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Toyota Prius Accessories & Modifications

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Comments

  • williamt1williamt1 Member Posts: 4
    I'm in Jacksonville too. Call Keith Pierson Toyota service center. They did the xm factory receiver installation on my 2005 prius package 7 (nav system). They know how to do the job correctly.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    First, the battery should last much longer than 5 years. Don't worry about it. Just think how many other people are in the same situation as you, and have not reported any problems.

    The module in the car calls out to the fob and the fob responds. This happens less than once per second. -IF- other electronic devices could call out, the fob would respond, but the electronic device wouldn't recognize the code, so no action would happen. This is what the warning is about - placing the fob beside something searching for a fob would -slowly- drain the battery. Just remember, this happens when you are in or very close to your car constantly (about once every 5-10 sec., maybe less often). This is how the system operates the immobilizer. If it doesn't get the correct response from the fob and the engine is shut off, you will not be able to start it. So if you placed the fob close to something calling out it would drain the fob battery as fast as it would drain when in the car. Not a big deal.
    They may also be worried about large fluctuating magnetic or electric fields, such as the security chip erasers used at checkout counters. There is a slight possibility these could damage the fob, so keep it in your pocket away from the eraser pad.

    The battey is a "coin type". Not hard to find. In fact, I've seen them in home centers and food stores. And, of course, Radio Shack. ;)

    Finally, even if the battery dies, you just have to plug the fob into the slot in the car and it will work. Of course you would also have to use the key hidden in the fob to get into the car.

    The fob is very rugged. I've read of several people who put them through the washing machine (left them in a pocket). After opening and drying them they worked fine.
  • momsageekmomsageek Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the information....I have called and/or emailed the other dealers in my area and have had one response. I am wondering if I might be better off with the factory interactive set-up from the internet and installed by a local automobile audio shop. Are you happy with the factory installed unit?

    Excuse me if I haven't properly posted to your response....I am a new to the forums.
  • williamt1williamt1 Member Posts: 4
    Yes, for the most part, I am. However, I do have a character limitation of eight total characters for song title, and eight total characters for artist title. That's the annoying part. If you want more characters, go with another system like Vais Technologies. I do like the factory installation of the antenna in the upper corner of the front dash. The reception is not quite as good as the antenna being magnetically attached to the outside top of the Prius,(once a month or so, I will have the reception drop out for second or two), but I don't have to worry about the exterior paint being scratched or otherwise damaged by the antenna. 99.9 percent of the time, it works great. Also, I had the factory speakers removed and replaced with Infinity Kappa Series component speakers. Check PriusChat for the right model number of the Infinity speakers. I honestly can't remember.
  • momsageekmomsageek Member Posts: 8
    I've spoken with several automobile audio places today as well as two parts departments from Toyota. I am going to go with factory interactive and have it installed locally unless I hear a bunch of negatives about that unit. Local dealers are asking in the neighborhood of $600.00 for parts and installation of their unit....quite a bit more than "as advertised".

    Thanks for the info about the speakers, I'll have a look at PriusChat.
  • williamt1williamt1 Member Posts: 4
    That's strange. I had it done for the advertised price recommendation from Toyota last year. I think it was @ $430 parts and installation.
  • momsageekmomsageek Member Posts: 8
    I thought it was strange also......it is becoming more of a hassle than anything. Still have only heard from one Toyota dealership out of 4 though.
  • williamt1williamt1 Member Posts: 4
    Sounds like you are still having problems. I recently purchased a new camry for my daughter in Winter Springs/Orlando area. Try calling Toyota of Orlando, they have a real professional service department and good pricing. Maybe you can work with them.
  • momsageekmomsageek Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the heads up on Toyota of Orlando. My brother lives in Melbourne so that is a workable solution.
  • berkeleypriusberkeleyprius Member Posts: 2
    Hey all - just got my 2007 NW Prius. Specifically asked if it had XM, as my Honda trade in had. Was told it was compatible. Well - to my surprise - compatible does not mean installed. After a few choice words to my salesperson - he told me to go to an Electronic store to have it installed. Wen i checked at the store - they were going to sell me the entire receiver, mount kit, etc. Do I have to do this? my salesperson at the dealership is a moron and does not really understand satellite radio (his words). Of course - i already owned the car. Am i totally screwed and have to get the ugly receiver mounted in my car? Any words of wisdom out there? MANY THANKS!!
  • momsageekmomsageek Member Posts: 8
    Believe me....I feel your frustration. I am currently waiting for my refund of $400 plus that I paid for the "factory" xm satellite. As I understand it, the toyota xm is intalled under the driver seat and the only issue I have seen discussion about is the placement of the antenna. I contacted several other toyota dealers in the area and am not convinced they know what they are doing.

