Prius annoyances

I'll gladly take the quad LEDs in exchange for a very small increase in Cd. They are very nice headlights.

 

Can this not be adjusted? There are both up/down and L/R adjusters on those lights.

 

I have not noted this as a problem. I’ll have to head out after dark and see if IIHS is wrong again.

 

At that temperature, the A/C won’t run and you will be using outside air only. There is a low temperature cutoff on A/C.

VWs have an option to turn off the A/C in defrost mode. That is a nice feature.

 

Passenger side doesn't normally have oncoming drivers to be blinded by headlight glare, so it can get by with throwing light higher and father on that side only. And it helps to read the roadside signs.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Two things that are important that I haven't seen brought up:

1. On the instrument display location. Much has been said here and in other threads about not wanting to divert attention from straight ahead. Don't want to turn to the side. Say what!!?? I sure hope your eyes are scanning side to side, from mirror to mirror, to mirror, but with the primary attention being ahead. Perhaps that's part of why there are so many accidents at intersections. No scanning. It's like people are looking through a pipe as they drive and have no clue what's going on outside the car except for the 100' (if that much) directly in front of them. I want to keep my eyes as much as possible on the same plane while constantly scanning the environment and updating my escape plans. Defensive driving 101. No charge for the mini-lesson.

2. A/C recirc. If it's hotter outside the car than inside, why would anyone think it's at all efficient to start off by trying to cool that super-hot interior air rather than bring in the relatively cooler outside air? Then switch to recirc once the inside cools down to match outside. The system lowers the temperature of its source air by a fixed amount. The cooler the source air, the cooler the discharge air. That should be automatic. It already has the parts it needs. The car knows which is the cooler source air. It should use it. It's just a matter of programming it.

 

Just to quibble, the outside humidity is also a factor. If slightly cooler but much more humid air is outside, it is better to cool the inside air than bring in the humid outside air.

 

My only annoyance is that I can't charge the traction battery faster and I want more electric range.

Other that that it is a great car for my current work situation. I charge free at work. So most days I burn no gas.

Steve

 

By that standard, only a HUD is acceptable, even the traditional behind-the-steering-wheel display is at least as bad. And worse for old folks like me, because it demands a closer focal distance, requiring greater time for our aged eyes to re-focus.

 

I will defend it. Because it works better. If you're focusing on your instruments you're going to hit someone whether the instruments are under the steering wheel or beside it. You glance at them. Maybe a half second at a time. Never focus on anything inside the car while it's moving. You are right that bad designs fail. This one's still selling well in spite of low gas prices after something like 15 years plus. In fact, the roads here in Tampa are full of Prii.

But your comments on air conditioning are correct.

 

I totally concur.
I still own and drive a Prius 2nd Generation.
I picked up on this website over 5 years ago that using recirc when operating the A/C was a good way to optimise the cooling capability during hot weather, and I do this religiously.

Leaving work on a hot afternoon, I drive the first mile or so, with the windows down. Then I bring the A/C online, and after it’s run for about a minute, up come the windows.

I seldom go above the No. 2 fan speed during A/C operations. Even on a hot day, with the onboard temperature set to 17c, it soon gets cold enough to drop fan speed to the first position.

I assure you, I don’t like hot weather - especially when I’m behind the wheel surrounded by glass.

I have long discovered that setting the vents to “upper vents only” (at face level) ensures that when the A/C is brought online at temperatures of 16c and upwards on a hot day, the A/C automatically defaults to recirculate.

The above info pertains to the old Gen 2 (UK). It may vary on other models, but I have come to realise the A/C on the 2nd Gen is far more sophisticated (function wise) than very many owners realise.


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