Two operational questions

Regarding the 2nd question: only use the AC when you need to cool down the car, or when you need to dehumidify the interior to keep the windows from fogging (like when its rainy). You waste power and gasoline otherwise.

 

When you turn on the automatic climate control the AC light automatically stays on. Just set the temp and forget it.

 

Kirkuleez is right. Here's more info on the CC:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-c...now-operating-your-prius-c-2.html#post1499356

 

you only need to hold the brake to turn on the car.. if you have the SMART KEY.

otherwise, if you have a regular key... you don't need to hold down the brake to turn the car on...

 

I don't think you even have to hold the brake in with the smart key. I do it out of habit, but I think you just have to hit power twice for it to turn on.

 

No, you have to step on the brake to start the car (smart key system). If you just press the Power button without having your foot on the brake pedal, you cycle between Off, Accessories, and "IG-ON" modes.

Accessory mode provides 12v power for the lights, windows, wipers, and radio, but not much else; IG-ON is like Accessory but you also have the MFD and climate control/fan use.

 

I've always pressed down the brake when starting cars, regardless of how they start. I thought that was normal safety protocol. You know, just in case it got bumped into drive or reverse while the car was off.

 

I'd take both STRONG & KIRK's info together with regard to the A/C. That button is sort of a force on or force off for the compressor. Just because it's on doesn't mean the compressor is running at that exact second, though. It means the car will run the compressor as it feels is necessary. With it off, it will NOT run the compressor. AUTO does default to that being "on", though.

I typically turn it OFF in winter, unless I am having fogging issues with the windows or windshield. That's when you'll have to attack it as you see fit in the situation. For summer months, I let the car do as it pleases with the compressor as long as I'm comfortable. I will sometimes just force the car to "vent" (turn off the A/C) depending upon the outside temperature.

 

You never drove a car with a carburetor have you? You had to pump the gas 3 times and hold the gas pedal half way down to start it.

I agree though now. With fuel injection, it's a good safety thing to press the brakes when starting. That way you're braking when you shift into gear, and you have to let go of the brakes on purpose before you start rolling. It gives you one last chance to make sure it's okay to go.

 

You've got me there. I was born right around when those were being phased out

 

A/C: I go the paranoia direction and turn it off when not cooling. Because ;-) at least the green LED is taking up precious power.

 

Not on my carbureted cars. The owners manuals very specifically advised against this. Instead, press it half way and hold. If that failed, pump once then hold half way. This worked extremely well for me.

Dad used your 'pump three times' method, an ancient habit, and suffered far more starting problems and flooding when driving these same cars.

Don't modern slushboxes have an interlock requiring the driver to press the brake in order to shift out of Park into any other gear?

The last non-rental automatic transmission I drove was a 1978, so I could be confused on this.

 

If you don't step on the brake pedal, our 2005 and now our 2011 Prius with/smart key, will not start. This was noted before. If you don't press the brake pedal, and push the start button, you only turn on the accessories and then if you press start button again without stepping on the brake, all electrics come on... but not the hybrid system. Press the start button again without brake, and everything turns off.

The rest of my cars are manual, and you have to completely depress the clutch pedal to get the car/truck to start.

I was also under the impression that you had to push the brake pedal before any modern automatic transmission equipped car could be started.

 

Doesn't the c have a "real" gear shifter? If that's the case (like the RX hybrids) you can turn it on without the brake pressed. (it's been a few years but that's what I remember. Could be wrong.)

 

The manuals in my household have varied. Of the four most recent, two had the clutch interlock, two did not. One of each remains in the household.

I've started numerous automatic rental cars without touching the brake, but still needed to push it to shift into a moving gear.

 

More common with manual transmissions is a clutch interlock.

 

^^ typo, fixed.

 

I believe it is basicly the same shifter as our 07 Prius had only it is mounted on the floor rather than the dash. I think they did this as a way for people not used to the Prius to think of it as more standard. It is still a electric shift by wire rather than linkage if I understand what my service manager told us. And yes to start the car for driving you have to push on the brake if you have a Smart key not sure about the other setup.