going to my Toyota Dealer's Hybrid Owners meeting tonight (6pm PST)- Anything you want to know?

I'm going to my Toyota Dealer's Hybrid Owners meeting tonight (6pm PST). They do it a couple of times per year, it's a chance for Toyota Hybrid owners to learn about how to get the most out of their car. Apparently they also serve you dinner/snacks.

Anything specific you want me to ask for you?

Yes---ask them if they agree with many prius owners who run with 40-42PSI tire pressure, front and rear, which increases gas mileage by 4-5mpg without adverse handling/tire wear issues.

derkraut

How about:
1. How many owners are experiencing grabby brakes going in reverse. Seems to happen with me when I sit in the car with the aux power mode on for about 30 min. There are some other people who are experiencing it too.

2. Strange acceleration feeling when braking slightly over bumpy pavement.

3. Any chance mud guards are going to be available in the US?

I asked this here on the PC, but no one had a plausable answer.

If you touch the Lock area on the Doorhandle, of course it locks the Door, however, if you press it again, it Locks the Door a second time, if you touch it again (for the third time) (or anytime thereafter, once it's been Locked, and touched again for the second time), it does nothing.

What is it doing that second click after you've touched it for the second time? The first time it Locks, the second time it Clicks, like it's Locking, but, it's already locked and any time after that second touch, it does nothing, no Locks, no Clicks, NO NOTHING!

What's it doing on that SECOND touch?

David (aka Blind Guy)

Not wanting to hijack this thread but on some cars, there is a double locking mechanism. on my previous BMW 7 series, it does this. the first lock will lock the door but still allows the door to be unlocked (lets say if you left the window open) by pressing on the unlock button inside the car or (a jimmy ?) one of those things you slide down the window and pull up the lock mechanism. When a car is double locked, it does not allow the doors to be unlocked without the key or remote.

OK, back to the question. I would like to know when they are going to improve the interior material quality and all the creaks and rattles.

Large showing tonight (~50-60 people), so I didn’t get to ask everything. Basically a lot of neurotic, angry customers with their own car problems trying to get them answered in front of everybody. SOOO annoying and huge waste of time. I did manage to ask a couple of questions though.

From a manufacturing standpoint, the spokesperson said to not overinflate your tires. The engineers didn’t design the car that way even though it might work. Therefore you could be held responsible IF anything went wrong in the future. He didn’t deny it but of course could not comment on it. Typical answer.

I have noticed this problem even with my 2009 model. If this problem annoys you, you’d have to take it in to service to have it diagnosed. His suggestion was to have you show them by driving it with them, so they can figure out exactly where the problem is.

I did learn that;

- If you run out of gas completely, it will cost ~$450 to get your car working again. You CANNOT just add a couple of gallons of gas like a typical car to be driving again, because the gas chamber airlocks when empty, so that the electronic system shuts down. You need them to reprogram the gas and electronics to “sense†each other again. One big disadvantage I did not know.
- How the Anti-lock brakes work. The spokesperson suggested going to an empty Costco parking lot, driving 50 mph and then slamming on the brakes HARD. He said it will feel like the car is falling apart but at least you’ll know what it feels like if it happens in a real world situation. And don’t let up from the brake AT ALL because then the ABS will disengage and you’ll spin out of control. I’m still scared to try it though.

All this in case you didn’t know. Sorry I didn’t get to ask the other questions. I left my house early.

My dealer, more than once, has inflated my tires to 42/40 by request. I don't buy the explanation you were given.

Better tell Bob Wilson. He has intentionally run out of gas at least three times, and betrayed no hint that he knows of this problem yet.

Seems that someone else here has accidentally run out too, and also not told us this problem.

Hey, did they talk about the rattle noises inside the cabin?

My local Toyota hybrid meeting is scheduled for tomorrow night but I won't be able to make it...

Thanks for the post it's interesting to know what they have to say, dealers around here don't have these meetings.

As Fuzzy said Bob Wilson has run his Gen3 out of gas several times on purpose, and others have done it by accident. No one has had any problems restarting the car.

So I guess if you decide to attend another hybrid owner's meeting I would want you to ask "where did you get the information that the car won't restart after running out of gas?" and what "gas chamber" are they talking about? As far a I know the fuel delivery system on the Gen3 Prius is no different than the same system on a 1.8L Corolla, and Corollas don't have this problem.

LMAO!

Do you remember who made this claim? I would really like to contact them for the specifics since I don't seem to find it in my 2010 Maintenance Manual. I've run out of gas:

• 3 times with ZVW30 - will do again once I have a 0.1 ohm, current monitor resistor on the pump power line.
• ~40 times with NHW11 - planning to do it again to test the spare gallon container for the ZVW30.

Running out of gas in a ZVW30 Prius is an advanced technique and I do not recommend it. But if you are planning to run out of gas in a ZVW30, try to do it at speeds well above 46 mph so you'll get an early indication that the engine has finally run out of gas.

As for running out of gas in the NHW11 and NHW20, it is no big deal. You'll get a dashboard full of alarms but you can use the traction battery to proceed to a safe place to add the spare gallon. I'm planning to do it with my 2003 Prius to test the wife's spare gas can.

Bob Wilson

I too ran it out intentionally and put gas in it. Seemed to be a complete non event to me. On a "normal" car if you run out of gas, it's usually difficult to get it re-started. The Prius started normally.

Not true. The ABS may cease doing it's job if you let up enough that it does not need to do it's job. That is to say, if you let up and are no longer braking hard enough that one or more wheels are in danger of stopping (i.e. skidding) then it does not need to work because you are in no danger of skidding or spinning or any other terrible thing.

on my dads f150, and my brothers mustang the second lock sets the alarm.

:drum::fish::rofl:

Dude, don't forget the deadly EMI EX-RAYs; the battery full of exploding hydrogen; and the deathly quiet. <HAHAHAHA>

Gosh darn, it has been such a long time . . . But you really need to come back April 1st.

Bob Wilson

I think the OP should change dealers. The running out of gas story, the ABS thing, all baloney...

Aparently it's great to spread around your roses.

Hey All,

Sorry for the bad information. I'm just telling you what they told us. I have no idea if it's true or not. They sounded pretty convincing though.

If you are doubtful or want to know where they got their facts from, please CALL MY DEALER.

Sunnyvale Toyota (Northern CA)
(408) 245-6640

Ask for Gene or Stan - the 2 gentlemen who presented (Stan knows more). They are open til 9PM (PST).

I'd love to hear what they say.

Excellent!

I'll fax a note to them Thursday and we'll see what comes back. <GRINS>

Bob Wilson

I guess I made the right choice not to attened that meeting event.