Mirror move and L-R buttons not illuminated?

Mine aren't illuminated either. Must be the intended state or we both have broken switches (both mirror and heated seat buttons). I find it irritating that not all of the controls are illuminated. I thought I was being over-sensitive...

 

This has already been confirmed by the several folks here in much earlier threads, that there is no bulb in the mirror adjustment button, therefore it could not light.

Toyota decided, in it's infinite wisdom that they thought folks should adjust the mirrors before shifting into gear, and therefore it would be a hazard to illuminate, as folks might then (gasp) adjust their mirrors when needed!

Personally, I am of the opinion that not lighting them causes a bigger safety concern as real world adjustments are needed, especially at night with bright lights behind you, so a dark button is more dangerous.

 

Have had my '10 V for almost a year now. Little oversights (or cheap-outs) by Toyota designers/engineers/management are still irritants. This non-illumination of an important control is one glaring example.

We all know first-year buyers take a chance here & there, but matters as proper instrument and control lighting - not excusable. Toyota seems to typically not to "sweat the details" as they should. If they want to remain #1 (or close) in sales, they'd better realign. Other makes - Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, etc are on Toyota's tails. And when the Hybrid market expands with like-Prius models (whenever that may come), watch out. Mind you I'm very happy with my Prius, but Toyota could have minimized some of these irritating design and quality problems.

Another related topic - I would NEVER buy another new car (Toyota) that employs the cheap green LCD panels for audio and/or Climate control. Again - another cheapout by Toyota on the '10 Prius IMO.

 

But it isn't that much worse than Lexus, which doesn't even have illuminated stalks.

 

I can forgive the above buttons not illuminated because these buttons are not used often, esp. in hot Texas. My biggest complaint is the lack of illumination on the HOMELINK buttons!! Now, these buttons, at least for me, are used much more often.

 

Isn't it easy enough to tell left and right of the green homelink indicator light? That area is also nowhere near as dark as the bottom half of the interior.

 

Well, it is more difficult between buttons 1 and 2. My Sienna's homelink buttons are illuminated...much easier to find the buttons at night.

 

Oddly enough, the best color for instrumentation is blue-green.

See Slide 4 Here

 

Instruments were lit with red to avoid spoiling night vision, not because red is easier to see.

Tom

 

Where do you propose they put in a separate unit? The sunglasses holder or the SR, as well as the LKA camera, occupies that space. The mirror is made by Gentex so it's not like they have much choice in terms of design.

Our Lexus has the raised dot only on the middle button so you'd have to feel your way around, which you would have to do with the left two buttons in the Prius.

 

My Mercedes G500 has the homelink buttons hanging below the rearview mirror. It was not illuminated. However, because it was below the mirror, you can see (and feel) the 3 buttons...so, it was easy to use at night because you can see the 3 individual buttons. As noted above, my Sienna's homelink buttons are backlit.

 

Agreed. This is particularly irritating since the lower level is not exactly the easiest to see and read. (Even better would be Port =Red and Starboard = Green)

 

And let's face it...the heated seats buttons couldn't have been put in a more inconvenient location. It's ridiculous. I have to lean all the way over and under to turn them on and off? Extremely poor engineering...like they were put in as an afterthought.

And EVERY other car I have owned with heated seats has a temperature adjustment setting...not just on or off.

Smells of cheap, cheap, cheap.