Quick question. I was advised by the dealer that we are not to place the keyfobs on top of the dash board due to some type of non-compatibility issue. Is this true? What about toll paying transponders (glued high up on the windshield), cell phones, PDAs and laptops? As usual, many thanks.
I was never told not to place my FOB on the dash, and have not heard anything since I got the car about it. I always keep mine in my pocket -- it works just fine there. What are you asking concerning cell phones, pdas, ect? If the FOB will interfere with them, or if they can be placed on the dash (or elsewhere)? There is not interference. I have a bluetooth phone with my most of the time and a pda almost as often. No trouble. The key, and the mechanism in the car to detect it, are rather low power. In part, this helps make sure the key is near by instead of 20 feet away. Any automatic toll transponders will probably be significantly stronger. If the two happen to work on the same frequency, my guess is that you'll run into plenty of problem well before running a toll booth. :lol:
I think the reason they tell you not to put it on the dash is so that you don't forget it or have it slide off and get out of range. I seriously don't think it interfers with anything...
If you carefully read the information in the manual about SS/SE, you will see that there is a mention that if the key fob is left on the dash or in the glove box, there is a chance that the car will not be able to tell that the fob is not with you and might allow you to lock the doors with the fob inside. Normally, the SE feature will not allow you to use the black buttons to lock the car if the car thinks the fob is still inside the vehicle. About FasTrack - I have not had any problems with my fastrack pass until 2 days ago when the toll gate for the Golden Gate Bridge did nor recognize the pass. I wonder if there is something about the SS/SE being enabled that possibly interfered with it? All that I had read up until now is that some people hav problems with SS/SE when they are at gas stations that have FasTrack-like devices in them. Does anyone know?
Using EZ Pass I've had no difficultyat all. As to leaving the fob in the car, I remember something in the manual about if the fob is left within "detection range" of the (non operating) car that after about ten minutes the car disables the SE/SS option even though the fob is within range. The solution is to get the fob out of range and then return to within range, so that the car "re-senses" the fob and allows locking or starting in the normal SE/SS method. Cannot help at all with the ExxonMobil "speedpass" difficulties as I trashed my card Peace
We have to remember that salespeople at the dealers aren't ushually as educated about the Prius as most of us are. They say silly things like "you have to run the air conditioner to run the defrost" and "you need to put 15W-80 oil in it," which is complete rubish. I sometimes worry if dealers are turning people off from these cars. Some US dealerships don't even service the car. It makes me sad. At least people have a place like "PriusChat" to make up for the dealer shortcomings.
