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New Prius Owners - Give Us Your Report

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Comments

  • davidg1davidg1 Member Posts: 8
    our dealer has told us that the leather seats in the 2007 prius hatchback are heated i do not see this in the literature please advise asap as we will cancel tomorrow if they are not heated
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't know for sure, but I'd trust the literature over a dealer's word any day. Also, you may want to check out this Toyota home page. They have a very good website, better than most other car makers in terms of providing detailed information in a user-friendly format.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    They are not heated. Heat can be easily added, however. Perhaps that is what the dealership does? It's aftermarket, of course. You can also add pnumatic lumbar support.
  • davidg1davidg1 Member Posts: 8
    thanks for answering i have worked it out with the dealer we are getting package 6 and they will remove the factory installed seats and put in 2 others in leather that are heated because the salesman made an error they are doing it without charge. this is our fourth car from this dealer. as you see, they do stand behind their people(hope the salesman isn't fired) anyway it looks like we'll be picking it up this week-end(after the snow melts)
  • 654321654321 Member Posts: 1
    Have my Prius for 1000 miles. While I enjoy it, it has some quirks: 1) The fuel tank is not consistent, once tank at" blinking E" took 8 gallons, the next time it took 9.6 gallons. 2) The mileage display does not match my manual calculations (mileage on trip meter/fuel put into tank). My manual calculations are lower than the display.

    Questions: Why does my car run on electric some of the times at 10-20 MPH and gas other times? What happens on the mileage information display after 30 minutes? Why is the MPH on the information display for the 5 minutes blocks changing constantly even long after that 5 minute block is complete?
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't have a Prius (my son in NYC does), so I can only respond at this time to your question 2):

    On my '05 Toyota Camry XLE with the trip computer, the calculated mpg is always higher then the manual method. I simply don't trust the computer anymore.
  • carlstraubcarlstraub Member Posts: 50
    Hi,
    Suggest you ask Danman 32 on Priusonline.com. VERY knowledgeable guy.
    Carl
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Wow lots to anwser..

    Were you informed of the fuel bladder in the gas tank? If not that is the issue. In the Prius in order to minimize 'evaporative emissions' to be able to qualify it as an AT-PZEV there had to be a bladder added to eliminate these.

    When the vehicle is new, as yours is, the bladder is stiff - doubly so if you live in a colder climate. So while your 'nominal' fuel capacity is 11.9 gal the bladder may 'only take 8 gal'. During winter filling up in the warm part of the day helps.

    Also as you 'break in' the fuel bladder and the weather warms up it will expand somewhat and take more. I normally run til the light comes on and it takes 10.5 gal.
    ( 41000 miles - 48.1 mpg lifetime average as per GreenHybrid database )

    Running on electirc/battery is dependent on a lot of factors.
    .. warm up period. The first 10 minutes of each trip is mostly on the ICE ( gas engine ).
    .. the weather. You are located where?
    .. your inputs. How do you drive?
    .. traffic. City or Highway?

    The bar graph on the Consumption Screen changes over time as you drive on each trip.
    .. the far right bar fluctuates continually and is your personal 'bio-feedback monitor'.
    .. the bar immediately to the left of that is your fuel consumption over the last 5 min.
    .. the 2nd bar over is 10 min ago
    .. etc, etc.

    .. on a longer trip the fuel consumption bars for more than 35 min ago fall off the left side of the screen. You can only see the bars for the most recent 30 min of driving.
  • starman2starman2 Member Posts: 1
    We have a new Prius, Touring model,and have noticed that on a certain stretch of freeway with grooved pavement the car feels like it is wobbling. This happens to a number of cars that travel this stretch, but not all. Any suggestions for minimizing the effects of grooved pavement?
  • philmophilmo Member Posts: 77
    Less likely about the car itself than with the tires. The "frequency" of the tread interacts with the intervals of the groove in the road. No way to predict what tire works best on this bit of road, and not positive that what works ok there won't get wobbly on a different stretch. Unless you really feel at risk it's best just to accept and be mindful when driving that route.
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    I've had my pkg 2 Touring now for just over a month. So far, driving conservatively with primarily short ( 3 mile ) trips to work, the mileage has been around 42. Not stellar, but I am sure that will improve with rising temps and more break-in miles.

