates like Central Texas, where it is very rarely below freezing and the temperature can change rapidly (and drivers aren't used to driving in conditions where the roadways may be freezing). It's pretty clear the freeway system around here wasn't designed with possible freezing in mind (tons of flyovers, overpasses, etc. people have flown over these things even without black ice on the roadways).
It's to alert you to beware of the Abominable Snow Monster of the North. Silver and gold, silver and gold...