    Currently I am investigating factory interactive (http://www.factoryinteractive.com/PriusXM/). I have found a local automobile audio store who will install it for $90 and they said it should take about 2 hours. I am so angry at the way the dealership has treated me that I am just letting this go for a few weeks and then I'll make a rational decision.

    Congratulation on your purchase.....I love my 2007 pruis.
  • berkeleypriusberkeleyprius Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the info on factory interactive. I just might go that route also. Let me know how your turns out!

    Have a good one...
  • engin2engin2 Member Posts: 8
    Help....

    I like to get a short antenna to replace that long one on top of rear of car. Also, the plastic strip like they use to put on rear bumper for cargo loading into truck area. Can anybody help. Thanks.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    You can find both at Priuschat or search on ebay. The antenna is called the "sharkfin antenna". It's a vertical blade type, often seen on BMWs.
  • momsageekmomsageek Member Posts: 8
    Hi, I finally got around to addressing the xm problem. I purchased the receiver and fitkit from a different toyota dealership and had it installed by a local auto stereo store. The receiver and kit cost $281.00 and the installation was $74.00. It took about 45 minutes for the auto stereo store to install....works perfectly!

    I didn't use factory interactive because I sent an email with a question and also phoned and haven't gotten a response yet.

    Good luck...I am certainly enjoying a little comedy while I drive.
  • djkrs2djkrs2 Member Posts: 7
    Does anyone know if you can use voice commands for the type 1 or 2 audio system. It appears from looking through the owners manual and matching pictures that the audio system in my 2007 Touring Edition package #3 that it is a type 1 or 2. I used the voice commands for the Bluetooth phone system but can't seem to find a way to use voice for the audio system. The manual seems to reference it but maybe it's just for the type 3 system which I believe is the system that has the nav.

    Thanks,

    djkrs2
  • wjinsfwjinsf Member Posts: 1
    As of yesterday, I'm a proud 2007 Prius owner, Package #2 with Smart Key System but no Anti-Theft option. I'm wondering whether anyone has had experience installing an aftermarket alarm system in their Prius and whether they had any thoughts/ recommendations regarding this.

    I'm in San Francisco, CA.

    Thanks in advance!
  • griswoldgriswold Member Posts: 2
    Aquired a replacement (fob) key from a wrecked 2007 took all the fobs to Toyoto for reprogamming.... did not work.... got still another 2007 fob and took all four keys to toyota to be reprogrammed. did not work. Is there something that is missing here. The dealership said they are waiting on the 2007 scanner.. This is April who is spoofing whom???? :sick: Any ideas or hints.
  • coyoteblondecoyoteblonde Member Posts: 3
    HELP!! I am going crazY!!! I have tried all the fixes posted both here (message # 30) and by friends with older Prius' but to no avail. At step # 7 where "b on" or "b off" should display, there is nothing except the Trio/ODO toggles to Trip A (which is the next toggle step after ODO... Nothing happens! Did Toyota change things so that this is not possible in the 2007???? Or is there a different fix for the 2007? This beep serves absolutely no other purpose than to annoy the heck out of me! It is not heard outside the car... and I'm sorry but if I don't know I have the car in reverse, I shouldn't be driving! Any help would be sooooooo appreciated!! Thanks!!
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    Keep trying. It does work on the 2007s. It's just a little hard to get it to work. A timing issue.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    Time to find a dealer who knows what they are doing. There's no change from 2006 to 2007 that I've heard about.
  • coyoteblondecoyoteblonde Member Posts: 3
    I have tried at least 5 different times. I have tried different timings... Can you reveal what the timing issue is? Do I need to hold something longer? Wait longer before beginning? Thanks...
  • griswoldgriswold Member Posts: 2
    Please tell me that you work for a Toyota dealership....
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    This is the procedure I've seen posted. Those who have had problems went back and tried again, always with success.

    In order to disable the reverse beeping on your 2007 Prius, follow these instructions:

    1. Without your foot on the brake, turn on your Prius and make sure you are in ODO mode (not Trip A or B). Power off the Prius
    2. With your foot on the brake, turn on the Prius. As soon as the ‘Ready’ light is lit, press and hold the ODO button for at least 10 seconds.
    3. Keeping the ODO button pressed, move the shifter to Reverse and release, then press the Park button again. At this point, ‘b- on’ should appear on your dashboard display.
    4. You can now let go of the ODO button, and each press of the ODO button toggles between ‘b-on’ and ‘b-off’. To disable the reverse beep, simply set it to ‘b-off’, then power off the Prius.
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    I had been meaning to try this, but as with many things, procrastinated. Today I printed the instructions at work, and when I pulled into the driveway after work, decided to give them a try.
    In less than a minute, my beeps were gone.....

