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

I don't mind the beep because then I KNOW I am in reverse - at least once during the first week I thought I was in reverse & wasn't. Fortunately no harm done. Yes, it can be a little annoying sometimes, but I use it to remind me that I really am in that gear. I wish the beep were audible outside the car, too, as a warning to others that don't notice the back-up lights.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Grandma Judy @ Sep 16 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]513469[/snapback]</div>

You can install a beeper attached to the wires that turn on the back-up lights in the taillights. It's faint but can be heard both outside and inside the car. I did this and then disabled the regular beep as it was very annoying having two.

 

It beeps in reverse because of the non-standard transmission making it easy to shift into the wrong gear. Also it was easy to implement with the existing electronics. I have no idea why it can't be turned off elsewhere, although I always suspect legal issues in a situation like this.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 16 2007, 08:52 PM) [snapback]513473[/snapback]</div>

Great idea! Did you post details on how you did this elsewhere (can you provide a link to the thread?)? Thanks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 17 2007, 05:41 AM) [snapback]513511[/snapback]</div>

I don't understand the logic behind this. First, they make this tiny shifter that is so easy to put in reverse and that doesn't show you the current position. And then, they make this very annoying sound to remind you that you are in reverse?
Personally, I would prefer a shifter that does show its position (and perhaps some more force feedback), without the annoying sound.

 

I know this is unpopular, but I respect the reverse beep.
It is a useful reminder of the quiet, and smooth behaviour of the car. And yes once I put it into reverse by mistake and it prompted me that I had before I backed into the bollard behind.

 

I currently have a Peugeot 1007 with the3 2Tronic semi-automatic gearbox. It's a manual gearbox with electronic clutch and electronic gear shift. All i have is a little stick in the centre console and paddles at the wheel. It's kind of like the same as BMW's SMG gearbox, but muuuuuch slower and simpler.

The gear shifter always returns to it's neutral position and the only indicators of your shifting to reverse is one small beep and a R on the instrumentation. You really should know that you put your car in reverse.

As for remembering that you actually have your Prius in reverse, when you ease up in the brake pedal, the car starts to pull backwards. This should give you a hint. I NEVER let go from the brake and floor the throttle, so I would never jump meters backwards if I should fail to change to Drive.

I believe that the beeps would make more sense on the outside than on the inside.


-Stein

 

The beeper in reverse reminds me that the car may be silent when reversing and therefore audibly invisible to pedestrians, therefore I must be extra vigilant when reversing. Maybe that is why the beep is there. It bothered me at first but now I like it.

 

HTTP 404 Not Found

 

I like the beep, it reminds me where I am going.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Sep 17 2007, 02:36 PM) [snapback]513618[/snapback]</div>

Why didn't they make a shift lever that does indicate what position it is on in the first place? Shouldn't be too hard. It doesn't make sense to me that they compensate an imperfect design with an annoying beep signal...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Michgal007 @ Sep 17 2007, 02:47 PM) [snapback]513622[/snapback]</div>

I can imagine that some people like it. Others, like me, don't like it. In 21th century cars, there is a nice solution this dilemma: make it an option you can disable or enable.
If they really want, they can add a security warning that you have to acknowledge before disabling it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Michgal007 @ Sep 17 2007, 08:47 AM) [snapback]513622[/snapback]</div>

You need a beeper to warn you about hills!

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thomas Eyde @ Sep 16 2007, 07:32 PM) [snapback]513464[/snapback]</div>

To provide a recurring topic on Prius forums?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 16 2007, 10:41 PM) [snapback]513511[/snapback]</div>

I saw a completely self-contained backup warning beeper at the dealers a few weeks ago. It has it's own battery, and is activated by a photosensitive element (picking up the backup lights). It sticks on, and is cheap (probably in every sense of the word), but clever.

MH

 

If anyone has noticed. The ICE will not run in reverse, unless the battery is very low, or the car was just turned on. The ICE has no means of powering the car in reverse, it is truly electric only. If your car is warmed up and you have it in reverse by mistake, which I have done a couple times, dont ask how, it is a way of alerting you that it is in reverse. Most people pull IN to a parking place(reason I wound up in reverse), so if you forget to press park, you roll forward against the stops. If you previously drove a regular shift style car where you moved the lever into park, and move the shifter into reverse in this car, you know you dont have it in park. Thats my take on it.