Park Button

[iDonna]

OK, I've suppressed this for as long as I could.

Um, my Park button doesn't illuminate until *after* it's engaged and when it does it's just a little dinky light indicator (pul-leeze) and not the button illumination I'm looking for.

This "design" makes the button a little difficult to find in the dark. I have to feel around in the dark to find the park button? (What's up with THAT?)

If this is by design, it's wrong, wrong, wrong!

I'm holding out hope that the button is supposed to illuminate (particularly at night) so it can be easily found and thus engaged and mine is just broken; they'll fix it when I go in for my 5K check up.

Right now I have to turn on my interior light, find the Park button and push it, turn off the interior light. Sounds like a Bill Gates Vista special feature.

Tell me your Park button illuminates in the dark so you can easily find it at night!



-Donna

[Tideland Prius]

I recall it being illuminated just like the joystick shifter. Which part, I don't recall. I'll have to get back to you on that.

[efusco]

Hmmm, I guess it's one of those things you just have to get used to if you use your park button frequently in the dark. The location is pretty intuitive after a few uses and there's a series of bumps so you can tell by feel if you have the right one.

Final thought, you do realize that when you turn off the car there is no need to first put it in park? Just push the power button and the car will go into park then shut down in one easy step. I use the park button less than once a week b/c I rarely park and leave the car running.

[fphinney]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 25 2006, 08:56 PM) [snapback]338367[/snapback]</div>

Hmmm, I guess it's one of those things you just have to get used to if you use your park button frequently in the dark. The location is pretty intuitive after a few uses and there's a series of bumps so you can tell by feel if you have the right one.

Final thought, you do realize that when you turn off the car there is no need to first put it in park? Just push the power button and the car will go into park then shut down in one easy step. I use the park button less than once a week b/c I rarely park and leave the car running. [/b]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are right, doc! If you watch the dash display closely as you press the "Power" button, you'll get to see the "P" becoming highlighted just before the car shuts down. I guess most people are more concerned with other things, and totally miss this.

You're welcome,

[Rest]

You think that light is bad, look around at your doors at night. There is only one light lit, "auto" on the driver's door. That is a poor design in my opinion.

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(iDonna @ Oct 25 2006, 05:08 PM) [snapback]338332[/snapback]</div>

OK, I've suppressed this for as long as I could.

Um, my Park button doesn't illuminate until *after* it's engaged and when it does it's just a little dinky light indicator (pul-leeze) and not the button illumination I'm looking for.

This "design" makes the button a little difficult to find in the dark. I have to feel around in the dark to find the park button? (What's up with THAT?)

If this is by design, it's wrong, wrong, wrong!

I'm holding out hope that the button is supposed to illuminate (particularly at night) so it can be easily found and thus engaged and mine is just broken; they'll fix it when I go in for my 5K check up.

Right now I have to turn on my interior light, find the Park button and push it, turn off the interior light. Sounds like a Bill Gates Vista special feature.

Tell me your Park button illuminates in the dark so you can easily find it at night!



-Donna
[/b]

I just turn on the headlights, if I can't see the Park button. Then it gets illuminated.

Dave M.

[iDonna]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 25 2006, 09:56 PM) [snapback]338367[/snapback]</div>

Hmmm, I guess it's one of those things you just have to get used to if you use your park button frequently in the dark. The location is pretty intuitive after a few uses and there's a series of bumps so you can tell by feel if you have the right one.
[/b]

For $30K, I want the "P" on the button to illuminate. <_<

So before sunrise this morning (I was out of milk), I get in the car and notice that the P will illuminate when I power up. (LOL) Of course I'm already in park!?! (Hellloooooo!) The ability to illuminate the P exists. I want the name of the guy who dropped the ball on this fired!! (lol)

Final thought, you do realize that when you turn off the car there is no need to first put it in park? Just push the power button and the car will go into park then shut down in one easy step. I use the park button less than once a week b/c I rarely park and leave the car running.
[/b]

Oh yes. But more often than not, I want to sit in my Prius in Park, in the dark with the exterior lights off, gather my things, thoughts, usually complete the track I'm listening to, check the odometer, ... there are things to do before cutting off the power.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rest @ Oct 26 2006, 05:32 AM) [snapback]338478[/snapback]</div>

You think that light is bad, look around at your doors at night. There is only one light lit, "auto" on the driver's door. That is a poor design in my opinion.
[/b]

Probably designed by the same guy in charge of the Park button.

[eagle33199]

If you feel comfortable doing a bit of soldering back behind the panels, I'm sure we could come up with a fairly easy bypass for you which would just illuminate the button all the time - if i have some time this weekend I'll pull out my DMM and figure something out.

[Beryl Octet]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(iDonna @ Oct 25 2006, 08:08 PM) [snapback]338332[/snapback]</div>

OK, I've suppressed this for as long as I could.

Um, my Park button doesn't illuminate until *after* it's engaged and when it does it's just a little dinky light indicator (pul-leeze) and not the button illumination I'm looking for.

This "design" makes the button a little difficult to find in the dark. I have to feel around in the dark to find the park button? (What's up with THAT?)

If this is by design, it's wrong, wrong, wrong!

I'm holding out hope that the button is supposed to illuminate (particularly at night) so it can be easily found and thus engaged and mine is just broken; they'll fix it when I go in for my 5K check up.

Right now I have to turn on my interior light, find the Park button and push it, turn off the interior light. Sounds like a Bill Gates Vista special feature.

Tell me your Park button illuminates in the dark so you can easily find it at night!



-Donna
[/b]

I've never noticed this as a problem, but after I realized I could just hit the power button to park, I've been doing that for the last few months. The whole "park button" design choice does seem strange to me, I don't know why they didn't put that function into the shifter. Folks that I show the car to are invariably surprised that the shift lever doesn't stay in D, but pops back over, and also ask what "B" means. I've left the little sticker that says "Press P to Park", but it's a little ragged looking now.

[PA]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(iDonna @ Oct 26 2006, 10:41 AM) [snapback]338566[/snapback]</div>

For $30K, I want the "P" on the button to illuminate. <_<
[/b]

The "P" on mine illuminates when the lights are on, just like it does for the radio, steering wheel buttons, shifter, etc. It is almost as bright as the radio lights and a little brighter than the steering wheel lights. I'm talking about the actual "P", not the green rectangle that lights when it's in Park.

If you can't see the "P" illuminated, perhaps one of the following applies:
1. You don't have the lights on.
2. Your dash lights are turned down too low.
3. The light is not functioning for some reason.
4. It's too bright out so you can't see the illumination.

Are you having problems with any of the other lights (shifter, steering wheel buttons, etc.)? Definitely have the dealer check it out if none of the above fixes it. You should not have to turn on a light to find the Park button.