I don't believe I've ever heard my used Prius make the noise. I found the AVAS emitter under the plastic trim cover at the front of the engine compartment. I removed the 5 trim cover clips (they all broke) and removed the cover. The AVAS (Approaching Vehicle Audible System) is on the driver's side. It is behind the grill but in front of the radiator. The release tab for the electrical harness plug, as I recall, is facing the grill. Press it with one hand while wiggling the plug with the other hand to release it. Mine looked unremarkable, so I don't know why the volume is so low. (I may have heard it once, but was barely audible.) AVAS location by Eastcoate posted Mar 31, 2026 at 10:45 PM Plug for AVAS by Eastcoate posted Mar 31, 2026 at 10:47 PM AVAS plug removed by Eastcoate posted Mar 31, 2026 at 10:48 PM Anyone have any ideas?
might be adjustable, idk, but there's a federal minimum. many have never heard it, you need to be near asomething to reflect the sound with the window down. and some of us have hearing loss cicAEHML4Hk
The device is plenty loud if operating properly. Loudest is when in reverse with ICE off. When shifted back to forward, the volume will decrease with speed until off around 22-23 mph. If your vehicle had a previous owner, it might have been modified. There is at least one other thread here on PC that discusses owners' attempts at silencing the space ship noise. Might require removal to properly inspect.
Complaining it's not loud enough, lol. Even before I got the car I rigged up a harness with a resistor as detailed in other threads to eliminate the noise. Haven't implemented it....yet. Summer's coming. We'll see how obnoxious it is with the windows down.
After 4 years of ownership I have actually gotten to the point where I like it: too many times of pedestrians staring at their phones and the sound preventing them from walking into my car or me having to come to complete stops multiple times to avoid the space cadets!
I have also observed the value of having a Pedestrian Notification System functioning in my vehicle. Everywhere I drive now there are distracted and plainly oblivious people on foot that must be watched carefully. That noise, well chosen for something out of the ordinary, has served me well. There is also the fact that this mandated safety system, if found to be altered or disabled, might be the top line in an indictment for wrongful death or disabling injuries. People are hot on the litigation trail these days. Be safe, or be sorry.