    I can understand the reasoning behind having the inside alert, since the transmission selector always returns to its home position regardless of the mode selected. But I think I will be happier with the reminder turned off.
  • coyoteblondecoyoteblonde Member Posts: 3
    Gosh, I sure wish I knew what I was doing wrong!! I have followed the directions explicitly (I'm usually pretty good at this kind of stuff!) to no avail...

    Thank you so much for trying to help... wish you could come over and show me! Oh well, I'll keep trying...
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    Before "doing" anything, make sure you are in the ODO mode, which shows cumulative vehicle mileage. As was stated, push the power button twice with your foot OFF the brake, so that it brings up the dash display, but does not start the car.
    Once you are in ODO, while still with your foot off the brake, push the button once more to shut everything down.

    Then, with your foot ON the brake, push the power button as you normally would to get underway.

    You will see the "ready" light display. At that point, I pushed the ODO button in, and held it probably for 20 seconds. At that point, push the selector to the reverse position, and release.

    NOW, press the rectangular Park button above the selector. This is the first time in this process that you will have pushed the Park button. Through all of this, DO NOT release the ODO button.

    Now, you should immediately see the dash indicate "b-on". Release the ODO button, and push it again, and you will see "b-off". You can push and release the ODO button several times to see the changes. When it shows b-off, just push the power button to shut down the car. Fire it up again, put it in reverse, and listen to silence.

    By the way, thanks pathstar1 for the directions. I will have to pass it along to a coworker who is annoyed by the beeping as well.
  • allargonallargon Member Posts: 75
    Sorry for the late reply...

    AFAIK the voice commands only work if you have the navigation package installed.
  • mmpmd1mmpmd1 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2007 Prius and generally love it, but I am used to riding in a midsize SUV, and liked sitting up high. I wish the driver's seat was adjustable up and down, but since it isn't, has anyone figured out how to elevate my position? Am I stuck sitting on a pillow?
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Sitting on a pillow is a bad idea -- check your owner's manual. In a frontal crash, the pillow can slide out and the lap portion of the belt ride up onto your abdomen -- not good for your internal organs.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    A better solution would be something like the "Obus Forme" seat "inserts". They are unlikely to move around. Supposed to improve the seat comfort as well.
  • lylechicagolylechicago Member Posts: 2
    We just brought home our Prius and want to keep our beige cloth interior clean.

    Are there any products that prevent staining, dirt, etc. occuring?
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    The best thing is frequent vacuuming and not tracking in dirt or mud from the outside. Also avoid eating and drinking in the car if at all possible. The rubber floor mats (all-weather style) from the Toyota dealer are a lot easier to keep clean, but the cloth ones can be throughly cleaned with a plastic scrub brush, a little dishwashing detergent, and then hosed off (outside the car of course). Just be sure to do this last on a hot, sunny day so the mats can dry out fully.

    If you do get a stain on the seats or headliner, just use the foam type upholstery cleaner with minimal water.
  • leto1276leto1276 Member Posts: 1
    I don't mean to interefere with your discussion, however, could you tell me what an EV switch is (pardon my ignorance) THANX
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    EV switch - In North America, it's not installed, but in other parts of the world, there is an EV switch in the car. The North American cars have the programming that make it function.

    What it does is force the car to use electric mode only (hence the name EV - Electric Vehicle). The car still protects the battery, in that if you discharge the battery below about 20% SOC (state of charge) it switches off the EV mode. It also switches off at higher speeds to protect MG2 from overspeed. Without the switch the car runs the battery from 30% to 80% SOC or thereabouts.

    So, it just sets the electric mode on-off points a little lower. It's easy to purchase the switch, or even to cobble up your own. There are instructions around (try priuschat for example). I believe Toyota USA has stated if you install one it voids your battery warranty in the US.
  • cheryl06priuscheryl06prius Member Posts: 50
    With all the push towards E85 and other ethanol blends, what are the implications for the Prius and other hybrids?

    Will the Prius run on E85, or just get poorer MPG but at a lower per gallon cost?

    I'm not at all knowledgeable on ethanol, hope someone will provide an overview.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    Running high concentrations of ethyl alcohol in fuel systems that aren't designed for it can cause serious degradation of seals and hoses. The Prius is designed for "up to 10% ethyl alcohol" in the gas - commonly called E10. The owners manual explicitly states do not use fuel with more.

    Several owners have tried it, and the car does run on E85. One owner says he is going to continue to use it. We are waiting to see what will fail due to his ignoring the Toyota requirements.

