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Beeps on Shut Down

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by TonyPSchaefer, May 26, 2011.

  1. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    For the last couple weeks, every time I shut down my car, it would beep. A single, two-second beep. It would beep after my morning commute and again after my evening commute. Every time, I would tell myself, "I should really look that up."

    As is typical, I kept forgetting to search for it here on PriusChat. I remembered seeing something like it and I was thinking that perhaps it was a low 12v battery warning but I just got a new 12v last fall.

    I put it off and put it off.

    This morning, I walked out, grabbed the handle and nothing happened. So I removed my hand, waited a second or two and reached for it again. Again, nothing. So I pressed the [Unlock] button on the fob. Nothing.

    That's when it hit me: the beep after shut down was a warning that the fob battery was getting low. So I was a few minutes late to work because I was changing the fob battery. Driving a car with a hybrid battery and a 12v battery, I was brought to my knees by a 2032 coin-sized battery.

    I finally got around to searching and here are the first threads that got my attention:
    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/8981-replace-key-fob-battery.html
    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...ius-beeps-immediately-after-shutting-off.html
     
    #1 TonyPSchaefer, May 26, 2011
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  2. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Was that your first FOB battery replaced? I just replaced mine a couple of months ago for the first time in my 2007. I knew it needed to be replaced because I started getting the beep. :madgrin:
     
    #2 dogfriend, May 27, 2011
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i replaced my daughters 04 last year. can't complain about that. but, she never got a beep, it just didn't work one day. on my wife's hycam, a key shaped light came on when the fob was low.
     
    #3 bisco, May 27, 2011
  4. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I can't remember if I ever replaced it before. It's just that I laugh at myself sometimes that I should probably know some of these things better than I do since I read about most of them on a daily basis and yet, from time to time, I still get surprised.
     
    #4 TonyPSchaefer, May 27, 2011
  5. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    At least it was a cheap fix. :)

    Thanks for posting about it though. Someone will eventually have the same problem and while researching the problem they will find your post and realize that even the Prius Master was brought down by such a silly issue. :D
     
    #5 F8L, May 27, 2011
  6. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    I've been getting this beep lately, almost everytime I shut down the car but not always, which puzzles me a bit. Guess it's time to change the fob battery!
     
    #6 zenMachine, May 27, 2011
  7. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    for wont of a nail. . .
     
    #7 TonyPSchaefer, May 27, 2011
  8. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    While it is a bit funny that even a Prius Zen Master like you suffered this, I have to say that I, too experienced the beep at shut down confusion. I did manage to look it up before the battery died completely, but I was also just as baffled by what it meant at the time.

    I think the take away here is that there is no way that that little beep is of much use to anyone. Perhaps a constantly flashing LED on the fob itself when the battery is low would be more informative and suggestive of where the problem lay. In short, it's nice that the car tries to tell you something is wrong, but even 2 "Prius Experts" have been left in the dark as to what those beeps meant when we first heard them and certainly the average driver isn't going to have the foggiest idea and is wont to ignore it since there are no other warning lights or messages and no problems with the vehicle until the battery is actually dead.
     
    #8 efusco, May 27, 2011
  9. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    There is actually another, just as baffling, warning. The key icon lights up (sometimes) when you close the car door, with the car ON and the fob still inside. This happened to me today as I dropped my son off at school.

    Apparently the car thinks that you have left it on without a key and walked away! But, knowing what we know now, this behavior is somewhat logical, although I wouldn't expect to see it when the passenger's door is opened then closed.

    And, as Evan pointed out, the average Prius owner most likely wouldn't be able to figure out what's happening.

    It's been a few years since I last read the manual. I can't remember if this behavior is mentioned in there or not.
     
    #9 zenMachine, May 27, 2011
  10. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

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    It really is too bad the Prius doesn't have a screen where it could display actual words rather then meaningless beeps...
     
    #10 Corwyn, May 27, 2011
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  11. KAR IDEA

    KAR IDEA Member

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    Thanks for posting this Tony...I was actually looking in this area of the PC for an idea as to why the left side speakers are no longer working when I have my audio in AUX mode, but my 05' has been making this beep as well for a little while now and it had me baffled. I'm going to change the battery in the fob and see what happens.
     
    #11 KAR IDEA, Jan 14, 2012
  12. startat2d

    startat2d Junior Member

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    Awesome! I just got my 07 in August and the car has been beeping at me. The only time I get the key light is when I put my bag on the dash, so I had no clue what it was! Thanks for posting this!
     
    #12 startat2d, Jan 20, 2012
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Good to know. I don't think we've replaced ours yet on the '05.

    On the 2010, the 2 second beep is because I left the moonroof open (typically tilted up so I don't notice it).
     
    #13 Tideland Prius, Jan 22, 2012
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