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Disable Pedestrian Alert Help!

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by keymusic, Oct 28, 2016.

  1. keymusic

    keymusic Active Member

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    I unplugged the speaker for the annoying pedestrian alert slow speed sound and the sound stopped. But, unlike with my 3rd gen, I got a continuous warning message on my screen saying that there was a malfunction with the proximity sensor. Mine is a 2017 Prius 2 with no proximity sensor. So I plugged the speaker back in and the warning message went away. Does anyone know how I can disable that sound and also not trigger the warning message?
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there was another thread on this. someone mentioned putting a resistor inline? not sure if it was accomplished or not though. sounds like toyota is getting serious.
     
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  3. keymusic

    keymusic Active Member

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    Thanks. I found that thread about the resistor. Looks like it would work but I'm trying to hopefully find a less invasive alternative.

     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe some muffling agent duct taped around the speaker.
     
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  5. ATHiker

    ATHiker Senior Member

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    Try as I may, I cannot hear the alert.

    Not sure if I should get the car checked, or my hearing...
     
  6. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Pardon me?

    Sorry, couldn't resist what my wife does to me every time! :sneaky:
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    have you tried it in an enclosed space with the windows down, and everything off inside the car? mine is quite loud as i pull into the garage, not so much outside.
     
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  8. keymusic

    keymusic Active Member

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    You're lucky! I wish I couldn't hear it.
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    dog hearing.:p
     
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  10. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    I haven't seen that thread so maybe there are details in there but I'm feel particularly lazy tonight.... What is the connector like? Could you put a resister on a plug that fits (or some rigged up solution) rather than the speaker? Seems like that wouldn't be too invasive.
     
  11. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    ...I cannot find the speaker.
     
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  12. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    image.jpg


    "The Beast" can't hear it either....
     
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  13. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    pull into a quiet parking garage at about 5 mph or less with your windows down. It's a strange noise to describe but if you hear sort of an "electric car sound" that's it. At that speed the car would be completely silent so any noise you're hearing is the alert system. I didn't watch any videos before I bought the car so I had no idea what it'd sound like but it wasn't at all what I was expecting. Judging by how many people I scare in parking lots I think the majority of people either can't hear it or they don't associate that sound with a car coming. Truly it has become my favorite game, just slowly roll up behind someone walking down the middle of the parking garage going into work, I get right close then flash my headlights at them. They seem confused like "where'd that flash come from," then turn and do a half jump startled sort of thing as they scamper to the side so I can get by them. I have now been asked twice, "what kind of ninja car you driving?"

    I think in my ideal world I'd rip the Prius alert system out and replace it with the one from the Volt where you press a button and it sort of flutters the horn. Although the one time I used it on a test drive the pedestrian flipped me off, so I don't think it makes you any friends.
     
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  14. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    I still say mine sounds like.... THEM!

    The giant ants from the 1954 science-fiction movie.
     
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  15. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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  16. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    What the heck happened there? /!\
     
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  17. keymusic

    keymusic Active Member

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    IMG_0511.JPG IMG_2390.JPG IMG_2392.JPG
    I've come up with what appears to be a non-invasive, permanent yet reversible solution. Now I can pull into my garage late at night and have silence instead of the sound of the Jetsons cars.

    Here's what I did for anyone who might be interested. All of these details can be swapped out with other materials that should still work.

    I took the speaker out and saw it just had the two normal contacts at the connector. So I used a mini plug to RCA adapter, cut an RCA cable to be able to touch the wires to the speaker and connected it to my iPhone for testing. I used the 80's channel on the iHeartRadio app, but I think any channel would work.

    I discovered that if I pressed down firmly enough on the center of the speaker, it went silent. So I used floor protectors from the 99 cent store, which I already had, and cut the smallest one a little smaller so it would fit into the center of the speaker. Then I stacked more larger protectors on top of that one, enough to assure enough pressure when I put the speaker cover back on.

    Even though the cover has 3 clips to hold it down, I saw that it was being pushed open a tiny bit because of the pressure, so I used duct tape to make sure it stays closed. (obviously duck tape is required for any DIY project like this). Now it's silent and no warning message on the car's display. And no weather proofing issues. Unless there's something I'm missing, I don't see any reason why this shouldn't work for a long time.

    Fortunately the car isn't quite smart enough to know that something is being pushed onto the speaker cone!

    By the way, the reason I'm saying it's reversible is because in my initial testing the plastic speaker cone popped back up into shape after I pressed it down. You could never do this with a paper speaker obviously. So I'm assuming that even after a long period of being compressed it will probably pop back up.
     
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  18. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    So it's just playing something like a midi file that changes based on vehicle speed? can we hack this to get it to play anything else? I'm thinking some loping V8 soundtrack.....
     
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  19. keymusic

    keymusic Active Member

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    No, the sound or pitch doesn't change by the vehicle speed, the speed just determines if the sound is on or off. Not sure if you were seriously asking though!
     
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  20. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    What?! lame. I thought I saw some video that showed the pitch changed with speed up to a certain speed then it just shut off.

    Either way.... maybe we can load a killer guitar solo onto it then. Some guys here might be more Felder/Walsh's "Hotel California" but I think I'm more of a Slash's "Sweet Child O' Mine" type of guy.
     
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