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6 short beeps?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by RhythmDoctor, Aug 23, 2008.

  1. RhythmDoctor

    RhythmDoctor Member

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    We've had a problem for a few weeks now. While in our house we will hear some sort of alarm consisting of 6 short beeps over about a 2 second period. We don't know for sure where they are coming from, and they're over with before we have time to move through the house toward them. There are times when they seem to recur every hour (but never more often than that), and I've tried setting a kitchen timer for 58 minutes to give me some advance warning, but whenever I do that the alarms to not happen.

    The beeps seem to be coming from the direction of our garage, where we have 2 new Priuses parked. Does anyone know whether 6 short beeps is a known alarm for the Prius? If so, what does it mean? (I already checked the manual and cannot find anything on this.)

    The obvious other possibility is a smoke detector, but I know what that "chirping" sound is like, and this is definitely not the same sound.
     
    #1 RhythmDoctor, Aug 23, 2008
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    You've stumbled upon a little-known facet in Priusdom. When two or more Prii are stored in a garage together they tell each other jokes. They are very long jokes lasting on average an hour but sometimes for two or three. The jokes themselves are sent via electromagnetic waves but when a Prius laughs it will sometimes snort. These snorts have been reported to sound like several short beeps. In very rare occasions, owners have reported transmission oil deposited on their garage floor. It's speculated that this is caused by a particularly funny joke resulting in the listening Prius to literally blow oil out its grill.
     
    #2 TonyPSchaefer, Aug 23, 2008
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    sounds like a smoke detector to me.
     
    #3 efusco, Aug 23, 2008
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Also, do you have an alarm system for the house? check it for error messages...ours would beep when the battery was low in one of the sensors or the main system battery itself.
     
    #4 efusco, Aug 23, 2008
  5. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Cell phone battery, or a computer or house alarm system UPS battery is running low.

    Trying locking both Priuses and see whether the alarm stops.
     
    #5 richard schumacher, Aug 23, 2008
  6. Jamie Hellmich

    Jamie Hellmich New Member

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    Electronic house AC thermostat with low battery or filter change notification?
     
    #6 Jamie Hellmich, Aug 23, 2008
  7. inventor00

    inventor00 Active Member

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    Try also cordless phones. If we are out of range of the cell phone company, our cell phones will beep....
     
    #7 inventor00, Aug 23, 2008
  8. RhythmDoctor

    RhythmDoctor Member

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    Well, I actually did find a tiny bit of transmission oil under my wife's Prius the other day. So out of all the theories, I think this is the most likely. :pound: I'm going to have to give these cars a good talkin' to. They must start behavin'.
     
    #8 RhythmDoctor, Aug 23, 2008
  9. Joekc

    Joekc Member

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    Smoke detector or CO detector.
     
    #9 Joekc, Aug 23, 2008
  10. ranchogirl

    ranchogirl New Member

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    Don't you remember Furby?

    They are talking to each other. Ours do it all the time. In fact we've had to separate them - one in the garage and one on the street. They won't shut up otherwise. ;)
     
    #10 ranchogirl, Aug 24, 2008
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