Question regarding a red sensor ?

[roso]

Question, on the driver side dash board, upper left hand corner, there is a red plastic (looks like a senor), what is it :?

[finman]

Some sort of radiant heat sensor for the auto-climate, per someone else here that's a lot smarter than I. Seems it measures radiant heat coming in the windshield and adjusts the auto-temp accordingly. As with all the other Prius systems, it just does a job that you really don't have to worry about!

[DanMan32]

The climate sensor near the windshield looks black to me.

[FBear]

Both the heat and light sensor are on that little ledge right near the widdshield. The light sensor adjusts the day/night of the display when you enter a tunnel or are in bright light.

[Kev1000000]

^^ i never experienced that...

[finman]

Huh? light sensor for the display? I've a 'blank' up there beside the radiant heat sensor. I want to say Canada has a light sensor up there for auto-headlights, but here in the states, there are no auto-headlights, thus no light sensor...

[jeromep]

All vehicles built today that have true auto climate have a solar radiation sensor to help the system intelligently choose vent settings, fans speeds and A/C compressor usage. In GM products there is a little reddish/black dome someplace near the defrost vents. I'm not sure where Ford puts it, but it is there.

[Blue]

If you're referring to the half-dome sensor that is up by the windshield, it's a light sensor that turns on/off your lights and adjusts the instrument display accordingly. Unfortunately it's non-functional in the Prius (at least in mine). It works just fine in other Toyota vehicles though.

[finman]

Look closer, there are 2 'openings'. The one on the left contains the radiant temp sensor for the auto-climate. The other (to the right of the domed sensor) is a blank that would contain the auto-light sensor. It is on the Canadian models, but not on US models (something to do with HID option, as well as the fact that DRLs are required in Canada). Not sure in the European/Japanese versions.

[Blue]

I'll have to take a look during my next drive..

My co-worker drives a 2004 Corolla, and he stated that the dome sensor was for the auto-lights (I think he read about it in the manual). It seems to work quite well in his car. I used to car pool with him, and the lights would turn on/off even when driving in and out of the parking garage.