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Reverse Camera Turns Off While Still In Reverse

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by a_gray_prius, Mar 2, 2010.

  1. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    God help me for asking the horde...but here it goes:

    I was backing my car into an angled spot a few days ago and I had an interesting experience with the reverse camera. I shift the car into reverse, bring the thing around and align it to the parking spot and slowly back it in. I do this carefully, moving at crawling speed, stopping often to get the car properly parked between the two adjacent cars so I don't get door dents. About 50% of my way in, the MFD goes back to the information/consumption screen by itself. The gear stalk and steering wheel control buttons were not touched during the entire time and the car remained in reverse. I don't remember there ever being a time limit on backup camera use. Is there some explanation as to why this might have happened? Is there some other backup camera override (other than button input) that I don't know about? I'd like to know when I can expect the backup camera to decide to turn off by itself with only steering and brake inputs.

    If you're just going to say it's somehow my fault, please don't bother posting.
     
    #1 a_gray_prius, Mar 2, 2010
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    There is no time limit. I have had my reverse camera turn off when I pressed a Nav button, shifting the display to the Nav screen. To get the camera view back I had to shift out of reverse and back again.

    Did any sort of transient screen flash up before the Info screen came on?

    I think it was user error. I wouldn't have said that, but since you explicitly said that I couldn't...:p

    Tom
     
    #2 qbee42, Mar 2, 2010
  3. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    My experience is the same as Tom describes; the Backup camera stays on as long as you don't shift or call up another MFD function - if you try to adjust the radio or look at the Nav, it will turn off and you have to shift out and back into R to reactivate.

    Was it 37°F or colder?
     
    #3 dogfriend, Mar 3, 2010
  4. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    No input whatsoever to the car other than steering and brake. No radio adjustment, no touching the MFD. It was likely close to 37°F, probably lower (it wasn't something I noted). Car had been running for over 3 hours prior (highway trip) and had been parked outside in ready mode for 5-10 minutes before backing up (unloading the car outside, so no temperature change).
     
    #4 a_gray_prius, Mar 3, 2010
  5. ems1

    ems1 New Member

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    You shouldnt be using the camera to back up anyway. Thats what mirrors are for.
     
    #5 ems1, Mar 3, 2010
  6. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    I'm thinking that the 37°F temp warning flashed on the screen momentarily, canceling the rear video.

    I have no way to test this; I have only seen the warning once while driving in a forward direction - it was a really really cold day for us, probably won't happen again for a few years. :D
     
    #6 dogfriend, Mar 3, 2010
  7. Politburo

    Politburo Active Member

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    The 37 degF should just appear on the top, like when you change the radio station using the dial or preset key on the wheel. In my 2009, the banner on the top does not cancel the camera. But who knows, maybe it's a weird bug. Too bad I didn't see this earlier.. I had the 37 blinking at me the whole way in.

    You're completely sure that you didn't hit the info button on the wheel? That really seems to be the simplest and most likely explanation..
     
    #7 Politburo, Mar 3, 2010
  8. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    The most likely explanation is that a steering wheel button was hit accidentally.
     
    #8 zenMachine, Mar 3, 2010
  9. don_chuwish

    don_chuwish Well Seasoned Member

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    If I put it in Reverse and then hit my JDM EV button it cancels the camera view. But EV first, then Reverse turns it on and it stays on as expected.

    - D
     
    #9 don_chuwish, Mar 4, 2010
  10. PriusLewis

    PriusLewis Management Scientist

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    Under exactly the right conditions, the software defaults to
    "confound" mode and randomly runs a sub-routine. In your case you were lucky - it was the routine to return the screen to default. For others, it runs the "full throttle mode" sub-routine. Sometimes it runs the "brake release" sub-routine.

    Or, I guess I could just admit that I have NO IDEA!!!
     
    #10 PriusLewis, Mar 4, 2010
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Before software systems came to dominate, we would use a Maybe gate for this type of function. The Maybe gate is one of the five common types of logic gates: And, Or, Nand, Nor, and Maybe.

    ;)

    Tom
     
    #11 qbee42, Mar 4, 2010
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