Thoughts after one month

[Graz]

Hello Everyone,

I have now owned “my lil spaceship” for a month. I think I got a pretty good deal on the purchase too. I enjoy driving again. I apparently got all of the options too. The floor mats, the cargo net and carpet, the first aid kit, and the locking lug nuts. I was able to opt out of the dealers Toyota Platinum Extended service contract because I read Danny’s post on the great deal that his dealership offers. I feel grateful; for the internet, and the ability to negotiate with my dealer.

I have been a member of this group ever since I heard of “us”. I have a couple of comments.

1. I am shocked that there are people here that are members of the 700 mile club. I have gotten over 400 miles on one tank, but to think that others have been able to get almost 300 miles more… simply amazes me. Way to go – I am inspired.

2. Apparently there are no known “Easter eggs” in the matrix of computers in this vehicle. That seems unlikely, and another inspiration for all of us to keep looking.

3. I haven’t noticed any “bond” with other drivers (yet). I have not had much opportunity to drive in tandum with another Prius down the highway. But, I have passed a couple of Honda hybrid’s and I haven’t gotten so much as a glance. Though I have never owned a Harley, I have experienced more camaraderie between motorcycle riders. It always made me feel good when an approaching rider would hold his left fist in the air as a salute to a fellow rider.

I have a couple of longer trips planned this summer, and I hope to get more acquainted with my new vehicle. I will probably purchase the GPS display “hack” from Coastal Tech so that my family can work the GPS in route. I would also more seriously consider the EV mode accessory, but I won’t risk the Manufacturer’s warranty to own it.

I enjoy reading all of your posts and exploring this site. Thanks for contributing and reading.

[DanMan32]

I'm not sure what you mean by Easter Eggs, but there are indeed quite a few hidden things in the car.

The MFD has a diagnostic mode: Hit the display button and then turn the headlights on and off 4 or 5 times.

There are steps you can take, I call them dances, to make some configuration changes, such as disable reverse beep, or how the locks work. The lock function changes are in the owner's manual.

I don't know anyone who gets 700 miles on a tank regularly. One report of a special case, but he doesn't drive the car on the highway. Seems like it is only for show. I usually get 560 miles per tank, but I have gotten as high as 620. Usually the last bar is blinking when I get those high numbers.

[Graz]

The "Easter Egg's" that I am talking about are EXACTLY like the one you mentioned to get into the diagnostic mode. That rocks! Can you tell me what display I have to be in when I start flashing the lights? Are there any more?

By the way, My son just found my cassette adaptor. So now I can listen to MP3's using my Pocket PC by plugging the cassette adaptor into the headphone jack.

I am a geek!

[DanMan32]

Any display. Press the display button which produces the upper and lower banners that let you adjust its settings. Then 'flash' your tails.
An alternate way to get into the diagnostics is pressing the screen directly below the upper banner, then the screen directly above the bottom banner and repeat 4 or 5 times.

Much of the customizations, you have to have a dealer do. A few have a 'back door' way to set them, such as passive alarm. I had posted the dance for the passive mode, but I don't recommend it.

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

Easter Eggs = Hidden features which are not documented.

To find Easter Eggs go to: http://www.eeggs.com/

There you will find lists of eggs and where to look or how to activate the Easter Eggs: Eggs can be found in . . .
Computers: Software, Hardware, Electronics.
Movies: Secrets about Films, Directors, Actors.
Music: Hidden tidbits about Songs, Albums, Videos, and Artists.
TV: Eggs in TV shows, Commercials, etc.
Books: Authors and the secrets they hid in their work.
Art: Artists and the secrets they hid in their works.

[DanMan32]

OK, then all that I mentioned aren't easter eggs. They are all documented somewhere. Well, the second diagnostic screen isn't available in any readily available doc, so that might be an easter egg.

Enabling the alarm on Prius supposedly without it might be an easter egg, but then it is a documented customizable function.

[hdrygas]

OK this may be a cultural thing, and if I am wrong I apologies in advance because that is not my intent, but are Easter Eggs a Japanese thing? I know they show up in Japanese product that was not programed by Westerners or is this a Westerner thing?

[mspencer]

I don't think they have any kind of cultural significance. What you're calling an easter egg, they may have designed into the car for practical reasons: they want to allow technicians to change things for customers without making them hook up a scan tool, but they don't want to provide an easy interface for customers to make the change, because then they would need to document the change and its possible side-effects.