Safety question

[rkoska]

After 10 days in a Toyota garage, and almost $1000.00 in towing fees,dealer repair time and car rental cost, we have our Prius back.

This is the explanation that I received from the dealer:
QUOTE
Performed diagnostics, found pin #3 on plug 1J open circuit. Repairs performed were repaired connector pin #3 on plug 1J.
Before I criticize the amount of time and money on this simple problem I am going to contact Toyota Customer Service to see if this is normal for this type of repair. I will also ask Toyota if it is true what I have been told by two dealers that there is no way to get the Toyota Prius out of park without ignition. If this is true, I would find that to be a very serious safety hazard. The dealer informed me that when the tow truck delivered the car that they had to put the front wheels on dollies and push it into the dealership. We were very fortunate that this happened to us as we shut the car off at home and it would not restart. If this had happened at a stop sign or on a busy freeway, there would be no other alternative than to have an emergency vehicle push it off to the side of the road (I'd hate to see the bill for that one!). We have a 2005 Toyota Prius. If anyone knows if they have corrected this problem on later models (some manual way to place the car in neutral to unlock the front wheels when you have a battery failure or ignition failure), please let us know with a post.

Dick

[seasalsa]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dick K @ Feb 1 2007, 06:43 PM) [snapback]384238[/snapback]</div>

After 10 days in a Toyota garage, and almost $1000.00 in towing fees,dealer repair time and car rental cost, we have our Prius back.

This is the explanation that I received from the dealer:
QUOTE
Performed diagnostics, found pin #3 on plug 1J open circuit. Repairs performed were repaired connector pin #3 on plug 1J.


Dick
[/b]

Had you done any modifications, EV or anything? Had the car been in the shop previously? Unusual that the pin should suddenly come out causing an open circuit.

[ScottY]

Since the Prius is shift-by-wire, I can't think of any way to put it in N while the car is not power on. You are correct, this is a concern for me as well.

Was the car under warranty? If so, maybe they can cover the towing and rental?

[daveleeprius]

I think the Prius will go out of Park when it is not on. My wife was in the car the other day parked in our carport, and she pressed power once and put in a CD. Somehow the car started rolling backward and there was nothing she could do - I think she didn't have the emergency brake set hard enough, sometimes that happens with her. I wasn't in the car so I didn't see it happen, but I'm glad there was just a parking lot behind her and not a street with traffic! I haven't tried to duplicate this yet but will soon. I don't know how well the brakes work on this car if it is not on. I'll check that too.

Dave

[rkoska]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seasalsa @ Feb 1 2007, 11:26 PM) [snapback]384253[/snapback]</div>

Had you done any modifications, EV or anything? Had the car been in the shop previously? Unusual that the pin should suddenly come out causing an open circuit.
[/b]

All cost were covered by warranty.The car has only 11000 miles on it, we purchased new in july of2005.
No modifications have been done, and it has had no previus repairs. The dealer stated that the wire in question had never been fully inserted in the plug. I am very concerned about the safty factor that I mentioned and would be interested to know if this problem has been corrected(with loss of 12v battery or ignition the front wheels are locked in park) on later models.
Dick

[hill]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dick K @ Feb 1 2007, 10:43 PM) [snapback]384238[/snapback]</div>

After 10 days in a Toyota garage, and almost $1000.00 in towing fees,dealer repair time and car rental cost, we have our Prius back.

This is the explanation that I received from the dealer:
QUOTE
Performed diagnostics, found pin #3 on plug 1J open circuit. Repairs performed were repaired connector pin #3 on plug 1J.
. . . . . . . . .
Dick
[/b]

$1,000 in towing fee? How do you manage that? Seems like that much money would get you 1/2 way accross the state. Our AAA membership ... which costs just a few buck a year, and our extended warranty generate a great deal of security and have already paid for their self several times over.

[rkoska]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Feb 2 2007, 01:47 PM) [snapback]384453[/snapback]</div>

$1,000 in towing fee? How do you manage that? Seems like that much money would get you 1/2 way accross the state. Our AAA membership ... which costs just a few buck a year, and our extended warranty generate a great deal of security and have already paid for their self several times over.
[/b]

Hill if you read my post i said $1000.00 in towing fees,dealer repair time and car rental cost, the towing was around $200.00 I had it towed under my good sam membership, as Toyota only pays up to$100. under the waranty. I did not have to pay for the repairs or car rental.
Dick

I talked to a salesmen at a Toyota dealership and he said all Toyotas have an emergency shift lock release, but he couldnot find it on the Prius. Does anyone know if the newer Prius has one.
Dick

[Pinto Girl]

I don't know, but I wish I did.

Regarding Neutral, the only thing I could find was:

"The car must be in the ready mode, and instead of just tapping the joystick as one does to put it in reverse or drive, tap and hold it on neutral for a second or so. The car will stay in neutral. The reason the car has this feature is so you don't accidentally bump the joystick while driving, and throw yourself into neutral."

But this assumes that *the car will enter ready mode.*

I'm beginning to think that there is *no* way to get it into N in an emergency, but -- again -- I'm not sure.