How I came to a lost Prii’s rescue.

I swear my temporary car (1996 Taurus) knows its days are numbered. Prior to today, and all within a month, the rolling money pit has;
1) Needed EGR valve unblocked in order to pass smog test
2) Barely passed said smog test.
3) Gone on a Music CD changer strike. CD? What CD?
4) Needed cracked windshield replaced.
5) Started making weird noise when first started.
6) Passenger Heat & Cooling blower stopped blowing.
7) Low gas warning light coming on with more than 1/4 tank.
8 & 9) Today - needed two new front tires . . .badly! I think alignment is way off.

Thankfully the tire hissed its final death just a few blocks from a Big-O tire store . . . where my Prius Chat education would soon come to the rescue of a lost Silver ‘04 Prius I eyeballed in the parking lot. I was informed the Prius was dropped off by its owner for an oil change. Several minutes later a service tech came into the office/waiting room area and asked the counter peeps if they “know how to start the engine on that goofy car. . . there isn’t even a key on the key chain or no key hole on the steering wheel to put it!†They all stood around shrugging their shoulders, so I decided to help Larry, Darryl, and Darryl out. I told them that I knew the Prius quite well and asked to see the back of the remote. The guy gave me a strange look but obliged. I told him the silver Toyota emblem indicates that the car has Smart Entry/Smart Start. At which time one of the counter dudes pipes up with, “oh, I heard about them things . . . you shove the whole remote into a hole in the dash.†The tech then said, “well, then it’s not a remote, is it.†On the way out to the car I tried to explain to him that it is a transmitter, you don’t need to insert the remote, and you need to step on the brake before starting the car. Apparently he understood “brake†because he applied the brakes as he shoved the fob into the slot and pushed the power button. He then asked how to start the engine. After a quick explanation he said, “Oh, electric†and proceeded to gingerly move the car into the bay. He didn’t hear the ICE start.

A few minutes later the tech came back into the office hollering, “how much oil that thing take?.†I said, "3.9 quarts and not a drop more." They looked in their book and said 3.8! I figured 3.8 is better than 4.0, so I left good enough alone. (3.8 . . .Is that how much without a filter change????)

When the tech was finished servicing the Prius he said to me, “thanks for the help, that’s a neat car.â€
I snuck out to the parking lot to take a envious closer look and to press the button on the handle - the doors locked. I felt like an uncle looking out for the nephew’s welfare.

Have you come to the rescue of another’s Prii?