1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Minor Tweak to Improve the Driving Experience

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by DeadPhish, Nov 13, 2009.

  1. DeadPhish

    DeadPhish Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2005
    2,010
    353
    0
    Location:
    Outer Banks of NC.. Retired to play golf and poker
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    This from a 3-generation owner that puts in mega miles every year. His normal usage is 8-10 hours per day and 45000-ish miles per year.

    In the Gen 3 he mentioned that at night the empty storage area under the console is pitch black. It's hard to find anything in that utility tray. It's actually worse when the overhead personal lights are turned on since the console casts a shadow over the tray. Proposed solution: Add another very small LED down below in order to illuminate the tray and the seat heater buttons.

    Regarding the seat heater bottons; why are they situated North/South? That seems uncharacteristically unintuitive. Why not situate them West/East in the way the Driver/Passenger seats are situated?
     
    #1 DeadPhish, Nov 13, 2009
  2. TalkingMuffin

    TalkingMuffin New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2009
    26
    27
    0
    Location:
    Earth
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    mmmmmmkay.....

    :bored:
     
    #2 TalkingMuffin, Nov 13, 2009
  3. ttait

    ttait Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2004
    273
    163
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I actually put my phone charger down there. It has a blue LED that was so bright that I had to put tape over it. It still shines through the tape and illuminates the area nicely now.
    I couldn't agree more on the seat heater orientation, what were they thinking. For that matter, why did they put them way down there? They could have put them in the upper console closer to the climate system, since that's what it relates to.
     
    #3 ttait, Nov 14, 2009
  4. venom700

    venom700 Just call me Brian...

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2009
    196
    35
    0
    Location:
    Bethesda, MD
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    How does a light down there improving DRIVING? I'm lost.
     
    #4 venom700, Nov 14, 2009
  5. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    2,328
    1,812
    18
    Location:
    Chicago western burbs
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Agree with the OP on the lighting.

    I'd be interested if anyone comes up with a workable LED idea for the front storage. I thought it strange that there would be illumination at my feet in the IV and V models, but none where I place belongings. Actually, if one could tap into the LED circuitry of the foot lighting, that might be the easiest way, although a small switch would add to usability.
     
    #5 DavidA, Nov 17, 2009
  6. randalll

    randalll New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2009
    11
    0
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    how about this?
     

    Attached Files:

    #6 randalll, Nov 23, 2009
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)