How to turn on A/c without pressing the break?

No way.
Prius has to be in READY mode to activate the A/C.

Ken@Japan

 

Ken, it's good to hear from you considering the recent events in Japan. Are you and your family OK? Did you suffer much damage from the earthquake or the tsunami in Yokohama?

The situation in Japan is receiving a lot of coverage on the news here but most of the talk concerns the very hard hit regions along the Northeast coast.

 

My FOB has a button to turn on the air before I enter, but I also have the solar roof. I wonder if this option (the air, not the solar roof) could be added on.

 

Since you have the solar roof option you should already have remote air conditioning, according to the options list it is part of the solar roof package. I can't verify that because my car is not equipped with a solar roof option.

According to the owner's manual (pages 285-287) the button on the fob should activate the air conditoning for 3 minutes if the other requirements are met.

 

OSA, don't get too excited about the remote a/c option (even if you could somehow get it added on). The activation range is short PLUS it turns off the instant you open a door. The solar roof venting is more effective.

I believe some have been able to add an aftermarket remote start which have a much greater range. If you leave the air con on, then it should activate.

 

Thank you. Yes, you're right. I have it. I was just letting the OP know that it could probably be added on to his.

 

It's brake, not break -- part of my ongoing effort to correct this very common mistake.

So what happened to all of the people?



Tom

 

Off somewhere eating dessert?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but you cannot run the a/c on ANY vehicle if the ICE isn't running. Accessory mode in Prius is basically same as any other car. Compressor won't work in acc mode.

I'd look into the remote starter option if you want to turn car on without hitting the brake.

 

They are in the dessert eating desert.

 

Give me a brake.

 

The AC compressor on the 2nd gen Prius and beyond is electrically driven. The ICE does NOT need to be running for the AC to run. But, still, the only options are the remote AC w/the solar roof option or being in READY mode. ACC doesn't cut it.

 

No. It is a safety feature. Pressing Power twice with your foot off the brake pedal puts the car into IG-On mode, which does not activate the A/C compressor (powered by the HV battery/inverter, not by the 12V battery system). You need to be in the Ready mode to connect the HV battery and power the A/C compressor.

 

Thanks cwerdna..I forgot the a/c works when in stealth mode (hence no ice on).
Unlike Honda hybrid - correct?

 

How is it a safety feature ?

 

It is unsafe for the ICE to turn on when humans are not aware it is ON and those who are aware are not there to see risks. The remote A/C only runs for 3 minutes so not to run down the HV battery, as it cannot turn on the ICE ,for safety. Remote on is not a Toyota feature, but aftermarket, as Toyota does not want the liability.

 

The OP already pressed the START button not once but twice. Isn't that a good enough indication that the car should start running ?
Normal ICE vehicles will keep the engine running once the driver starts it, no difference here. What's the additional liability beyond what's already present for , say, Toyota Corolla drivers ?

This START on/off button business is getting too complicated, almost Microsoft Windows like.

 

The Power button must be pushed when the brake pedal is depressed to put the car into the Ready mode. Only when the car is in Ready can you drive it and only in Ready will the ICE run if need. If you push the Power button once without the brake pedal depressed it goes into the ACC mode, if you push Power twice without the brake depressed (which the OP was talking about) it goes into the ON mode which means it only has power from the 12V battery not the hybrid battery, so it really isn't on in ON. Very simple, actually more like Linux than Windows.

 

The brake pedal must be depressed to go into Ready mode, analogous to how the brake pedal must be depressed to shift from P to any gear in a conventional automatic transmission.