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Prius annoyances

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Zed Ruhlen, Jun 13, 2019.

  1. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The gen3 Prius had a large recall over stalling. Not because of physical issues, but because of software. Toyota is not immune to problems.

    Honda screwed up with NiMH, which is good enough reason to avoid them, but they have been using Li-ion since the 2012 Civic hybrid. The Jazz(Fit) hybrid rivals the Prius c in sales in Japan. If they have had battery issues with Li-ion on the scale of they did with NiMH, which wasn't in all hybrid models, reports should have reached here.

    The Accord hybrid and Clarity PHEV actually have 'less' of a transmission than the HSD. The RWD system Toyota uses at Lexus, and will be going into the Tundra, is actually HSD plus an automatic in terms of mechanical complexity.
     
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  2. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    For those complaining about the center display, here's a new use for it... 20190617_154513.jpeg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  3. Zed Ruhlen

    Zed Ruhlen Active Member

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    The Accord and Clarity have a MORE complicated HSD than the Toyota version because they have a clutch between the engine and the drive train. Otherwise they are almost exactly the same design. Different method of using a planetary gears but the same basic idea.
     
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  4. smyles

    smyles Active Member

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    Ok, here's my contribution to the topic: horn sound. It's so... unconvincing? I mean, prius gets enough sh#t as-is, but horn is an important tool in city driving, and the one in our cars sounds a lamb amongst the volves.
     
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  5. Zed Ruhlen

    Zed Ruhlen Active Member

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    Oh God, YOU ARE SO RIGHT! We almost had an accident and I tried to warn the other driver with my horn and I couldn't even hear it. I want to put in a real horn. That is something that has bothered me about most Japanese and European cars.
     
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  6. TonyaNorway

    TonyaNorway Junior Member

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    I love my Prime, but here in Europe we only get the small screen instead of the full length one, we have no Entune system and have to choose between the HUD or solar panel as you can't have both.
    I do think the double-bubble back window is cool however.
    You can go to the dealer and they will happily reprogram the ECU so the car does not beep inside while reversing and also I had them activate the remote AC/heater function on the keyfob and remote electric window control.
    It was a free upgrade but I have no idea why it wasn't standard in the first place.
    My biggest gripe however has to be the navigation system.
    The maps are totally outdated even after updating to the latest version.
    My solution was to simply use an entry level Garmin unit which has lifetime upgrades . . . .
     
  7. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The beeps and other options can be turned off or on, and most dealers will do it for no charge, or the software is readily available for owners themselves.
    I know the Camry manual lists all the selectable options, and says if the owner can change themselves, or if the dealer has too.
     
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  8. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    The Prime manual has a listing of these options beginning on page 792 (9-2. Customization).
     
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  9. mveras1972

    mveras1972 Member

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    Here's what I've found annoying about the Prius Prime so far:

    1 - Reverse Beep: They say this is for safety, but I actually found it to be a hazard. When driving in reverse and you got too close to something, now you had two beeps going off at once which for me was more of a distraction and I had a harder time concentrating where I was going. So I bought a Carista ODB2 plug and disabled the annoying reverse beep. I only want to hear beeps if I am about to hit something. It's safer for me that way.

    2 - You cannot open the hatch door if the car is turned on. Really? What is the reasoning behind this? Safety? How? Isn't placing the car in Park sufficiently safe?

    Anyway, those are my two annoyances so far.
     
  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    #2 is because the hatch is locked. Unlock it using the power door lock “unlock” button before pressing the hatch release.
     
  11. smyles

    smyles Active Member

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    It's to prevent stuff being snatched from your trunk when stopped at red light, etc.
     
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  12. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    This could probably be adjusted with other options. You don't have to have your car doors lock when the car shifts into gear.
     
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  13. mveras1972

    mveras1972 Member

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    If you are stopped at a red light, I understand all doors are automatically locked once you change from P (park) mode, so if some stranger wants to open the hatch, they shouldn't be able to open it because they don't carry the key in their pocket. However, if I get out of the car, and leave the car turned on in P mode, I will have the key in my pocket, so why shouldn't the hatch automatically unlock for me? The key detection range is very short, barely a couple of feet from the lock you're trying to open. So the car knows if the key is closer to the charging port, the passenger door, the hatch, the driver door or inside the vehicle.

    Normally, if I am carrying the key in my pocket, the hatch will automatically unlock if I press the release button on the hatch. This is not the case if the car is turned on. First impression I got from this is that perhaps I should not be able to turn on the car if the hatch is left open. However, and ironically, you can start the car if you leave the hatch open.

    Also, if I put the car in P mode, by default, it will unlock all doors. It doesn't seem to do that with the hatch door. With the Carista app, I changed that setting to unlock all doors when I unlock the driver door from inside, which means, I am getting out of the vehicle. I feel it is safer that way.
     
  14. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Humm? I thought, if you have the key with you, 3 doors SKS will allow the hatch to be opened even in Ready and Parked. I have to check it when I get to the car.
     
  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Open, yes. But not unlock.
     
  16. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    How can I open the hatch without first unlocking it? I mean if the hatch is locked when the car is parked in ready mode, wouldn't the fob unlock it, if I walk out of the car and try to open the hatch with a fob in my pocket? @mveras1972 is alluding it dose not unlock it thus he can not OPEN it, but I don't think I have ever tried that.
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Workaround, anyway: never exit car leaving it running.
     
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  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well it may not have a physical lock release like the doors do but there is a locking mechanism. So if it’s unlocked, you can open it (e.g. car is unlocked or car is in READY mode and doors are unlocked. If it’s locked, you can’t (e.g. when you don’t have your SKS fob with you or the doors are locked while the car is in READY mode).

    The fob won’t unlock it because the external SKS receivers are off when the car is on. It’s the same reason you can’t unlock the front passenger door (if it’s locked) when the car is in READY mode even if you have the fob with you.
     
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  19. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Thanks for the explanation. So, I can open the hatch without needing a fob with me when the car is Parked at READY mode as long as it is not locked. Once it is locked, the only way to open the hatch is to unlock it from the power lock switch on the door panel. Is this correct?
     
  20. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    That’s correct.
     
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