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When/Why did they rotate the Steering Wheel buttons?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by ReDave, Jan 19, 2015.

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  1. ReDave

    ReDave Member

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    We just bought a 2015 prius. I have a 2011 pushing 80,000 miles, i've now given that to my daughter.
    I'm having a bit of a time adjusting to the 90 degree rotation they did on the steering wheel audio/temp/HSI gauge control.
    Is this better somehow?
     
    #1 ReDave, Jan 19, 2015
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    pic? 90 degrees would be top and bottom?
     
    #2 bisco, Jan 19, 2015
  3. ReDave

    ReDave Member

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    well i never excelled at whatever this is [not exactly math] but 180 would be top to bottom. No?
     
    #3 ReDave, Jan 19, 2015
  4. ReDave

    ReDave Member

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    2010 buttons.png vs. 2015 buttons.png
     
    #4 ReDave, Jan 19, 2015
  5. ReDave

    ReDave Member

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    I change the channel rather than turning the volume down.
    and change the trip setting rather than the temp!
     
    #5 ReDave, Jan 19, 2015
  6. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Oh that's weird.
    My 2013 Prius 2 is set up like the 2 farthest to the right, the bigger pictures.

    I wasn't aware there were any differences.
    Assuming this 2015 is new...and the 2011 was bought new? So no chance a previous owner did any adapting?

    I suppose it isn't really a big deal...but you get use to the button placement you get use to...
     
    #6 The Electric Me, Jan 20, 2015
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    They changed it in 2012.

    They do things like that from time to time. It took me many, many months to use the right set of buttons for temperature. I kept changing the channel (In the Gen 2 Prius, the TEMP buttons are at the bottom left of the steering wheel so I was used to using my left fingers to change the temperature).
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, Jan 20, 2015
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  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Huh...wonder what logic they applied to making that change?

    Can't really say which set up would necessarily be best...of course I'm use to mine.
     
    #8 The Electric Me, Jan 20, 2015
  9. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    I've only ever owned a 2013 and a 2015 (currently), and a 2014 Rav4 (wife's car) so all I know is the new setup.

    I must admit that the current setup seems a lot more logical, up for up and down for down. :)
     
    #9 Blizzard_Persona, Jan 20, 2015
  10. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    When you place your finger on any button they all appear on the dash, showing which button you are about to press. So you can see easily what you are about to do. Unless you are in cruise, which displaces all other displays. So, kill cruise, hover finger, choose button. :)
     
    #10 David Beale, Jan 20, 2015
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i like keeping my eyes on the road, and knowing where the correct buttons are. changing them just for the fun of it is disconcerting to say the least.
     
    #11 bisco, Jan 20, 2015
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Post #4 illustrations are very helpful. Am I right that that the left/right illustrations are old/new? I've got the old style, would say the new layout is better, more intuitive.

    The only quibble I have with the button setup, and this basically means I never bother with it: I wish the station switching buttons just went to the next station with decent signal strength, not presets.
     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Jan 20, 2015
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    search.
     
    #13 bisco, Jan 20, 2015
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    ^ Verb or noun, lol.
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Jan 20, 2015
  15. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Best solution: get used to it.
     
    #15 GregP507, Jan 20, 2015
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  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well the only logical one (pun intended) is that they wanted VOL up/down to be, well, up and down, rather than left and right. The same goes for Channel up/down (or track up/down).

    I'm ok with left/right.

    Touch Tracer doesn't go on the MID (unless you're in the Prius c) so the DRCC screen doesn't affect Touch Tracer.

    Yes "old" style. They made a number of changes for 2012. The POWER button is blue, the temp up/down button on the climate control was changed to red and blue dots and the hazard lights button is red (ours is black with the red triangles). I guess Toyota wanted a more intuitive layout (or change for the sake of change and colour and layout was the easiest to do).

    Usually people change between presets :). I rarely use SEEK.
     
    #16 Tideland Prius, Jan 20, 2015
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  17. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Since we're griping, I think the "fast-forward" should increase in speed, the longer you hold it.
     
    #17 GregP507, Jan 20, 2015
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  18. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah. That's weird. I'm surprised we didn't hear more about it back in 2012 when it happened.

    Of course, I'm accustomed to my 2004. The TEMP buttons are vertical and the VOL buttons are slightly diagonal but essentially vertical. Forward/Backwards buttons are vertical, though.

    So it seems that they rotated the buttons the first time in 2010 with the Gen3. Then in 2012 (minor refresh) they more-or-less rotated them back.
     
    #18 TonyPSchaefer, Jan 20, 2015
  19. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I even drove a 2010 for three years, then traded up a notch into a 2012, and didn't notice the change. I had to pull out both year's brochures this morning to find photos to verify the switch.

    So apparently I did get used to it. But I don't use those buttons much while moving, mostly just the Trip button while the car is stationary.
     
    #19 fuzzy1, Jan 20, 2015
  20. ReDave

    ReDave Member

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    Agreed!!!!

    and... of course i'll get used to it, but I've changed the channels several times now, instead of lowering the volume..
    it seems like a strange 'change' but hearing the 2004 version had 'vertical' orientation, maybe someone forgot? LOL
     
    #20 ReDave, Jan 20, 2015
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