    You will notice poorer mileage with ethanol, about 2-4% lower with E10, and about 10-20% lower with E85. The reason is ethyl alcohol contains less energy than gasoline:
    ethanol - 21.1 Mj/L (megajoules per litre)
    gasoline - 32 Mj/L

    I find the E10 keeps the engine cleaner (check the throttle body for soot), and have been using it for 6 years in my 2001 Pathfinder. So there may be a good reason to use it.
  • markus17markus17 Member Posts: 18
    I have a 2007 Prius. I'm thrilled with it, except for one annoyance. When I put anything on the passenger seat, it beeps at me (the prius, not what I put on the seat). I put things a lot on this seat ... sometimes even passengers. I wear my seat belt and so do my passengers.

    But my prius experience would be perfect if only I could kill that beeper. I tried the reverse beeper elimination method and it worked ... for reverse only.

    Is there the equivalent of Roundup for beepers (kills all forms)

    Thanks, Marc
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't think there's any way to defeat the passenger seat belt beeper, because it's tied to the "smart" airbag system. The car simply "thinks" there's an unbelted occupant there.

    So, heavy stuff could go in the trunk or on the floor behind the driver's seat.
  • djkrs2djkrs2 Member Posts: 7
    Search the forums on www.Priuschat.com. They have a list of how to defeat different beepers.
  • florida_wenflorida_wen Member Posts: 29
    We will be taking delivery of our new 2007 Prius Touring (package 5) in a couple of days. I want to purchase some “optional accessories” such as rubber floor mats, cargo net, bumper protector, oil filter, oil filter wrench, etc. Obviously the dealer charges quite high prices and I have always had great luck with our Honda / Acura products buying items on the internet. Since this is our first Toyota I need some good pricing, trustworthy, and sort of close to Florida internet dealers that sell GENUINE TOYOTA parts. So far I have found two:

    www.toyotapartsstore.com

    www.trdparts4u.com

    Any others?? Any better selections ?? Thanks………
  • clgerstclgerst Member Posts: 4
    The easiest solution is to buckle the seatbelt when something heavy is in the seat. That should satisfy the system so it won't have to alert you.
  • mrmellmrmell Member Posts: 11
    Was wondering if anybody out there has installed aftermarket accessories for Prius, such as roof rack, luggage rack, bicycle rack, aftermarket wheels and tires, and what Mfg was used and degree of your Satisfaction with same.Thanks.
  • stevegoldstevegold Member Posts: 185
    I bought a 1 1/4" receiver hitch from Coastaletech.com for my 2004 Prius. It came quickly, went on real easy and works perfectly but some people have reported difficulty in dealing with them a few years ago. They now have a 2" model but it's
    probably much heavier.
    http://www.coastaletech.com/04hitch.htm
  • bstevensonbstevenson Member Posts: 1
    I just imported a 2005 Prius to Oahu, only to discover that the stock navigation system does not provide any map or destination functions. Is there any update on whether Toyota is going to address this problem? Thanks.

    Bruce
  • nypriusnyprius Member Posts: 8
    Try Priuschat.com also ebay motors.
    Hope This Helps
  • akollerakoller Member Posts: 15
    Hi.

    I'm a 6-month Prius owner about to buy a small boat and want to know if anyone can share experience with towing using this car. I have a Package 2, 2007 Prius that's doing great. I don't have concerns about mileage and won't be towing long distances or heavy loads (1,000 pounds max, small boat), and I've found several hitches made specifically for the car, but I wanted to tap the knowledge base here. Any comments much appreciated.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    You're aware that it's "not recommended" by Toyota? It's in the owners manual. There are a few owners who do tow small utility trailers (500 lb or so), and they haven't reported any problems that I've seen. The receiver hitches available were originally made to accept bicycle carriers so some strengthening may be required. One owner who used the 2" one, beefed it up by adding a cross member to it. I think I saw the picture on Priuschat.
  • akollerakoller Member Posts: 15
    Thanks. Not sure what I will do yet, but the hitches I've seen so far look just like others I've used on cars like the Vibe. Small trailers don't place a great deal of stress on the vehicle unless you are driving in mountainous territory or at high speed, or if you are towing a lot of weight. I'd probably be in the 700 pound range, but I'd be really interested in any experience out there.
  • antonyhsuantonyhsu Member Posts: 3
    I have a hitch and have towed construction material with a trailer. I pushed it hard and will never try a stunt like it again when I towed debris in the range of 1400-1700 pounds within the trailer (additional 400 pounds) and the back of the prius about 2 miles to the closest waste management site. Watch for transmission burn. I changed the Automatic transmission fluid at 60-65K miles. I have towed the trailer multiple other times with lighter loads of plywood, sheetrock, etc. The trailer comes to about 400 pounds and I weigh about 150 pounds so "technically" I could safely add 250 pounds worth of material in the trailer.
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