    One question I do have for longer-term owners is in regards to the sound quality of the basic system. Is it as "bad" as I seem to think? By that, I mean virtually no 'presence', somewhat muddy sound, no real volume to speak of, basically blah...better suited to AM talk shows. Or, should I check another vehicle out at the dealership? I just burned a CD for a friend, and took it out to the car to check it out. I literally turned the volume up to max, waiting for the car to fill with sound, and honestly, it never did. The good news is that there was no distortion, but then, at the volume level I achieved even at max, there should have been none. I don't think I could have turned the radio itself up that high, but it seems the CD does not generate high sound levels.

    Anyone have any thoughts?
  • carlstraubcarlstraub Member Posts: 50
    Hi,
    For an old guy, with MANY years of jet engine noise blasting me, It seems fine.
    BTW we added the in dash 6 cd changer to both our #2pkg cars- about $590 plus $60 labor.
    Carl
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    lol, don't you just love turbojets....Used to love it when you could watch 707s from behind a chain link fence as they taxied out, "drenching" you in sound, pressure, and the aroma of jet fuel.....

    Anyway, the sound system is okay. I detest those morons who think thumping distorted bass is music. Give me deep but crisp bass anytime, along with a bright midrange, and clear treble. I guess I'm asking too much of what can't be a very expensive installation. I was stunned last year when I was fiddling with the radio in my mother's 1993 Cadillac Deville, the base system, not the apparently overblown Bose. I was shocked at how good it was. Wish all my cars sounded like that.
  • carlstraubcarlstraub Member Posts: 50
    Hi,
    Am retired TWA Pilot.
    When I started in 1966 the old 707 "water wagons" didn't have much thrust but sure put out a lot of smoke and noise.
    The Convair 880, that I flew at first, was smoky as well but had some power.
    Carl
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    "Host" might yell at me for continuing this.....

    I used to watch the 707s in Fla about 62 and 63. Wonderful. Probably that and my older brother's love of aircraft is what steered me to Fairchild Republic after college.

    Convairs....they were the muscle cars of the bunch. If I am not mistaken, the 990 was the fastest of them all.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    We DO need to get back to the Prius, but being an incurable plane watcher, it will be a gentle reminder. ;)
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    I've read that other owners found disconnecting the front centre speaker fixed a lot of the audio "problems". They said it cleaned it up.
  • carlstraubcarlstraub Member Posts: 50
    Hi,
    990's were faster marginally. We used to race an American 990 from DTW to LAX--Neither of us had more than 10 passengers.
    Pre de-regulation so fuel burn etc NOOOOO PROBLEM.
    Thanx for your patience moderator.
    Carl
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    well, next-to-last.....

    Just so neat. Harkens back to the Rat Pack, sappy Doris Day movies, and fondue

    Once the Prius is broken in, I'll turn off the display, and race a Civic Hybrid.
  • glasschimeglasschime Member Posts: 13
    We bought an 07' Prius in November. The battery ran down twice just sitting in our garage. The first time it sat for 3 days. We had it towed to the dealer. The service dept said the Prius HAS to be started at LEAST every few days or it will run down. Yikes.

    A month later, we went away for a week. When we got home it was DEAD AGAIN.

    We are done. We won't be keeping a car that dies in the garage after sitting for just 3 days.

    Here is something from Consumeraffairs.com that Prius owner's who live in the snow belt might want to read.

    Prius Shuts Down in the Snow, Reader Complains

    Toyota Calls Automatic Power Reduction a Safety Feature
    By Joe Benton
    ConsumerAffairs.Com

    January 26, 2007

    The Toyota Prius is known to occasionally shut down its hybrid engine system for no apparent reason, wear tires quickly and unevenly, even drain a battery dry when parked for an extended period.

    But here's one of the oddest Prius stories on file at ConsumerAffairs.Com:

    "When my car is on any kind of slick surface that causes one of the front wheels to slip, ALL power to the drive system is stopped," wrote Christopher of Reston, Virginia.

    Christopher said he first experienced the problem with his Prius "on a sloped gravel driveway in July but discounted it as a temporary thing."

    Then the snow fell.

    "This past weekend I was on a snow-covered road with about an 8- to 10-degree grade. Driving at 20 miles per hour, one tire began to slip on the snow and the car came to a stop. The wheels then refused to engage, because one would slip a little, regardless of throttle position," he wrote.

    Christopher tells ConsumerAffairs.Com that he "had cable style tire chains and installed them properly on the front wheels and tried again. Still, a tire would slip on the 4 or 5 inches between the cables and the car would refuse to move."

