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Road Trip Prius Problems

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by lohikaarme, Nov 27, 2016.

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  1. lohikaarme

    lohikaarme Troll

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    I just took the new Prius on the longest road trip since I got it, now crossing 3000 miles on the clock. This trip was from Cincinnati to Long Island NY and then back which was roughly 1400 miles in total. I experienced issues both ways although one was more of an annoyance and the latter seems more technical in nature.

    On my outbound trip, I got about four hours of blizzard in Pennsylvania. This was complete with white ground, sanders, and about 5 car visibility. One by one my sensors were knocked out including lane departure, collision avoidance (braking if I am going to rear end someone), and proximity alert. The issue was due to the front of the car icing up and blocking the sensors. For those that do not know, when the sensors get iced up there is a warning message that pops up to clean them off accompanied with beeping and yellow triangles and even if you hit the return button the message keeps returning. While I stopped the first time and cleared everything off, it was about 20 minutes before it all iced up again and it all started all over. While some features could be turned off on the steering wheel like lane departure, I found myself having to cycle to the proximity sensor settings while trying to drive in this to disable it just so the car would shut the hell up! It is rather frustrating that after giving the car input, it keeps reminding you. Is there a mass ignore that would not force you to take this kind of action?

    The proximity sensor is a real pain in the nice person. I get that a message will pop up and the beeping will continually ring if you are coming up on something but I would expect that if you hit the return button IE acknowledging the possible impact that the beeping would STOP- for example when you are at a drive thru window waiting to pay yet the beeping is continuous unless you put the car into park. Is this any way to set this car that once you hit the return button it 1. shuts up with the beeping 2. remembers that it told you (such in the case of icing) until the situation changes?

    The second issue was with the GPS on the return trip. About 500 miles into the trip I was coming up on a change of interstate and the GPS correctly showed the blue line curving off onto the new interstate but as I approached the exit from about 700ft out, the GPS was frozen in time and did not actually tell me to take the exit. The car location did not advance and it was if I was stopped 700ft back as if I was on the side of the road. I took the exit and continued on but the map still showed me approaching the curve. I could not recover the screen. Most button presses were unresponsive or very delayed. I could not delete the destination and enter the "previous" destination to reset it. Finally I pulled off the interstate, turned off the car and quickly turned it back on and the GPS automatically reset and was fine for the rest of the trip.

    Scanning the forum I see others have had sporadic issues with the GPS- has anyone ever experienced anything like this?
     
    #1 lohikaarme, Nov 27, 2016
  2. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    Did your headlights ice up? I've only driven in the snow at night once so far and the headlight quickly iced up obscuring my vision. Apparently there are no heaters behind the lenses to prevent this.

    For the sensors issue, I haven't had that problem since I have no parking sensors on this vehicle but it sounds irritating. I've only had the sensors ice up once before on my other vehicles and it only notified me one time. Not sure why Toyota feels that needs to be such an urgent issue.

    No GPS issue here to report. I find the map is too out of date to use though so I rarely turn it on.
     
    #2 MrMischief, Nov 27, 2016
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  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Don't have a Gen 4, but I remember seeing this thread.

    -Chap
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Nov 27, 2016
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    always have back up nav when in a toyota gps equipped vehicle.
     
    #4 bisco, Nov 27, 2016
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  5. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    You can reset the nav by holding the on/off switch in for a couple of seconds.
     
    #5 krmcg, Nov 27, 2016
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The issue with proximity sensors icing up will hopefully get Toyota's attention soon: cargo cult at it's finest.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Nov 27, 2016
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2016
  7. lohikaarme

    lohikaarme Troll

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    Which on off switch? the car on off switch??

    I got it reset by turning the car off and on- but is there a way to resolve it while actually driving?
     
    #7 lohikaarme, Nov 27, 2016
  8. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    The audio on off switch. Will reload the phone if not working also.
     
    #8 krmcg, Nov 27, 2016
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  9. lohikaarme

    lohikaarme Troll

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    wow awesome... I mean in light of the larger problem not so much, but great to know you can reset it this way!
    Thank you
     
    #9 lohikaarme, Nov 27, 2016
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  10. Bluegrassman

    Bluegrassman Active Member

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    Amen to that. The GPS is the only thing I hate about both our Prii

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #10 Bluegrassman, Nov 27, 2016
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  11. gvp1995

    gvp1995 Active Member

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    How did you figure this out?! I read through all the manuals but don't remember such a trick.
     
    #11 gvp1995, Nov 27, 2016
  12. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    I saw it in a previous post on this site.
     
    #12 krmcg, Nov 28, 2016
  13. gvp1995

    gvp1995 Active Member

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    I will definitely test this tomorrow. I did not have issues with GPS but having unconventional phone, it does loose connection often.
    \
    Merged. use multi quote...



    Actually it is on page 33 of Navigation Manual for Gen 4. I just missed it. Good catch!
     
    #13 gvp1995, Nov 28, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 28, 2016
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  14. GreenJuice

    GreenJuice Active Member

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    It is possible to have the volume of the parking sensors (? same as 'proximity sensors') turned down using either Carista or to ask your dealer. The volume can be set at one of five levels and the default is 3.

    Another setting allows the sound to be muted after 3 seconds if stationary or to lower the volume, but that would not have been useful for you unless you were actually at a drive thru window!

    It seems the only other way to 'acknowledge' the icing problem would have been to switch of the parking sensors.
     
    #14 GreenJuice, Nov 28, 2016
  15. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    The headlights ice up? Obscuring the visibility? That is definitely not good. You have got to be kidding. Another Prius Oddity for my growing list!

    And all of the safety sensors were knocked out? I sure won't be recommending a new Prius to my sister in Montana! Sometimes their winter will last for six months. How come none of these issues were ever mentioned in the road test reviews?They need to test these cars in both winter and summer.

    Those safety sensors are most important during inclement weather, and you're telling us they get knocked out when there is snow?
    That's pretty embarrassing for Toyota.

     
    #15 Coast Cruiser, Nov 28, 2016
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Third gen's with LED headlights have headlight washers. With the advent of ubiquitous LED's in fourth gen, and deletion of the washers, I was thinking they'd done testing, found the washers weren't needed. Maybe not so though?

    upload_2016-11-28_7-42-25.png
     
    #16 Mendel Leisk, Nov 28, 2016
  17. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    So, do other auto companies with LED headlights also have a freeze up, or frosting problem? Just about all newer cars have LED headlights now.
     
    #17 Coast Cruiser, Nov 28, 2016
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  18. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    I don't know of anyone else with OEM LED headlights, but it is a well known issue in the Jeep world if you buy LED lamps without heaters. I've only had the one drive but it was certainly an issue for me. I'm sure I'll be able to test this more as the winter goes on.
     
    #18 MrMischief, Nov 28, 2016
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Err, it's sorta physics. Sonar and radar signals can get attenuated or experience anomalous propagation if the transmitter or receiver is covered in water or ice.

    • Acura
    • BMW
    • Cadillac
    • Chevrolet
    • Honda
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Nissan
    • Volvo

    just to name a few.
     
    #19 Tideland Prius, Nov 28, 2016
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  20. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    "anyone else" as in a buddy or family member who could provide insight into how their vehicle handles snow. I know a few people with LEDs in their Jeeps, but they are not OEM lights and ones without heaters have problems.
     
    #20 MrMischief, Nov 28, 2016
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