Prius shopping, nobody told you?

eefficiency · 07-06-2005, 02:35 AM

FIRST COMPLAINT.
Are you the kind of person who hates programming a wrist watch? Well, many functions of lights, beeps, locks, smart key functions, touch menus can be altered by reprogramming or initiating in a certain order of operation, that can be exasperating for the new owner.

I am going through my first week of learning curve: finding out if back doors or windows can be operated when car is powered off or in various modes of powering up or engine on, can I be inside the car or have to be outside, or do I have to use the smart key.

If you read the fine print in the owner's manual, the smart key can be reprogrammed so that all the doors open automatically at once(which is my preference so passengers don't have to wait on me). I had to hold the lock button down simultaneously and well as the panic button for 5 secs until I heard the right combinations of beeps from the car, for the unlocking mode I wanted.

What's all the secrecy? I think it would be better to have function menus on the touch screen that allow you make these changes in plain English. :guns: Or is being occult a cultural difference?

**Tideland Prius** · 07-06-2005, 02:47 AM

I've yet to see a Japanese vehicle within the lower price range with a customise menu. Hmm, actually, I haven't checked if the LS430 even has a customise menu.

c4 · 07-06-2005, 10:39 AM

That's actually a very good question- Why the series of complicated operations (eg, shift up/down, brake on/off, hold this button for 5 seconds and open and close the door 6 times, sacrifice 3 goats to Cthulu, dance counterclockwise around your car naked 3 times under a full moon, except if its a Tuesday in which case you go clockwise*) vs. a nice uncomplicated menu selection?

Heck even the dealers have trouble with a common operation like programming new keys/fobs, but there's a perfectly good MFD with touch screen input available, and dealers could use the THHT- there is really no need for the complicated door opening, button pushing, pedal stomping maneuvers, so it makes you wonder what the heck these guys were smoking when the wrote the software..

If they wanted to prevent casual or accidental changes, the simple thing would have been to require a programming interlock or jumper to be installed before the programming could be changed..

* Actually, if you've looked at the procedures for emissions test mode and alarm system passive/active mode changes the procedures are not far off from this..

Hybrid_Dave · 07-06-2005, 10:57 AM

Hi Tech sometimes carries a degree of High Stress, just the way it is with the Prius is all....much like High Performance usually coincides with High Maintenence.....but, between the two comparisons, I'd take Hi Tech anyday, and learn to adapt to my changing world. It took me a couple of days to fully go through the kinks and bugs, but it's the best car I've owned once I fully understood her moods :wink:

DaveinOlyWA · 07-06-2005, 11:36 AM

high tech is high stress because we nearly almost always overcomplicate the problem.

90% of problems i see are solved by "thoroughly" checking the basics.

the other 9.7% of the problems comes from users who refuse to go back and check the basics because they think they know so much about their computer that they are qualified to eliminate the obvious but at the same time are not smart enough to figure out the problem

tech support is nothing but glorified baby sitting

jeromep · 07-06-2005, 06:41 PM

Here is the thing. The THHT is a pretty straight forward device to use. It is hierarchial menu driven and as such requires that the tech working on the car can read the repair manual and the screen on the tester. So, programming a new fob for 04-05 Prius is basically pretty straight forward. It requires that at least one master key be around for the programming, but that is more of a security measure rather than just plain inconvenience.

The reason the touch screen doesn't interface with user options is because those options are stored in a different computer system than the MFD is connected to. On top of that, manufactures of vehicles want changes to the computer systems on their vehicles to be very deliberate. Meaning that if you want to add a new coded key or change the backup beep, you need to know what you are doing and you must want to do it. Plus, the Prius is basically an embedded system. Embedded computer systems are not designed to be easy to use, so much as they are designed to accomplish a specific task or set of tasks.

**Tideland Prius** · 07-06-2005, 08:58 PM

Yeah but it's kind of annoying to go to the dealer to set the sensitivity of the headlight control, how long the lights stay on after you lock the car etc.

