1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Reverse "beep"

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by BayAreaPrius1, Apr 13, 2008.

  1. BayAreaPrius1

    BayAreaPrius1 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2008
    20
    1
    0
    Location:
    East Bay Area, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I just purchased an '08 Prius about 3 weeks ago and just activated my PriusChat membership today. So, hello.
    The dealer told me there is no way to turn off the oh-so-annoying reverse beep. I imagine there has already been some discussion regarding this but I am unable to find it. Is the dealer telling me the truth? Or is removing this useless beep a simple process??
    Thanks.
     
  2. pbpuzzle

    pbpuzzle New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    35
    0
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    do a search on this topic. I have seen it on several threads.
    & BTW welcome, lots of great info here
     
  3. My2008Prius

    My2008Prius Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2008
    96
    2
    0
    Location:
    Amelia Island / Fernandina Beach, FL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    1. Power on the car, press the [ODO/TRIP] button until the ODO is shown. This will not work if TRIP1 or TRIP2 are displayed.
    2. Power off the car.
    3. Power on the car and within 6 seconds, hold the [ODO/TRIP] button for at least 10-20 seconds. I held it for 20... worked for me...
    4. While still holding the [ODO/TRIP] button:
      1. Use the lever to shift into Reverse.
      2. Brief pause.
      3. Press the [Park] button.
    5. Make sure that b-on shows on the speedometer display. This means that the beep is on.
    6. Press [ODO/TRIP] button and b-off should display. This means that the beep is off.
    7. Power off the car.
    (You know you want to)

    1. Power on the car.
    2. Shift into reverse.
    3. Enjoy the silence.
    Courtesty of TonyPSchaefer, with one minor addition, though there are same instructions on other threads...
     
    n0rberto and sparkle like this.
  4. BayAreaPrius1

    BayAreaPrius1 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2008
    20
    1
    0
    Location:
    East Bay Area, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Wow, it worked... That's great! Thanks a lot.. Makes me want to drive around backward for a little while.. :) I will now look forward to when I need to backup, as opposed to dreading it..
     
    MITCHEROOO likes this.
  5. Grunthos

    Grunthos Senior Azgoth Poetmaster

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    81
    3
    0
    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Now you just need to disable the seatbelt beeps and you're good to go!
     
    MITCHEROOO likes this.
  6. longbow

    longbow Recovering SUV Owner

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2008
    62
    34
    0
    Location:
    Bayfield County, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I nuked the beeps this weekend... Blissful silence... Of course I did back over myself..;) you see I did not have my seatbelt on and......
     
  7. sas0611

    sas0611 Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2008
    230
    15
    0
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I am reluctant to disable the reverse beep ... not because I like it but because I am wondering where this beep hack has come from. I am thinking that if it is not a mod that Toyota supports it may be messing with something else in addition to just the reverse beep sound. In my younger years I spent 15 years programming software and I know all to well that any changes in a programs software no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential often cause something unforseen or worse unnoticed to go awry.

    This is comedically illustrated in the movie Office Space where a programmer introduces a piece of code into a transactional database application that messes with a rounding function. The intended effect was to slowly but surely pilfer a fraction of a cent without raising any red flags. The code was not tested properly and ended up siphoning way too much and way too fast.

    So I guess I have two questions - was the code adequately tested and was it gleened from some internal Toyota documentation specifically addressing 'offing' the reverse beep ?
     
  8. rkskeet

    rkskeet New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    91
    3
    0
    Location:
    State College Pa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    SAS0611 - I'm with you.. If the beep was meant to be easily turned off and on, it would have been built in as a feature.. Lord knows there are a ton of features and gadgets on this car. I have a month old new Prius, 2008 pkg 6 and enjoying the ride and fuel savings..

    The car is really great and I figure I can put up with the beep as I generally drive forward 99% of the time.. The other 1% can be done with a little backup music..

    Enjoy!!!
     
