Possible to disable 3 warning beeps when opening and shutting doors when keyfob is not in vehicle?

Yes, but not easily.
http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM47668U/pdf/sec_06-02.pdf page two shows that the Operational Buzzer can be turned on/off and the volume adjusted in 7 steps. Doing so requires a OBDII programmer. The Dealer has one if you are in good with your dealer, I use a ScanGauge II. ScanGauge II ODB Scan Tool + Digital Gauges + Trip Computers - PriusChat Shop Other folks use Android devices using Torque software and Bluetooth to ODBII dongles.

I hope this helps.

 

I think you should power off your car because anyone can get in and drive off within those 1 or 2 minutes it takes to deliver the pizza. You said you don't take a key out of your pocket to lock the doors so it is unlocked and vulnerable. What is the motivation for not turning off the car? The ICE will cycle off anyway if it is warmed up so it isn't any more strain on the engine leaving it on or turning it off.

 

Sadly Brian has not given us any hint to his actual location, but if you live where it is both hot and humid, you lose ground on comfort every time the car just sits.

 

I see a downside to shutting off a traditional car.
I see no downside to shutting off a Prius.

 

I'd push the power button, instead of the park button. Same amount of effort, safer, legal, no beep.

 

Especially given that the gas engine likely has already shut itself down.......and if the AC is not going, pretty much nothing is happening anyway.

 

Not sure about yours, but mine you most definitely can run off with it without the key being near. Just don't turn it off

When I pick up our mail, I get the same annoying beeps. Same in the driveway, I keep it in ev mode, run in, then back, beeps all the time.

For delivering pizzas, I can definitely feel the pronounced paid of your beeper. There's nothing wrong with what you want and how you're doing it. If you shut it off, same impact really, just a minor annoyance. Everytime I've seen these discussions, I'm reminded of the differences between trying to loyally defend silly things, and the freedom of doing the obvious common sense thing. I've also come to learn this is a very different world we live in now.

 

Yes you can drive away without the key if the power is left on. But once it's powered off it won't restart til it detects the key. I agree with OP on this. If I have to get in and out of th car multiple times in short period, I wouldn't want to shut my car off either.

 

You can make those customizations yourself, with an OBDII programmer. As Gen 3 has progressed, more and more of the customizations have been available on the touch screen. But you have the first year Gen 3.

 

On my quest for better fuel economy, I experimented with delaying going on the freeway by taking a alternate route to work on local streets. It worked. Slower speeds indeed increased my overall fuel economy. Then I thought, wait a minute, I got better fuel economy going a longer distance. MPG went up but so did my fuel costs. For your situation, is better fuel economy worth the theft risk? You make the call.

As for the Start button wearing. You tell me which button looks and feels more flimsy. The Park Button or the Start button? I'd rather neither button wear out during my ownership. If I had to use one, I'd choose the one I think is more durable.

 

MPG
I can't see how leaving the car switched on can help mpg. It appears to me that if there is any effect at all, it would be very small and negative.

Wear on Power button
I've never heard of a Prius power button failing and I think the chance of it doing so is very small.
Old style mechanical switches did sometimes fail within the life of the car but an electronic button does not have the same moving parts.

User Programming
In this case, I think Toyota eliminated the user programming option on these beeps because there is a significant downside to leaving the car switched on in all normal situations and the alert beeps are not a big problem in the rare situations where leaving it on might make sense. (eg temperatures below -40, and some maintenance situations)

 

I think the only practical use of the beep is to alert a driver that he forgot to turn the car off. In ev mode, it makes no noise. I do think the three rather loud beeps are a bit much imo.

 

What if you leave the key in the car?

 

^ And maybe the driver's door open?

 

Doesn't matter if you leave the driver door open. If any door opens and closes will beep including the hatch. Just leave the keys in the car if you don't want it to beep. The car can be driven away with or without keys so might as well leave the keys in the car to avoid the beeps.

 

I meant it in jest: car running, keys in the car, open door beckoning: what's not to like. The beeping will stop when someone hops in and drives away, whoever that may be. And insurance rates stay high, lol.

 

baby in the backseat...