What happens if you hit the P button when the car is in gear?

[zaxinc]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rangermike @ Mar 11 2007, 08:53 PM) [snapback]403965[/snapback]</div>

What if I'm driving (at any speed), and for some reason the P Button is hit? For instance, the kids are throwing a little ball around in the back seat, and the ball flies upfront and hits the P Button. Would this destroy the transmission? Can the P Button even be activated while the car is moving? I looked through the manual, but unless I missed it, I could not find the answer.

Thanks!
[/b]

Ranger, first, congratulations on picking up the new Prius. It's a great car. Thanks for asking the question. I was curious about this too as I recently ran into a situation where a sprinkler suddenly shot water onto the freeway (malfunctioned). I had to quickly fumble for the windshield wiper without slamming into the cars around me. I hit every lever, knob, button before turning on the wiper. My car ended up in neutral, and it got me thinking about the fallacy of the PARK button. What if I had hit it going 60 mph?

I'm too chicken to test the Reverse shifter and Park button while moving. Much obliged for the brave souls who experimented on these tests and posting the results here. I feel much better now.

[micheal]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid @ Mar 12 2007, 03:54 PM) [snapback]404288[/snapback]</div>

odd.. i remember it shifting into park at a higher speed. i recall the jarring of the car effect really well.

i know reverse is technically 8mph. i do this all the time.

i'll do more testing..... *sigh*
[/b]

Same here, I thought I had accidentally stopped the car going at least 5mph. I was slowing down, but 2mph is pretty slow. The sudden stop is certainly memorable.

[Tom_06]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid @ Mar 12 2007, 02:54 PM) [snapback]404288[/snapback]</div>

odd.. i remember it shifting into park at a higher speed. i recall the jarring of the car effect really well.

i know reverse is technically 8mph. i do this all the time.

i'll do more testing..... *sigh*
[/b]

BTW, the car has a log in one of the computers that records stupid/abusive events like these. The service manual suggests that they might be used to help educate the driver. I expect they could also be used as evidence of driver abuse in warranty denial claims at some dealerships. From a previous discussion:

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- Tom

[I give up]

That last post did it, I gotta have this thread. I love it. You guys are great.
I used to test my first car too, but that was Robert Mitchum's "Bootlegger
spin" I think he called it. It worked on gravel, but doing 30-40 mph on pavement, jerking the steering wheel hard left while pulling out the old hand emergency brake on a '51 Pontiac was more than I was willing to try.
If you are trying to remember it, that was from the movie "Thunder Road".

Maybe we should see if Prius Chat wants to sponsor the first Prius X Games? I would pay to watch that. Thanks for the great info. Gotta print this out for the wife.

[adam1991]

And who can forget Jim Rockford, hands tied, in the backseat of the bad guys' Cadillac, shoving his legs over and forcing the gearshift lever into P?

[Skynight]

Congrats on the new car!! We are new owners too, and find out new and great things every day!