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

New Magnetic Gray - but watch out for dealer prep!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by bitmage, Feb 23, 2007.

  1. bitmage

    bitmage New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2007
    9
    0
    0
    We just got our first Prius, a magnetic gray #3 a few days ago at Fred Anderson in Raleigh, NC. We're really liking the car, but had a surprise yesterday.

    I hadn't checked the tire pressures, assuming that the dealer would have covered that during the PDC. Bad assumption. :angry:

    All tires were more than 3lbs low. The left front was at 28, 7lbs low! And no warnings from the low tire pressure monitoring system, so I'm betting they didn't set it up either.

    Luckily we caught it quickly. Gotta love a dealer that sends you out with severely underinflated tires, and disables the warning system. Almost sounds like malice...

    Not comforting when you know the dealer will be doing the maintenance on your car.

    Otherwise, we really like it. Now I'm struggling whether to open up the dash on a week-old car to turn off the 'liability mode' on the MFD.
     
    #1 bitmage, Feb 23, 2007
  2. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2005
    9,810
    465
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    so head on over to durham instead ;)

    to initialize that tpms, they need to deflate the tires and pump em back up. i forget if that's done at port or at the dealer.
     
    #2 galaxee, Feb 23, 2007
  3. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2006
    7,201
    1,073
    0
    Location:
    Northampton, MA
    Vehicle:
    2022 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    If I remember correctly, the pressure on the stock tires IS 28 in the front (of course, you can check easily what it should be).

    Either way, Welcome the the elite MAGNETIC GREY PRIUS CLUB! Pretty soon we'll have more members than the Black Prius Club!
     
    #3 Stev0, Feb 23, 2007
  4. bitmage

    bitmage New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2007
    9
    0
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Feb 23 2007, 11:25 AM) [snapback]395205[/snapback]</div>
    Which shop in Durham?

    (and Steve0 - it's 35 front/33 rear by my door sticker. I did check) :rolleyes:
     
    #4 bitmage, Feb 23, 2007
  5. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2005
    9,810
    465
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    toyota of durham, on 15/501. ask to have doug work on your car. lots of prius owners ask for him so the writer won't be the least bit surprised.

    did you reset the tpms when you put the correct pressures in? there's a set button under the steering wheel.
     
    #5 galaxee, Feb 23, 2007
  6. bitmage

    bitmage New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2007
    9
    0
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Feb 23 2007, 02:38 PM) [snapback]395369[/snapback]</div>
    Yes, thanks. I brought all the tires up to spec, and then held down the reset switch until the tire warning flashed.

    It's a neat system, but Toyota's checklist for testing it says that you have to drop the tire pressure by 6 pounds or more in 30 seconds or less to trigger the sensor. That's great for detecting a blowout, but does anyone know if it will also detect a slow leak when the pressure drops enough?
     
    #6 bitmage, Feb 23, 2007
  7. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2005
    9,810
    465
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    that's just to initialize the system. when your pressure reaches 75% of the setpoint, no matter how long it takes, it triggers the light. a short summary of how it works and some other pointers: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=26995
     
    #7 galaxee, Feb 23, 2007
  8. bitmage

    bitmage New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2007
    9
    0
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Feb 23 2007, 03:00 PM) [snapback]395387[/snapback]</div>
    Great! Thanks for all your help!
     
    #8 bitmage, Feb 23, 2007
  9. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bitmage @ Feb 23 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]395194[/snapback]</div>
    Welcome to the site and the Magnetic Gray Club! Toyota dealers don't do a better (or thorough) prep job than anyone else so I wouldn't call it malice. At factory spec IMO your tires are still low. I prefer the ride 42/40 gives me and the increased mpg.

    For the record, when I checked my tires they were LOW and the salesman and prep person did not notice my trunk mat was missing. My boss' 2007 Prius was delivered with some of the protective plastic still in place inside. No malice, just shoddy prep work. Toyota's paying so who's going to notice something isn't done?

    My Intrigue was delivered without windshield washer fluid. Again, no malice. I did check to make sure it had oil and transmission fluid. Again, no malice.
     
    #9 JimN, Feb 23, 2007
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)