I think I posted my question in the wrong place so pardon me for reposting. Don't have my Prius yet (hopefully, next week) so I don't have the advantage of reading sections and then looking at the real thing to verify or reinforce what I've read. But I do have a question: How do you turn the thing off? In my Malibu I put the xmsn into Park, set the parking brake, and turn the key off/out. Simple. In the Prius, you sent the parking brake and then what? Hit the "P" button (doesn't look like there's a park position on the xmsn shift lever) and then hit the power button to turn the electrics off? I know this sounds stupid, but I can't find the shut down procedure in the 2004 manual I downloaded! Maybe it's obvious when you actually drive it, but I ordered my Prius w/o even test driving one. (You guys convinced me) <g>
You press the P button for park and then press the power button to turn your Prius off. You can (and should) set the emergency brake by your left foot.
If you are shutting down, you do not need to press the p button. The Power button puts the car in park before turning it off. You can confirm this by watching the dash display. The only time you need to use the p button is when you want to leave the car unattended while it is on; such as using a road side mailbox or getting something from the trunk.
I listen to my MP3 player often in the car. Unfortunately, right now it's piped through an FM transmitter (works surprisingly well, but I really want a direct connection). Anyway, when I pull into a parking spot, I don't push the start button, I push park. That way I can lower the volume, turn off the audio, turn off my Rio, and other such things (wipers, climate), without having to worry about the car being in gear and my foot on the brake. Then, when everything is how I like it; I push the start button to power down. It is discretionary. :. My order is: [Park] - [Parking Brake] - [Power Button]
I followed this procedure when I first got my Prius (kinda felt like going through a shutdow checklist in the cockpit). I soon learned that the start button did it all for me except the parking brake which I use only when parking on an incline. The only reason to use the P button is if you want to open the drivers door when in ready mode. Thought I really had a problem the other day, I got in the car in a shopping center parking lot, backed out normally and then shifted to D, the screen and panel lit up like a Christmas tree with all kinds of warnings and lights. The car would move but was beeping like crazy. I pulled into another parking space and finally noticed the "door open" icon. Closed the drivers door and everything was OK again.
Thought I really had a problem the other day, I got in the car in a shopping center parking lot, backed out normally and then shifted to D, the screen and panel lit up like a Christmas tree with all kinds of warnings and lights. The car would move but was beeping like crazy. The first time that happenned to me was my first trip to the car wash. The attendants always drive the car to the wash with the driver's door open. They were not familiar with the car, so I was staying close by and I only had it a short time. I saw the red tiangle of death and everything else light up and was like "holy s***." I was concerned that they, or I, messed up something. It took a while to realize this was only because the driver's door was open and it was in Drive.
Simplest: Put your right foot on the brake pedal and push the power button. Park is automatically engaged and the system turns off.
Its hard enough to get used to the smart key....I always push the "P", if not I get the feeling that I am forgetting something!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Russ Yost\";p=\"86917)</div> Putting foot on brake pedal is optional. Car will turn off from Ig-On or Ready when power button is pushed with foot off brake.
