How do I turn my Prius off and have it stay in neutral?

Doesn’t have to be in neutral to be towed with dolly

 

My notes show the following steps:
-Block wheels
-Power on and shift to Neutral (can’t recall if this must be done in IG-ON or if the car has to be in Ready-On).
-In engine fuse block area, look for P-CON relay and pull.
-Set park brake and power off.
-This will generate warnings and codes so you might have to clear those when done.

My notes also state to not use this to tow, it’s only for low speed maneuvering of a car that won’t drive. These notes were given to me by someone else so I’m not sure of the reasoning but I think if you were towing with the front wheels lifted you’d be fine but not to tow it with the fronts on the ground using this method. Maybe someone else has some know-how here.


iPad ?

 

Correct. Although "neutral" gates off all the transistor switches connected to the motors, it can't prevent the motors producing voltage when the car rolls (they are built with permanent magnets, they can't help it).

Pushing the car slowly from one place to another in a shop is ok. Towing down the road must be done with the front wheels raised on a dolly so they are not rolling.

 

Remember that Neutral is only an electrical disconnect, not a mechanical disconnect. Prius has no mechanical disconnect through its 'transmission'. If you tow with front wheels turning, even in Neutral, both Motor-Generators units will be spinning too, at much greater RPM than the wheels. And if you get to highway speed, MG1 will be overspeeding. (ICE must be spinning to prevent MG1 overspeed.)

As others have already pointed out, if you are towing any distance, the front wheels must be on a dolly. On the dolly, the car need not be in Neutral.