    Ultimately, he said, the only way to get the car up the remainder of the hill was to get out and push while his son put a foot gently on the throttle.

    His Toyota service manager told Christopher that he was able to duplicate the symptoms on a level snow covered surface and apparently achieved the same results with two other Prius cars that were in the dealership fleet.

    But after reporting the problem to Toyota, the service manager told Christopher that the Prius was operating as designed.

    Christopher said that he "will consider this vehicle unsafe for road use under any snow or ice conditions and frankly feel that if all Prius vehicles are designed to do this someone ought to look into the situation to try to force Toyota to modify the design."

    Not a Safety Problem

    Toyota spokesman Bill Kwon agrees that the traction control systems in the Prius could impact performance in snow conditions but says that is not a safety problem.

    "Prius has TRAC (traction control) as standard equipment," he said. "The purpose of traction control is to helps prevent wheel spin and minimize slippage of the drive wheels by applying brakes and/or reducing engine power."

    Kwon points out that an 8 to 10 degree grade "is a fairly steep grade and combined with snow would cause a loss of traction which will activate the traction control system and therefore reduce or cut power."

    "A vehicle without TRAC in those conditions," Kwon adds. "would probably just start spinning in place and eventually spin out of control. In my opinion, it's better to have the vehicle stop then to have the wheels spinning and out of control."
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Traction control issue: old news.

    Regarding the battery, something must be wrong. I assume you power down the car properly. My guess is that the battery is bad -- couldn't they have at least checked? You can also get the battery checked for free at auto parts stores like Advance and AutoZone.

    My son and daughter-in-law bought an '06 Prius last July. The last time he mentioned it, they only had 1800 miles on the car, which tells me it's not used much (they commute to work by subway in NYC). The car is parked on the street, through the cold winter -- no problems with a rundown battery.
  • mikenishmikenish Member Posts: 2
    Just bought a 2006 Black Option 6 touring model with XM Satellite radio and tinted glass from North Park Toyota of Boerne, Texas on March 31.

    As someone who has operated some sophisticated equipment – I’m very impressed with the Prius. My first car was a new 1972 Corvette. Then I flew the General Dynamics F-111 when it was the most sophisticated airplane in the world (You are not sipping gas at Mach 2.0!), and most recently, the all LCD-display Boeing 717, which is a completely computer controlled airplane (and very fuel efficient). I have to say there are many similarities in the feeling the first time I took off in a 717 and driving the Prius home! This car has got a level of sophistication that amazes me.

    Figuring $450 for the XM radio, Edmunds TMV price is $28,645, MSN Auto’s MSRP is 30,065, invoice 27,050. I paid $27,761. We bought just in time to catch the $1575 tax credit before it dropped to $787.50, and got the 2.9% financing. Looks like we got the April 3 discount of $1750 on Package 6.

    On my 14 mile city commute, I’m averaging 48 mpg according to the computer.

    I traded in a 1998 Camry, and my USAA Auto Insurance only increased $26.99 for the six month billing period.

    I too agree that the instantaneous MPG indicator is good feedback, and causing me to be a smoother and more careful driver. I never thought accelerating smoothly and avoiding braking could be a game.

    I agree that the owner’s manual is hard to read, and I do notice a vibrating sound coming from the front when I’m not on a smooth road. Sounds like a metal on metal vibration. There is a good inventory in the city right now of Prius’s, and there are not too many on the road in San Antonio yet, so it is still a novelty here.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Welcome to the Forum. Who do you fly for? I love that new 717 that Hawaiian Airlines uses inter island. I was afraid Boeing was going to do away with the MD80 design. It looks like they improved it. Good luck with your new car.
  • norskeymannorskeyman Member Posts: 8
    I assume your new Prius in an '07 model, not an '06 as you wrote. Are you certain you got the new $1750 package discount, low cost financing and the $1750 tax credit? I thought the new package discounts only started on cars bought in April? Norskeyman
  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    Regarding your vibrating sound, I, too, have a Touring, and bought it knowing there was a rattle of some sort that I figured I could find since it was so apparent. But I have not been able to figure it out. I THINK it is coming from up front, but at times, it seems to be behind me. Worse still, it is not consistent, and is less apt to happen in warmer temps. It sounds much like the rattle of a loose sun visor, and is generally set off by sharp bumps. No I've not gotten it back to the dealer yet, but will soon. Wonder if it's a Touring thing. If you find the cause of your vibration, please report it here.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    That article is old news but thanks for posting it for the 78th time...( see several hundred posts on GMI, Ts, Greenhybrid and PriusChat about this bogus article )...

