CD changer on Prius III

[grahamy]

Last week I took delivery of a Gen III Prius III with solar roof and nav.
Dealer sticker states 6 CD disk changer.
Specs for Prius III states 6 CD disk changer.

Only just checked the audio a few days after purchase and find it has only a 4 CD disk changer. Seems to have 8 speakers but not sure 8 are working.

Has anyone else found this to be the case? Would appreciate feedback from other Prius III owners.

[accordingly]

The two front upper speakers definitely drown out all the rest. I'm not even sure that I could tell you where the remaining 6 were supposed to be. I assume there's one in each door but that leaves two missing. If you change the fade to the rear you can hear the others start to come in, but it seems the quality drops markedly.

I think your problem with the CD changer is that you have navigation- you lose two spots for the navigation CDs (or it may just be a different unit). If you look at the documentation on the navigation package, it says four-disc CD changer.

[theowl]

grahamy,

Accordingly is right. If you get the NAV option, the number of CD slots drops from 6 to 4. I have a IV, and that's how it is on mine. For me, the documentation spells that out in the NAV option section.

[bruceha_2000]

Right, 6 CD in-dash changer OR 4 CD behind-nav-screen changer. Liked the Gen II better - 6 CD in dash AND Nav on the standard MFD.

[eglmainz]

Originally Posted by accordingly

I think your problem with the CD changer is that you have navigation- you lose two spots for the navigation CDs (or it may just be a different unit). If you look at the documentation on the navigation package, it says four-disc CD changer.

This is correct. This is because while they had the same physical space to fit the unit (Nav vs. Non-Nav), they needed to be able to get a second laser pickup, and dvd drive in order to read the DVD Navigation data while listening to CDs.

I have a Prius V, Nav, and the same is true of my model. While at first I was a bit taken aback at the apparent 'downgrade' to a 4 CD (+ 1 Navi DVD) changer, I am fine with the limitation, as I now understand the need for it.

Besides, this also means that I now have Bluetooth Audio streaming, so I rarely use my CD Changer now anyway!

[theowl]

Originally Posted by eglmainz

Besides, this also means that I now have Bluetooth Audio streaming, so I rarely use my CD Changer now anyway!

+1. BT Streaming Audio is definitely great. I thought I would miss the two CD slots, but I use the streaming audio so much, that I have not even needed to load up a single CD. It's a great feature.

[wvgasguy]

Originally Posted by eglmainz

This is correct. This is because while they had the same physical space to fit the unit (Nav vs. Non-Nav), they needed to be able to get a second laser pickup, and dvd drive in order to read the DVD Navigation data while listening to CDs.

I have a Prius V, Nav, and the same is true of my model. While at first I was a bit taken aback at the apparent 'downgrade' to a 4 CD (+ 1 Navi DVD) changer, I am fine with the limitation, as I now understand the need for it.

Besides, this also means that I now have Bluetooth Audio streaming, so I rarely use my CD Changer now anyway!

beisdes, if you burn your CD's to mp3's you can hold a bazillion songs on 4 discs

[jim256]

Originally Posted by grahamy

Last week I took delivery of a Gen III Prius III with solar roof and nav.
Dealer sticker states 6 CD disk changer.
Specs for Prius III states 6 CD disk changer.
Only just checked the audio a few days after purchase and find it has only a 4 CD disk changer.

Has anyone else found this to be the case? Would appreciate feedback from other Prius III owners.

It's the same on the IV, as well--the sticker is listing "standard equipment", not the specs for the options on the particular car. You often see the same thing where a 5 speed is "standard" but an automatic is listed in the options section.

[NovaStu]

Originally Posted by eglmainz

While at first I was a bit taken aback at the apparent 'downgrade' to a 4 CD (+ 1 Navi DVD) changer, I am fine with the limitation, as I now understand the need for it.

Besides, this also means that I now have Bluetooth Audio streaming, so I rarely use my CD Changer now anyway!

And remember that the 4 discs can be MP3 format which means you essentially can hold the equivalent of 40 CDs in the changer!

Stu

[nola_Prius]

Originally Posted by accordingly

The two front upper speakers definitely drown out all the rest. I'm not even sure that I could tell you where the remaining 6 were supposed to be. I assume there's one in each door but that leaves two missing.

There are 4 speakers up front. (2 tweeters in the upper corners of the dash area, and 2 in the doors.)

There are also 2 speakers in each rear door. (1 tweeter and 1 woofer per door)