Another new Prius owner with questions

[MiamiMurphy]

Hi all -

I bought my white 2005 package 5 Prius on Sunday and have been reading the manual, finally found this board and Edmunds but have some rather basic questions:

I love the car and it did really well last night in a pouring rain during which it took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to go 12 miles from downtown Miami to my house on US 1 - not a freeway but a regular road.

However -

1. When the car is in reverse the R light is blinking - is this okay - I do not recall it having blinked before today;
2. My smart key does not work until I am right at the door - prior to yesterday it worked from about three feet away;
3. Tire pressure - how much - Toyota dealer said 34
4. Seatcovers for the dogs - I am getting samples from the place you all suggested - gtcovers.com - will let you know if I find any other covers.

Really appreciate all of you out there. BTW - I have not had time to finish my profile - obviously I live in Miami and Murphy is my dog.

ML

[Tideland Prius]

1) yes
2) seems abnormal
3) 34/32 PSI F/R

[bobc]

Hi ML,

Congrats!!!

Let me add a little bit to the answers:

1) As Tideland stated, yes, this is normal.

2) Just want to check that you're talking about your smart key and not the keyless entry. My smart key is about the same: 3' feet away from the car seems about right. I'll have friends try to open the door but can't until I (with the key) get to within 3' of the car. Maybe Tideland can add more to this.

But then, I really don't need it to work at distances greater than 3' since my arms can't reach that far to open the doors!

If it's the keyless entry, yes. When you push the lock/unlock button, is should work much further than three feet away.


Have fun!

-bob

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MiamiMurphy\";p=\"71275)</div>

2.  My smart key does not work until I am right at the door - prior to yesterday it worked from about three feet away;[/b]

First we need to define what you mean by 'not work[ing]'. If you slowly approach the car as the oscillator in the door cycles it should sense you as you get within about 3 feet. At night you'll notice the interior lights begin to come on. The faster you approach the more likely you are to enter that 3 foot range between oscillations. What I normally experience, as a fast walker, is that the interior lights rarely have time to start coming on when I'm approaching. Usually, however, the sensor notices and recognizes the fob by the time I touch the door handle and it unlocks immediately. Occasionally I'll just have bad timing and the door won't immediately unlock and I'll have to give a second try a moment later.

3.  Tire pressure - how much - Toyota dealer said 34

A highly debated issue and one you really need to do a search for prior answers on. Short answer is that the owner's manual recommendation will give you the best ride and may offer a slight safety advantage at a small cost in mpg. Many (?most) of us who look carefully at this have opted for somewhat higher pressures...sacrificing a little smoothness of ride for the improved mileage and tire wear. I use 42f/40r...always keep the 2psi differential with front higher.

[MiamiMurphy]

Hi all -

Thank you so much for your quick responses.

It is the Smart Key and it worked exactly as described Dr. Efusco described until a few days ago. Now I have to go to right next to the door for it to open the door. Will let Toyota check in on Sat as I have an appt. for them to show me more about my Prius - it was late afternoon on Sunday when I picked it up and did not have much time left to concentrate on all the mechanics of it.

Tire pressure is really something I have been reading about and will research. As a former owner of the worst Suvs - Explorer and Escape - tire pressure is something I think about.

Also, I found this John's Stuff information on the Prius by Googling and it is great regarding many question - love those energy flow diagrams and descriptions.

Traveling only on city streets is a challenge but I am averaging 41.8 mph.

Anyway - you all are the best.

Driving my Prius makes me feel so good - Miami is so full of Hummers, etc. - you would think it was located north of Fairbanks.

Again,

Thank you

ML

[8AA]

If you'd like to eliminate the beeps while in reverse (they are only heard inside the car, so it doesn't do anything to alert pedestrians), check out the knowledge base for instructions.

As for tire pressure, lots of people on this board are using 40F/38R, 42F/40R, and some even higher. I tried it for awhile, but thought that the ride was a little harsh. I've settled on 37F/35R, and find that the ride is a little better, but also the handling is improved. Although a lower pressure than most people here, I'm averaging around 50MPG, so there isn't a huge mileage penalty.

[MiamiMurphy]

Hi -
I know that it beeps in reverse - I just, for some reason, noticed today, that R actually blinks on the dashboard - thought I would have noticed that sooner.

Guess it is normal though.

Thank you for the tire pressure input.

ML

[andyprius]

I've noticed with the Fob in my front left pocket, should I slightly pivot to the rear when at the door, the car will not sense thru my blocking torso, so I remember to give the car a clear channel and face the door directly. The Fob is actually very sensitive and I can transmit a Emergency Alarm signal thru two walls, one being a firedoor to the prius in the garage.

[Widdletink]

Hi and Congrats!

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents regarding the SKS (Smart Key System). As a fellow female, (one who has never had any kind of keyless entry before) who sometimes carries either a purse, briefcase, backpack or messenger bag I have taken to attaching my keys to my person instead of leaving them in my carry-on just so that I will not leave them in the car by accident. You will probably never have this problem, but I don't want to take a chance on my memory.

Also, regarding the back-up beeps. Not too long ago there was a thread started by another new owner in Australia who had gotten confused and accidently put his car in drive when he meant to put it in reverse. No harm was done (fortunately) but, as I was one of the few who confessed to having done the exact same thing (I am sure there more who have done it, but they kept silent :-)) I have elected to keep the backup beep active in my car for my own piece of mind and I don't let off of the brake until I hear that beep.

You do need to remember that the beeping is only heard within the cab of the car and not outside of her and that when you are in "stealth" mode (like pulling out of a parking space) your car is pretty quiet. Even though you have backup lights aplenty, people are not always as observant as they should be so you need to exercise extra caution just to be safe. I have been told that you can buy replacement bulbs for the backup lights that emit an audible beep on the outside of the car but have not investigated whether or not this is a viable option.

Also, just for fun, you might want to start an auto diary for yourself. It is a great way to see in a concrete, trackable manner how much you save, how much you use, how far you go and how long you go between fill ups, etc.

It is also very helpful when you are trying to compute your actual lifetime MPG vs. the info that you get from tank to tank averages on the MFD (multi-function display).

Oh, and so that you don't worry (because I did) when you fill up with gas the consumption info on the MFD will reset and you will start fresh with data applicable to that tank alone. No, there is no way (at this point) to get the car to tell you what it's actual lifetime mpg info is. So that is where the diary will come in handy.

Be sure to check your local Target & PepBoys (or equivalent) for some great and inexpensive aftermarket goodies that you can get to accessorize your new toy.

Target has some super things to organize the interior for a pittance $4.99 for a nice looking headrest mounted combo trash receptacle & tissue box holder and $9.99 to $14.99 for a great cargo tote (small or large) that comes in black, tan or grey which is comparable to what is available from Toyota but for alot less than they charge.

Most important, enjoy you car. You have made a smart purchase, not only for yourself, but for everyone around you as well. You have now chosen to be part of the solution and less a part of the problem.

Welcome and good luck,

Tisza

[Stocky]

Hi Widdletink

I am a male and don't use a purse (sic), but the Toyota dealer gave me a lanyard with a clip on it, the sort you wear at conferences with your pass or name on.

I just clipped my SKS to this, looped it round my neck under my shirt - works like a charm. This way I ALWAYS have the SKS on me, will never lock it in the car and everyone is amazed when I open the car (apparently) without a key.

I even joked to someone that I had a special capsule inserted under my skin when I picked my car up - LOL.