    You were done a disservice by the person who delivered your vehicle to you without going over everything. There is a very simple way to avoid your problem. It takes less than 1/2 second.
  • philmophilmo Member Posts: 77
    We bought an 07' Prius in November. The battery ran down twice just sitting in our garage. The first time it sat for 3 days. We had it towed to the dealer. The service dept said the Prius HAS to be started at LEAST every few days or it will run down. Yikes.

    A month later, we went away for a week. When we got home it was DEAD AGAIN.

    We are done. We won't be keeping a car that dies in the garage after sitting for just 3 days.

    Do have have the keyless entry system? Did you make sure your key fobs were at least 15 feet away from the car while you were away? There's a section of the manual that states some such requirement as the fob and onboard system will continously "poll" each other while within a certain distance which will eventually run down the battery.

    We just returned from a 16-day trip where our 07 was left in a cold, Colorado garage. Our key fobs were at the other end of the house in a drawer. Started right up this morning with three blue bars.
  • south4south4 Member Posts: 32
    Question about battery run down. I thought my car was off and I must not have hit the power button hard enough because I came out three hours later and the car was still on! It ran and the battery bars went back up , but I wonder if I have harmed the long term life of the battery. Does anyone know?
  • norskeymannorskeyman Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2 week old '07 Prius, and at times I also notice the "shudder vibration" when the ICE shuts down. The transfer is not quite as seamless as I would like, but my understanding is that this characteristic is normal. Norskeyman
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    There would be no harm to the main battery pack, and I doubt the life of the conventional 12-volt battery will be affected.
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    What about the windows? Why are they listed as High Solar Energy Absorbing and look the same as "regular' windows? Our Sienna and Mariner have "black" side/rear windows. They are described as HSEA windows too. The Prius has "regular looking" windows, but are described as HSEA type. Wassup?
    I have seen the "tinted" windows at the dealerships - they are added by specialty shops. I could use the darker windows here in Texas.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Ocassionally it shudders. I don't pay it any mind. No one has ever mentioned anything other than they notice it.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    HSEA means the ability to screen out the portion of sun's rays that you can't see -- like ultraviolet.

    Federal regulations (safety standards) do not allow CARS as delivered from the factory to have dark-tinted glass, but vans, SUVs, and pickups are allowed to have such glass behind the B-pillars.

    States vary in their laws about how much tinting you can add. I prefer no added tinting myself, because I want maximum visibility at night. I just wear dark sunglasses when it's bright outside. My 2 cents.
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    I too wear sunglasses. My concern is the leather and trim being "tanned" by the Texas sun. 20% blockage is the maximum allowed by the state. This applies to the front door windows only. You may have as dark as you like behind them. The really dark ones make it very difficult to see out when it rains or at night. Changing lanes can be an adventure.
  • oldfordman1oldfordman1 Member Posts: 8
    Picked up a 2007 package 4 on Friday and happened to have a weekend where we had to do more travel than normal. By Sunday afternoon we had put about 175 miles on the car (including almost 50 home from the dealer) with an average MPG of 52.3 in mixed suburban/"pseudo highway" driving. ((Anyone knowing US Rt 301 in Maryland east and south of Washington DC should understand pseudo highway. Some stretches are open road, but much of 301 has lights spaced anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart. Maintaining 55 mph is hard in the areas with lights.))

    The average MPG went up when I was driving and down when my wife was driving. I adapted faster than she did to the need for a lighter touch on the gas pedal. I've been able to drive anywhere in our neighborhood (fairly flat) solely on electric at speeds up to 29 mph. As soon as I hit 30, though, in the neighborhood, the gas engine kicks in. And, obviously, it takes a very light touch on take off to keep it on electric even on the neighborhood streets.

    One concern, though, is the A/C system. High temps here were in the upper 70s Saturday and Sunday and the A/C seemed weak. We changed to recirculating and that helped somewhat, but it still doesn't seem as strong as the A/C on the ancient T-bird I traded in or the Mercury Sable that was my wife's car and now is my car.