  9. Yankees251

    Yankees251 Black Touring HI Package

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2008
    96
    2
    0
    Location:
    Danbury, CT
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    ^^^^^^^^
    Are you guys serious!?:pound:
     
    m.wynn and Martin Hunt like this.
  10. Grunthos

    Grunthos Senior Azgoth Poetmaster

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    81
    3
    0
    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I had a long sarcastic message typed in but I decided to scrap it in favor of a more serious one: disabling the reverse beep is one of the most well-documented "hacks" in all of Priusdom. I would guess there are thousands of users who have implemented it and I've never seen a single complaint. (Which then begs the question: If an issue is "unnoticed" for the entire lifetime of the car is it a problem? I'd have to say that this particular tree falling does NOT make a sound.) If you want to discuss something that could even potentially have unforseen consequences, the EV mode hack would be a better candidate as this truly was not intended to be present on North American Prii. (Although I've done that one as well and have no complaints, either.)
     
  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,606
    8,036
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Yep, the only better hack is the lockpic, which enables you to input GPS addresses on the fly, as well as dial your bluetooth enabled phone off of the MFD. Life is good.

    And welcome!

    .
     
  12. rpiereck

    rpiereck Regenerator

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2008
    289
    3
    0
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Just for fun, take it to the dealer and tell them your back up beeper isn't working anymore, see if they attempt to repair it! :p
     
    BLNT likes this.
  13. rsforkner

    rsforkner Member

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2008
    369
    9
    0
    Location:
    Boynton Beach, FL, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Hey, Think of the great MPG from driving backward since the ICE doesn't even work in reverse. Maybe you could reach that elusive 99.9 MPG. Well, maybe not since th ICE needs to run to charge th battery.

    Bob
     
  14. chriscard25

    chriscard25 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2008
    35
    0
    0
    Location:
    Chicago area
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    And it is not really a hack to begin with--it is an alternate setting in the car. That is why the display shows "off" and "on". No different than locking out your windows from going down, just a few extra buttons to push.

    Chriscard25
     
  15. lesturner

    lesturner Taming the Dragon - Tennessee

    Joined:
    May 17, 2007
    75
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bremen, IN, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    You have to understand that lawyers play as much a role in the design of cars as the engineers do...

    If Toyota made it easy to turn off the 'safety' indicators, some knucklehead in the US would sue them the first time they were in an accident and didn't buckle up.

    By making it undocumented and somewhat hard to do, turning it off has to be intentional, and the have plausible deniability in a courtroom...

    Gotta love our litigious society.:ballchain:
     
    m.wynn likes this.
  16. legendx

    legendx New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2008
    12
    0
    0
    Location:
    Blacksburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    You're joking right? People have been doing this since the new model came out and noone's Prius has randomly exploded or shown any other signs of illness.
     
  17. wb9tyj

    wb9tyj 2017 Prius Prime Advanced

    Joined:
    May 20, 2004
    389
    94
    0
    Location:
    Indiana and Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I've had mine off for 4 years now...it's a non-issue...
     
  18. Grunthos

    Grunthos Senior Azgoth Poetmaster

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    81
    3
    0
    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A

    If it's not documented in the user's guide, I'd call it a hack. Although perhaps "Easter Egg" would have been a better term.
     
  19. chriscard25

    chriscard25 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2008
    35
    0
    0
    Location:
    Chicago area
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    To quibble a little on schematics---hacking implies modifing the current software. Easter Egg is good. And I bet it is documented in a tech or service guide.

    The beep is simply designed to protect us from ourselves!:D

    Chriscard25
     
  20. skguh

    skguh Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2007
    195
    4
    0
    Location:
    Montgomery, Alabama
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    It is BECAUSE of this very litigious environment and to protect Americans from themselves, that Toyota has determined it necessary to put the damned thing on the car in the first place. I would NEVER know I was backing up if I weren't going backwards with a stupid beeper on--and it's ONLY audible from the inside. Seriously, people, don't we have anything better to think about?

    Why, in fact, is the EV switch available everywhere BUT the US? Why is it necessary to have stickers all over the sun visors? Why is it necessary to have a "You're a dumbass, don't read this screen," disclaimer on the MFD?

    Apparently, it IS necessary...
     
    m.wynn likes this.