Hey Everyone, I enjoy reading the questions and answers of each forum. It is very helpful. I've owned my prius for three weeks with three fill ups. 42.7 mpg on tank one, 49.9 on second tank and 51.2 on third tank. Gets better every time. Anyway on to my question. If I leave my car running, because I fail to turn it off, will it turn itself off after a period of time? When I hit park, the car is so quiet I sometimes forget to hit the off button. Absent minded of me, but that is what old age does to you.
No, it will continue to run the ice periodically until the fuel tank is empty. This is a good reason not to use Park before hitting the start button, just make a habit of using the start button to shut it down, it will automatically put the car in park.
The automatic shutdown feature kicks in after you burn all of the gas. The Prius will fight hard to keep a charge in the HV battery, and without being able to run the gas engine, it will shut down. While the above is completely true, I don't suppose that's exactly what you had in mind when you asked your question. Tom
On the plus side, it doesn't take a huge amount of fuel to keep the car running. I once accidentally left it running after driving to work. When I came out after work, the car was running, the interior was nicely cooled (summer), and I'd used about an 1/8 of a tank. In terms of remembering to turn off, it won't let you lock the doors and will beep at you, I believe. 4 long beeps when you close the door without the fob inside, and pressing the door handle lock button does nothing.
Thanks everyone, I thought I read somewhere that you should always push park and then the off button. Is it safe to just hit the off button long term?
Hello, Be careful!!! you MUST NOT forget to turn off the car if you are parked in a garage. Carbon monoxide buildup is deadly! Put a sign up in your garage if you have to (Did I turn off my car?) Stay safe! Andrew
Yes, it's safe to just hit the Power button to turn the car off. It will always go into "park" (unless it's moving). If moving slowly it will try to go into park and probably succeed once it slows below a few MPH. This is not healthy, so don't test it. If moving rapidly it will go into neutral (as in "I'm confused, are you really sure you know what you want? I'll go into neutral just in case you don't." All together now, "my car is smarter than me, my car is smarter than me".
I agree that the car can be quiet when not moving, but aren't there other clues that it's still on? -MFD is on -Speedometer and other instruments are illuminated -Climate control functioning -CD/Radio emiting sound
The car will turn itself off after an hour in ACC mode, but like others have said, it'll just stay in READY until you run out of gas.
Your basic exit system is faulty. You must always no matter where you are lock the car when you leave it. Either manually or FOB it. Takes 3 seconds and will save you both leaving the car on or coming back to the car and having a dead battery when you need it the most. Locking has some diagnostics to it and will not allow you to lock the car and will beep if its unhappy by you leaving it on and or leaving lights on. Leave that back hatch ajar for the night will kill the battery and thats a lot easier to do then leaving the car running. Hard to shut that back hatch. I lock the car even when its in the garage for the night. Always. Without fail.
the good news?... If you leave your car On all day.. it will consume less than a gallon cycling itself all day long.. I think i calculated about a third of a gallon loss over a 12 hour day with heavy radio play.. so.. car simply on probably uses less fuel. When you leave the car (not sure about non smart key models) the car will beep at you 3 times to let you know it's still running. I would make it a habbit to engage the parking brake first.. With this habbit... no matter what you do, you're car won't take off on you. ( let's say you forget to hit the park button)... i've done it Once or Twice. I saw that someone said something about the parking brake. gear changes work untill you get up to around 8mph.. that's reverse, drive, and park.. although dropping a parking pin at 8mph is really harsh. just incase you find you're car rolling...