    The Prius is fun to drive, even if a little squirrelly in crosswinds. After a weekend of driving only the Prius, the Sable seemed heavy and sluggish this morning, although it drove just like it always has.
  • philmophilmo Member Posts: 77
    Our mileage is up to the mid-50s now that things have warmed up in the Rockies, and will likely see another bump once they switch back to regular fuel from the winter oxy version. It was in the 80s today down in Denver but the AC got things cooled down quickly after an hour in a strip mall parking lot. Perhaps our low humidity helps, but I've no complaints regarding the AC. One thing I am worried about is how hot the LCD module on the dash gets sitting up there next to the windshield and containing so many components. It's nothing if not the very definition of a black box. Time will tell...
  • florida_wenflorida_wen Member Posts: 29
    My Wife and I have just ordered a new 2007 Prius Touring w/package 5. We were both very curious as to WHAT EXTERIOR COLOR DID YOU CHOSE ?? Out of five dealers (Tampa/Lakeland Florida area) we visited and "talked" with we were "told" that the most popular as well as most difficult color to get was the (blue) Seaside Pearl which we were very disappointed when we saw it as it is not "metallic" and lacks "depth". We actually fell in love with the (light green) Silver Pine Mica which has various "different shades" depending on the amount of daylight and time of day the sun shines on it (or if it's cloudy) !! Like they say, "To each his own" ..... and I am sure many people love certain colors and hate others.... we were just curious as to what "percentage" bought WHICH EXTERIOR COLOR ?? Thanks..............
  • riposteriposte Member Posts: 160
    White. Perfect for Florida.

    I got mine at Earl Stewart Toyota in North Palm Beach, FL, back in November. $500 over invoice, no ridiculous dealer fee.

    By the way, if you to to buyatoyota.com, you can see the on the ground and incoming inventory for every Toyota / Scion dealer in the South East Toyota distributor region. It's a great way to see what inventory is available.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    How is driving the Prius in temps of 110F?

    Does the A/C have the capacity to keep you cool in really hot weather in slow city traffic or was the capacity reduced in the effort to maximize fuel economy?

    How much of a hit in fuel economy to you take with constant A/C use in city and highway driving?
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    My son and daughter-in-law bought an '06 Prius almost a year ago in Silver Pine Mica, their first choice. Beautiful color!

    I actually prefer blue myself, and I'd get the Seaside Pearl if I were in the market for a Prius.

    My guess is the most popular color for the car is silver (not silver pine, which is green).
  • florida_wenflorida_wen Member Posts: 29
    Thanks for the reply 210delray....
    I am curious about two things.... what color interior did your Son and his Wife get ?? Gray or Bisque ?? And.... what color would YOU get with the Seaside Pearl ?? I have seen the Seaside Pearl (blue) with both gray and bisque as well as cloth and leather interiors. The blue does not look as "nice" or as "balanced" with the bisque as it does with the gray. Now I was originally thinking that the bisque would be a more "complimenting Earthtone color" when used in the Silver Pine Mica (light green), but with all the "black" plastic on the dash, the top of the doors, parts of the console, etc. We decided to buy a 2007 SPM Touring with the GRAY interior, although I will admit at first I thought it was not going to be a "good combo." but after seeing several SPM's with GRAY interiors we both decided that it looked so much better than the bisque. We all must remember, not everyone has the same likes and dislikes.... this is what makes the world go 'round !! I have heard some (even in this forum) say they absolutely HATE the Silver Pine Mica while others (like my Wife and myself) think it's a GREAT color. The metalic makes it sort of a "changing" color depending on the amount of direct sunlight vs. a cloudy day. For a short while our second choice was the blue (Seaside Pearl) w/gray but it "triggered" memories (bad, bad) of a vehicle we had in the late 90's, a Chevy Malibu, which was 99% the exact color blue as the Seaside Pearl and that Chevy also had gray interior too. It was a very "troublesome" vehicle, a "money pit" (actually a real lemon) and we NEVER want to be reminded of that blue Malibu ever again :lemon: !!
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    My Prius is Seaside with the Bisque interior. I prefer that combo over the grey but my wife is of the other opinion. The bisque does show more dirt and wear but the seats clean up beautifully.

    I got the last '05 available about 2 weeks before the '06's arrived. At that time Silver Pine wasn't offered, it began with the '06 models. I prefer it to all the other colors except maybe the original Salsa Red.

