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Anyone Know Why Prius Has No Auto Off Feature?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Matt Hirn, Jun 22, 2013.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    With a traditional, key-in-ignition car, you would have to leave the key behind, this physical reminder has benefits. How we progress.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    when you get out and shut the door, and it beeps at you? you'd have to be pretty distracted to not think twice. could it happen? i guess so, but people have left their keys in the ignition with the car running as well.

    is it legal there?
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I was at the bank machine yesterday, actually walked there, it's quite close. Anyway, a guy drives into the parking lot about the same time, in a big truck, on the same mission. Gets out, is walking in, I notice: he leaves his truck a'running.

    I don't say boo, but it gets me musing.
     
  4. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    How about a carbon monoxide sensor on the car. If the car has been stopped for a long time and the CO level approaches dangerous, turn off the car. The $50 extra would never be noticed in the price of a new car.
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Nope. But everyone does it.
     
  6. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    As other's have said, it is the responsibility of the operator to properly operate the vehicle. It is a machine, and only does what the operator tells it to do.

    I will admit it is easy to leave the Prius in ready mode when you exit the vehicle, especially if you are distracted. It is easier still to forget to push the park button especially if you are distracted. I am speaking from experience on both counts. I have caught myself backing into a spot, and then forgetting to push park, only to find when I step out of the Prius the Prius will begin to move again. Luckily all that happened was the Prius bumped into the curb behind it. It could have been a whole lot worse. It could have backed into a vehicle behind it or even worse a human being.

    Even with the audible three beeps if one was to leave the Prius in ready mode and then exit the vehicle, it can be done very easily.

    As stated above, it boils down to each individual being responsible for his or her actions. To expect Toyota to have a "auto off" feature is asking too much in my opinion. Simply slow down a little bit and think before you act.
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    this is nothing, compared to the people who claim to get out of their prius while leaving it in drive.:eek:
     
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Dad has now done that multiple times that we know about. He has plenty more opportunity to do it without others finding out. But his remaining driving career is getting very short.

    I have started to do this a few times, when having unplannned multitasking thrust upon me, but always discovered and remedied it before getting as far as the door beep.

    Same here, on both counts. But I haven't gone far on either.

    It also isn't hard to fail to secure traditional ICE vehicles. Multiple family members have accidentally left vehicles in neutral (regular transmission and 4WD transfer case), allowing them to roll away from the parking spot into a porch, another vehicle, and a field of brush. This includes a 21st Century vehicle with manual transmission. Dad once forget to take a tractor out of gear while I was hooking up equipment behind it. When he released the clutch, he would have crushed my leg if I hadn't felt it quickly enough and leapt backwards.
     
    #128 fuzzy1, Nov 30, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2015
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  9. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    I recall a veteran Prius owner on this forum who purchased a Prius C and was appalled to discover that it wouldn't put itself in Park when it was powered down.

    It's hard to keep up with expectations.
     
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  10. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I don't see why the Prius isn't programmed to shut off if it sits idle for X minutes (fob in car or not). It should be an option to toggle on the setup screen...for those who camp overnight in the car and want to keep it on for AC/heat.
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    me either, but there must be a reason. i'm just not smart enough to figure it out. maybe someone here can call toyota engineering and tell them how to go about it.
     
  12. HGS

    HGS Member

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    Boy, this thread has some legs, it just keeps going. The Japanese people like to be techie, leading edge and different. Perhaps that's why Toyota chose to configure the shift lever, park button, and power button the way they did. It did take some getting used to for me, but overall I like the arrangement. Though, I do understand it's probably best to keep things as similar as possible, so anyone can rent the car and start driving without a long lesson and learning curve.

    I don't think it will change, because there has not been a lot of major problems or accidents.
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Is there any car in the world that currently shuts itself right off after a few minutes idling?
     
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  14. Eclipse1701d

    Eclipse1701d Prius Enthusiast

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    The Prius WILL shut itself off. It just takes a few days...
     
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  15. Ozark Man

    Ozark Man Member

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    When I bought mine and was driving home from the dealers I stopped to get some lunch at what I thought was a small restaurant. Lucky for me it was just a country store and I didn't stay long. I had not read the manual and if the salesman told me about how to turn it off I was too nervous and excited about the trade to hear him. I did put it into park but didn't push the start button to kill the engine. It beeped but I didn't connect it to something I had did wrong (okay, I didn't say I was smart). I was only in there a couple of minutes so there was no harm done but I'm glad I did push the park button.
     
    #135 Ozark Man, Dec 1, 2015
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  16. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    The Tesla Model S turns itself off as soon as you get out of the driver's seat.
    Technically, it doesn't "idle" so I'm not sure if that fits your definition.
     
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  17. Starship_Enterprius

    Starship_Enterprius Active Member

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    I don't do this, but some actually start their car to heat up the interior during winter so how does the prius differentiate if it's intentional or not.

    I do remember in my younger years when I had a paper route I'd intentionally leave my car running while I dash out to place the papers. It would really be irritating in those situations to come back and have to restart the car every time.
     
  18. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    My wife and I both heat up the car fairly often.
    The preheating is done via an app.
    When the temp reaches the set level, the heating stops (and the car is off again).

    As for paper routes, imagine how annoying it would be for someone else to drive off with your car:eek:
    That said, their is no reason turning on the car needs to be annoying.
    In some cars, the car is turned on by sitting down and putting your foot on the break.
     
    #138 Zythryn, Dec 1, 2015
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  19. Starship_Enterprius

    Starship_Enterprius Active Member

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    lol...obviously you never did a paper route. At 3am nobody is usually around to steal a car, and kids who do paper routes do intimately know their hood so they know when and where not to leave a car idling. Only once did 3 kids ever approach me and considered taking my car at 4am, and they backed down when they realized I was fully alert and armed for just that kind of scenario.
     
  20. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    I delivered on a bike;)