07-06-2005, 02:35 AM	#1
eefficiency Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 11 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Prius shopping, nobody told you? FIRST COMPLAINT. Are you the kind of person who hates programming a wrist watch? Well, many functions of lights, beeps, locks, smart key functions, touch menus can be altered by reprogramming or initiating in a certain order of operation, that can be exasperating for the new owner. I am going through my first week of learning curve: finding out if back doors or windows can be operated when car is powered off or in various modes of powering up or engine on, can I be inside the car or have to be outside, or do I have to use the smart key. If you read the fine print in the owner's manual, the smart key can be reprogrammed so that all the doors open automatically at once(which is my preference so passengers don't have to wait on me). I had to hold the lock button down simultaneously and well as the panic button for 5 secs until I heard the right combinations of beeps from the car, for the unlocking mode I wanted. What's all the secrecy? I think it would be better to have function menus on the touch screen that allow you make these changes in plain English. :guns: Or is being occult a cultural difference?

07-06-2005, 10:57 AM	#4
Hybrid_Dave Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Richmond Virginia Posts: 209 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Prius shopping, nobody told you? Hi Tech sometimes carries a degree of High Stress, just the way it is with the Prius is all....much like High Performance usually coincides with High Maintenence.....but, between the two comparisons, I'd take Hi Tech anyday, and learn to adapt to my changing world. It took me a couple of days to fully go through the kinks and bugs, but it's the best car I've owned once I fully understood her moods :wink:

07-06-2005, 06:41 PM	#6
jeromep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Eastern Washington State Posts: 821 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Prius shopping, nobody told you? Here is the thing. The THHT is a pretty straight forward device to use. It is hierarchial menu driven and as such requires that the tech working on the car can read the repair manual and the screen on the tester. So, programming a new fob for 04-05 Prius is basically pretty straight forward. It requires that at least one master key be around for the programming, but that is more of a security measure rather than just plain inconvenience. The reason the touch screen doesn't interface with user options is because those options are stored in a different computer system than the MFD is connected to. On top of that, manufactures of vehicles want changes to the computer systems on their vehicles to be very deliberate. Meaning that if you want to add a new coded key or change the backup beep, you need to know what you are doing and you must want to do it. Plus, the Prius is basically an embedded system. Embedded computer systems are not designed to be easy to use, so much as they are designed to accomplish a specific task or set of tasks. __________________ It has been said: Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2. 2005 Prius, Millenium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

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07-06-2005, 02:47 AM	#2
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,633 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 229 Thanked 346 Times in 245 Posts Friends: 23	I've yet to see a Japanese vehicle within the lower price range with a customise menu. Hmm, actually, I haven't checked if the LS430 even has a customise menu.

07-06-2005, 10:39 AM	#3
c4 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 524 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	That's actually a very good question- Why the series of complicated operations (eg, shift up/down, brake on/off, hold this button for 5 seconds and open and close the door 6 times, sacrifice 3 goats to Cthulu, dance counterclockwise around your car naked 3 times under a full moon, except if its a Tuesday in which case you go clockwise) vs. a nice uncomplicated menu selection? Heck even the dealers have trouble with a common operation like programming new keys/fobs, but there's a perfectly good MFD with touch screen input available, and dealers could use the THHT- there is really no need for the complicated door opening, button pushing, pedal stomping maneuvers, so it makes you wonder what the heck these guys were smoking when the wrote the software.. If they wanted to prevent casual or accidental changes, the simple thing would have been to require a programming interlock or jumper to be installed before the programming could be changed.. Actually, if you've looked at the procedures for emissions test mode and alarm system passive/active mode changes the procedures are not far off from this..

07-06-2005, 11:36 AM	#5
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,382 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 122 Times in 104 Posts Friends: 10	high tech is high stress because we nearly almost always overcomplicate the problem. 90% of problems i see are solved by "thoroughly" checking the basics. the other 9.7% of the problems comes from users who refuse to go back and check the basics because they think they know so much about their computer that they are qualified to eliminate the obvious but at the same time are not smart enough to figure out the problem tech support is nothing but glorified baby sitting

07-06-2005, 08:58 PM	#7
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,633 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 229 Thanked 346 Times in 245 Posts Friends: 23	Yeah but it's kind of annoying to go to the dealer to set the sensitivity of the headlight control, how long the lights stay on after you lock the car etc.