I got a surprise call from my salesguy on Friday--- my car was in a week earlier than expected! I picked it up Saturday and have been driving it in bliss ever since I'll have to update my avatar now that the Avalon is no more... One thing: I read somewhere that the American Prii do not have automatic headlights (that turn on when it gets dark), yet my manual says it does... it's a feature i liked on the Avalon and i assumed the Prius would have it since it's 10 years newer! Or did I get an anomaly?
Re: Warning: Calendar dates may be closer than they ap---SMA from what ive read, your manual has automatic day light lamps but not your car! i was initially bummed by that since all my recent cars have that and i am a big fan of being seen at all times. on my 04 prius i now leave my headlights on all the time. eveytime you turn the car off and open the doors the headlamps go off so its not as bad as i originallly thought.
Welcome You do not have an auto headlight system like the Avalon. The headlights will Automatically turn off when you turn off and open the driver door, and be on when you start up the next time. You will want to turn off & on lights your self so that you will us as little power as is neccessary. Thus getting better gas mileage. Your Avalon was as far ahead of its time as is the Prius is today. Not all Toyotas have Auto headlight systems today. Nor will all Toyotas have Smart Key System SKS in ten years from now. I hope you love yours as much as we love ours.
Re: Warning: Calendar dates may be closer than they ap---SMA My '04 has an extra position on the headlight switch: Auto. It uses a sensor on the upper left of the dash to determine when to turn on/off, and this setting is selectable with THHT. In Canada, you can't get HID. Once I had my headlights properly aimed with a digital aiming machine, I see no need for HID. The cutoff pattern and distance is very good.
Re: Warning: Calendar dates may be closer than they ap---SMA Interesting... no auto mode in the US, and no HID in Canada. So far the only things I miss from my old Avalon are the auto headlights and the moon roof. Considering the plethora of toys in the Prius, though, it's a small tradeoff Oh, and speaking of Canada, my avatar pic of the Avalon was taken last year in the Niagara Falls parking lot. The view from the Canadian side is WAY better than the US side. I already called my dealer and mentioned the lack of the auto headlight feature since I thought it would be there--- I got the uber-BC package with the works, and the manual (which I had downloaded last year long before I got the car) shows the two different headlight stalks. It clearly does *NOT* say 'available only in Candada, you fascist American worm'. Maybe I should do the American thing (file a class-action lawsuit) and try to get my Prius for free since it's a case of misleading advertisting
Not false advertising, as manual shows both with, and without auto, based on your optional equipment. It says nothing as to how that option becomes available. Besides, manual is not advertising. If it were on a brochure given to you from a US outlet, then maybe we can talk false advertising. But I too, wish it had auto. Even with HID, I feel it would have been reasonably feasable to do.
Speaking of feasable, Rick or Kyle, do the customizable features show DRL on the scanner? If so, then it may be possible to develop a full auto mod. If not, then the US body ECU is programmed different from the Canadian body ECU, or the THHT has different programming for the two markets.
No I dont have an option for DRL on scan tool. I would have to agree with you it's a different part # for the ecus. Jayman I didn't know that you don't have HID sold up there. I love the HID. The Auto headlights are very cool also. snarfo Did the Av. have auto wipers that year, that is very cool.
Re: Warning: Calendar dates may be closer than they ap---SMA Nope, no auto wipers on my Avalon--- actually, it was a 1995, the first year of the Avalon after it replaced the Cressida. I took a spin in one of the spanking-new 3rd-gen Avalons last week for the fun of it and it's lovely and loaded to the gills... but I liked my Prius better
Me too. I couldn't go back to anything else after owning a Prius. The 05 Avalon is the first Toyota to get SKS since the Prius. The Avalon is a great car but I wouldn't trade if they were the same price.
Re: Warning: Calendar dates may be closer than they ap---SMA its really funny ive had wild, tame, sports, performance cars for just about ever but im just such a prius fan! ther is just something about it. you can definitly say there is nothing like and never has been. it is truly 21st century!