    I'd have to say that Silver Pine / Bisque would be my own preference now.
  • florida_wenflorida_wen Member Posts: 29
    Hello kdhspyder....
    As far as red, about 30 years ago I had a brand new, very shiney RED Triumph TR-7 and I was constantly getting pulled over by cops, even though NOT speeding. This probably sounds stupid.... I really like bright, vibrant reds, but I truly believe that red vehicles are more prone to getting pulled over for no reason because the driver is believed to be "aggressive" !! :mad:
    Okay you can stop laughing !! But it's true...............
    In 1990 I purchased a brand new Honda Accord EX Coupe, that metallic blue-green (called Hampshire Green Metallic) and it ONLY came with IVORY (cloth) interior, NO other optional interior. As careful as I was (no kids, no pets, non-smoker) the seats would just get "dirty" from the body oils and my dark colored dress pants, especially if I was caught in rain or on a humid day. And the carpets (same Ivory color) picked up the "black" from the floor mats as well as my shoe dirt on the right side of the gas pedal. I SWORE to myself I would NEVER get a "light colored" interior ever again !!
    Your Seaside Pearl is a nice exterior color. It actually was our second choice for a while.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    My son and his wife got the gray interior, but their first choice was bisque. Green exterior with tan interior has been a common color combo in cars over the years, and I like it myself.

    They just went with the gray interior because of the tight supply of Priuses at the time, and they were delighted to get their first choice of exterior color and preferred option package.

    Regarding blue over gray, my '04 Camry LE is a nice medium blue (Catalina blue) with a gray cloth interior. Beautiful color and wonderful car so far (44K miles)!
  • dmaysdmays Member Posts: 7
    :) OK. I took delivery of a new Silver Prius Option PCKG4 from Antwerpen Toyota in Maryland on Sunday. With 500+ miles on the first tank of gas and an overall good ride, I have some questions...I live in NJ and commute between MD and NJ on a regular basis. Thus the reason for higher fuel economy. I am far from Granola...but do like trying to do my part. I am averaging 52 miles/gallon YEAH ME! Gas bills down by 1/2.

    Question 1 - Does the glove box light always come on and stay on when the lights are on? I know it highlights the glove box controls...but seems odd. The manuel was no help.

    Question 2 - Is there a way to change the default screen on the the screen. What if I only want the radio shown?

    Question 3 - Can an aftermarket store like Best Buy install the XM radio or do I have to take it to the dealer. Dealer seems like a rip off for the connection.

    Hmm...what other secrets should I know?
  • stevegoldstevegold Member Posts: 185
    That happened to my 2004 Prius the first night I had it.
    1. I had left something on.
    2. It was simple to jump start the small battery using the special terminals provided under the hood. All it needs is enough juice to power the computer. The big battery was fine.
    3. It never happened again even after months of not being started when we were away for ten weeks.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    Answer 1: The glove box light is an LED and is on all the time the lights are.

    Answer 2: Sorry, don't know.

    Answer 3: Aftermarket store should have no problem installing XM for you, but check around. There are installers, and then there are competent installers. You might also ask about having the antenna on the roof. The normal Toyota placement is on the dash. It works much better on the roof.
  • dijk_jdijk_j Member Posts: 1
    We have a new Prius, March 2006. Fantastic car, very good mileage, 54 mpg while commuting. One problem: 10-15 min after system start the ICE no longer shuts down while cruising. This kills the good mileage when no action is taken. This action involves stopping the car and waiting 10 sec for the ICE to stop. After this action the problem does not come back, however long the drive. Every time the system is started the same problem occurs. It does not happen when the airco is on. Any suggestions ?
  • jerseymiserjerseymiser Member Posts: 2
    Picked up my Barcelona Red/Bisque interior 2 weeks ago. Lawrence Toyota (NJ) located 1 for me within 3 days. Haven't had this much fun since my '69 VW beetle with stick shift! Everybody is asking me questions about hybrid technology and what kind of mileage. First tank was 46 mpg (actual miles/gallons). About to fill up again :) - screen is showing 550 miles @ 53 mpg. Will calculate the actual when I fill up. I have the perfect commute for a hybrid. 70 miles round trip, multiple speed zones, lights, stop signs, school zones, some highway. Car is very comfortable, roomy and quiet. Got package #3 - upgraded sound, 6 CD, backup camera, VCS. I actually enjoy the occasional traffic jam when the car is riding along on electric only and showing 99.9 MPG. Can't wait to get up in the morning and drive to work!
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Woo-hoo! I'm not the official host here, but I saw your post and wanted to welcome you to the Forums and to Prius ownership. Even though I'm in the midwest and looking at $3/gal gas, lower than many others, I envy your high mileage.

    Please do stick around and let us know how you're doing with your car, and you might even learn a little bit more about the inner workings of your new addition.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
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