Forgot to power off !

So long as you didn't run out of gas (and i'm assuming you didn't, since it "started up & seems to run fine"), then there's nothing to worry about. the car knows how to take car of itself. It'll cycle the engine on when it needs to in order to recharge the batteries if they get low while its sitting there.

I wouldn't be surprised if this tank has a lower MPG than you're used to (since it was running while sitting still).

About the only thing you have to worry about in this situation is someone driving off with it before you return!

 

Incidentally, if you leave the car on, exit it and close the door, the car should beep at you three times to warn you that you're walking away while the car is still powered on.

 

instead of hitting the park button, simply press the power button and save a step!

 

I agree 100%...but I finally got around to reading the 'quick start' guide that came with the car, and they specify pressing 'P' then powering off.

Except for making the ritual somewhat more like that of a non-hybrid, I'm not aware of any reason why this would be necessary (but that certainly doesn't mean that there isn't one).

 

There was a post about a person who parked their car for >2 weeks at a airport valet parking and they left it in park. When the person got back the tank was empty. As I remember the main battery was good. They put gas in it and it turned out ok. Near miss. If the tank is full you can leave the car in park for quite a while. It will cycle on and off as needed. Soon cars will be smarter than we are and will take over the world.

 

So the car will keep running even if you take the smart key with you?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ghostrider @ Sep 14 2006, 07:16 PM) [snapback]319868[/snapback]</div>

You got it. When it is Ready it is Ready.

 

However once shut off it cannot be restarted without the key. The beep may be difficult for people with certain types of hearing loss to hear but I always know when the car is cussing me out.

 

Always lock the car. If something is amiss it will yell at you more insistently.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Sep 14 2006, 04:53 PM) [snapback]319800[/snapback]</div>

I never could figure out why they'd want you to take the extra step. I don't know of any Prius driver that actually puts it in P before power off. I used to, until somebody called me an idiot for doing it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Sep 19 2006, 10:47 PM) [snapback]322117[/snapback]</div>

I always press P before powering off. My Prius sometimes does a strange jerk forward when I press the Power button to turn off the car without pressing P first, so I've learned to always press P first.

 

I always press P before powering off also. I remember reading something when the 04's first came out that sometimes things would go amiss when you just power off. Maybe like when your computer reboots and you click on to many things before it's up and running???? Anyway after reading that post I always hit P first then power off.

 

Curious <_< If you forget to shut off your car when you exit it,what will drain the batteries and turn on the gas engine?everything else is off except for the smart key alarm.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(stanlwyjohn @ Sep 20 2006, 08:22 PM) [snapback]322564[/snapback]</div>

You are assuming everything else is off, but what if the AC is on? Even if it's just the blowing fan, that will use battery power. Then there's the radio, MFD..etc.

 

I was thinking if it happened when you came home for the night or going to work! I try to shut everything off before i leave the car

 

When I first got my car I stopped, and on the fly I hit the POWER button and went to exit the car. Well guess what? In my haste the car did not respond to my quick flick of the power button and started to roll. Fortunately I was still very much in the car or it could have got ugly real quick! Won't be trying that again anytime soon! :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

The salesman told me the proper way to shut it off was to hit "Park" then the the "Power" button. So that's what I've been doing-- until I read this thread and don't want to be called an idiot (in my head since none of you ever talk to me in person).
Then yesterday I tried just hitting the "Power" button (no "Park"), and the Park Light came on for a moment before the power went off.
So I have concluded that it really is not required to hit the "P" first since it gets activated automatically whenever you press "Power" anyway.

But as for the salesman, I brought the car in for a free wash and when he brought it back, he "parked" it and walked in to the showroom (were I was). He said he left it running to keep it cool, and as I looked over at it, it started to roll forward. Strange, since it was on pretty flat ground. But I ran out and by the time I got to it, it had stopped. Don't know why it rolled, but I shut it off and pressed the e-brake.

I'm not going to let him drive it any more. . .

 

In a conventional car, you put the gear to "park" before you turn off the engine, not on the "drive" gear. I guess prius is the same. I always press park before pressing "power". There is probably a good reason why the manual asks drivers to park before turning it off. It takes half a second to press a button, so why not!...