Does anyone know *why* the Prius beeps in reverse?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ACD @ Sep 17 2007, 12:48 PM) [snapback]513793[/snapback]</div>

Are you sure about that? Seems to me when I back up my steep driveway to park, the car gets 'tired' towards the end and fires up the ICE, whether or not there is sufficient charge on the battery...

 

There's no reverse gear in the power-splitter device. The only way to go backwards is to spin the electric motor (MG2) backwards. If the ICE starts, the motor has to spin backwards faster to counteract the forward motion.

The ICE may start if your state of charge gets too low.

 

I thought I read in the manual that when you place the Prius in reverse your suposed to roll all four windows down so people can hear you backing up!

Viro

 

The car is very quiet especially at those moments when one is pulling out of a parking spot, either in reverse or in drive, so my thinking is....if it beeps when in reverse, it should beep as well in drive, but then....my other thinking is....if you don't know you are in reverse, then maybe one should not be driving at all!

 

The beeping doesn't bother me. Yet someone munching on a packet of chips next to me drives me insane! Go figure...

By the way, scratching your fingernails on a chalkboard also don't bother me. Guess I'm just too chilled out.

 

It's a safety thing. Hey, sometimes, I need a FORWARD beep.

Stop the car in gear, be thinking "great thoughts", need to get out to get something (mail or whatever), open door (hey, what's THAT beep?) start to get out.... car silently starts leaving without me.

So, there's even a 'forward' beep (sort of).

Turn it off it it bugs you. I'm just ignoring it.

The beep when I have a heavy box in the passenger seat - now, THAT's annoying! :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pviebey @ Sep 23 2007, 07:49 PM) [snapback]516682[/snapback]</div>

Then turn it off! ;-)

Just curious, does a Gen1 Prius beep when in reverse?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 16 2007, 09:52 PM) [snapback]513473[/snapback]</div>

I would also like to know if you have posted this mod elsewhere

 

Proceed to any large grocery store parking lot, and drive slowly through the lanes. Within 60 secs someone will be backing out of their space, looking straight ahead, right toward your side door. So the beep is to warn those sort of drivers that indeed they are moving in reverse, not forward. So it is a safety feature for those on the outside of the car. It is easy to turn off as said, and there are other things to do in there like change the screen settings.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ACD @ Sep 17 2007, 01:48 PM) [snapback]513793[/snapback]</div>

You forgot to push Park (which isn't necessary) AND forgot to power the car off (which WILL put it in Park)???


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pviebey @ Sep 23 2007, 08:49 PM) [snapback]516682[/snapback]</div>

You'll get a lot more than the back up beep if you open the door while the car is powered on and if it is in D you'll get warning messages on the display as well.

You can turn that off too. An equally bizarre combination of steps that SHOULD have been put on an Options screen.

• Turn on/off reverse beep.
• Turn on/off passenger seatbelt beep
• Set which doors unlock

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriuStorm @ Sep 17 2007, 04:17 PM) [snapback]513873[/snapback]</div>

The engine will start about 5 seconds after you push power with your foot on the brake regardless of whether you go into Reverse, Drive or just sit there contemplating your CD selections. It does this to start warming up.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vtie @ Sep 17 2007, 05:26 AM) [snapback]513588[/snapback]</div>

Except that this is one of the brilliant design points (IMHO). No need to know or think about what gear you are currently in and how it relates to the gear you want to BE in. Changing gears is always one simple motion that doesn't need to be angular, you can't 'slip' past the gear you are aiming for, you don't go through Reverse to get to Drive, etc. Reverse is ALWAYS left and up, Drive is ALWAYS left and down. Braking Mode is ALWAYS straight down. The current position is indicated on the dash, in your line of sight, not out of the way on the shifter. There is no reason to even look at the shifter. The shifter doesn't needlessly waste space on the floor (leaving room for the drawer under the console).

For those that need something to remind them they are in reverse, get one of the packages with the Reverse camera. Having the MFD screen shift to a video of what is happening BEHIND your car should be a bit of a hint that you are NOT in Drive Wish they had that in '04

 

re:"The current position is indicated on the dash, in your line of sight, not out of the way on the shifter. There is no reason to even look at the shifter."

I'm glad someone finally pointed that out.

What a bunch of rubbish, all this talk of not knowing what gear the Prius is in because the shifter returns to its center position.

Scary that so many people pay no attention to the instrument panel.

 

I wished my Prius had an external beep just yesterday. I was in an underground parking lot at a college where I work. There's a canteen in the parking area. Some students were standing were I needed to reverse. They didn't notice my reverse lights at all and I don't wanna hoot cause that would be rude. I eventually crept closer and one dude tapped his buddy on the shoulder to show him I'm approaching. I'm very careful around people when my Prius is in stealth mode.

<The noisemaker is still a DUMB idea though. I'll decide when to make a noise in my car, not the government>