Our car had been sitting for hours unused, it is now night time, I was walking near the car where it was parked and thought I heard a hum, I'm guessing that was the battery fan coming on automatically ? (it was evening and not hot outside) Does the battery fan come on by itself in the evening even when it's not being charged ? Anyhow, back to the main question: glancing inside the car I see a red light flashing on the dash display. I had to search the manual to figure out what it was for, it was listed on page 83 of the manual. If I am understanding the manual correctly, the light is supposed to keep flashing continuously whenever the car is off to show that the security system is working, and it stops flashing whenever the car is turned on. Am I understanding that correctly ? Here is a copy of that page:
You are correct on the light. It's to deter would-be thieves. If you had the key in your pocket, the hum was most likely the vacuum pump for the brake booster. The car detected the key, and was prepared for you to touch the handle to unlock and press your foot on the break to start it.
Okay, thanks !!!! As a new Prime owner I was "somewhat" freaking out hoping nothing was wrong with our new car when I saw that flashing light It just seemed strange as I have never had a car where it was normal for a dash light to keep on flashing non-stop from the time the car is turned off until it is turned on again, even flashing for days if the car sits unused that long. I guess the drain on the battery is so small as not to be a concern. Thanks for explaining that hum noise too, after having average cars before the Prime there are some new things I need to get used to
Come to think of it, the flashing red light is kinda cheesy, more typically associated with aftermarket alarms, wanting to announce their presence. Our 3rd gen has it too, and again, first time I've seen that.
I think it would be better if it just flashed for about 30 seconds after the car was turned off, just long enough for the owner to know that system is working, I don't see what the reason is for it to keep flashing non-stop beyond that.
To alert others to the presence of the alarm system. Instead of venturing I side though, the thieves may go below and harvest expensive metals . Trade offs . Protect your cat.
Correct the brake pump makes a sound, but it's not a vacuum pump. It's an electric motor pump that pressurizes a nitrogen chamber that pushes a diaphragm against the brake fluid. And if the car is off it won't run till you open the driver's door. The fan won't run after it's off either. It's most likely the evaporative emissions test it does a few hours after it's shut off.
Fortunately where we park our car at home on our property we should not have any concerns, when we go somewhere to shop it is usually in a very public busy area where people trying that would be unlikely. Thanks, so many things to learn about a Prime when you've never owned one before, when we picked up the car the salesman brought out a big stack of manuals, the big one and smaller ones, and joked saying something like "have all this read by tomorrow"
It's quite a pile, isn't it! They are available in PDF on the Toyota owners website. My manuals were bedtime reading for a while.
Hmm, Toyota theft-deterrent system always had a flashing light. On our 2002 Camry, it was a red dot beside the climate control on the passenger side (in the day time, you can see the word "Security") Our 2005 had a flashing icon of a car and a lock on the instrument cluster (I think it was in the middle above the MFD area) Our 2008 smart fortwo didn't have the alarm but if it did, it would've been on the row of buttons on the dash with an icon the shape of the smart fortwo and a tow truck hook with a red light). (The alarm came with a tilt sensor) Our 2010 had the car/lock icon as well... on the instrument cluster on the passenger side.
Not sure, is this the built-in system, comes with every Prius? Toyota Prius >> Theft deterrent system - Keys and Doors - OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS ANDCONTROLS They suggest to test by rolling down a window, closing all doors, lock the car, then reach in through open window and open door. Subsequently unlocking a door with the fob or touch, from the outside, should shut shut off the alarm. Hopefully.
For now I just mostly educated myself on things I needed to know right away, been busy working on getting a canopy put up where we park the Prime, not as quick of a project as I hoped but it will be worth it first cleaned off the concrete parking area with a power washer (takes time) then I got the metal frame put up today, (too hot out to keep working today) next I need to mix concrete to fill concrete blocks with the legs inside one of the holes on each block (8 legs total) then paint the blocks and canopy legs black to match the outdoor decor. Then I can add the cover to the top. Thanks, This is our first Toyota, the cars we had before didn't have a constantly flashing light. Thanks ! This is our first Toyota so I can't answer your question. Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but why would we want to turn off the alarm system, I would want that anti-theft system active. As far as the flashing light it is my understanding that it is normal for it to keep flashing simply to show that the theft deterrent system is active and on, and not that any alarm went off.
That is correct. There's also an engine immobiliser with the theft-deterrent system; it's not just an alarm. However, I don't believe there is a glass-breakage sensor. It used to be a dealer-installed option but I think they removed it. Low frequencies used to set them off (mostly aftermarket ones) back in the 90s and 2000s... like airplanes or people driving by with the bass thumping.
I think the "turning off" is when the alarm is tripped, horn blaring, say after doing the test they describe.
Thanks, it helps to get clarification when you're learning your very first Toyota, kinds feels like your back in elementary school as far as cars Okay, thanks, so the Prime has the system that will blare the horn if it thinks something is trying to get in the car, if so I hope it doesn't get set off too easily when there's no problem, I don't remember us ever having that feature in any of our cars in the past.
We've had two Prii from gen 2, 3, & 4 in our drive for almost six years. Never had a false alarm. Or any alarm now that I think of it.
The audible alarm is likely something that can be turned on or off through the settings menu, or by the dealer. It may be off by default.
Yup. I've been in the Toyota family for a while now so I am familiar with their terminology (in the manuals and brochures) as well as their idiosyncrasies. I'll be like you when I buy a vehicle from a different manufacturer and I'll rely on forum members to help me navigate what's normal You can also sound the alarm if you need to using the panic button on the fob (the red button). It'll sound the horn and flash the lights.
I curse the panic button on key fobs on a regular basis. Invariably my wallet or another key on my key chain will press that danged button at the most inopportune time, like when I've just lifted a heavy piece of furniture and can't just drop it to shut off the alarm.
