single beep upon shutdown

Prior to power-off, in addition to applying the footbrake, do you also put the car in PARK? I know it will do it automatically upon powerdown, but you pushing the button tends to be easier on the drive components.
Anyway, reason I ask is, if you are too quick to open your door, just prior to power-off, without the car in PARK, it'll beep at you. Could that be what's happening?
IMHO the proper shutdown sequence should be: PARK, footbrake, POWER
or footbrake, PARK, POWER.

 

Even if he puts it in park before powering down, more likely, if OP does not have the smart key system, it will still beep when the key is in the dash and the driver door is open. If he regularly opens the door at nearly the same time as grabbing the key, it will beep if the door is opened just before pulling out the key.

 

Mechanically, maybe so, but the seat of my pants and shutter of my car (without pushing PARK) begs to differ that putting it in PARK is smoother.

And page 146 (f) in the manual supports what I wrote

 

Mechanically it's identical, whether you push Park and then shut down, or power off and let the Prius do it for you. What is different potentially are the driver's actions: Pushing Park and then powering off takes longer, and a driver is more likely to keep his foot on the brake while hitting Park. You are less likely to feel a stutter with your foot firmly on the brake.

The prose in the manual is another cover-your-butt legal issue and has nothing to do with how the mechanics work.

Tom

 

I still think the likeliest explanation is that you are unconsciously varying your routine enough to change the order of events. If there are no apparent problems when turning the car ON then the 12V battery and the brake switch are probably fine, but if you're worried about this you might have a Prius tech check them.

 

This has started on mine too. There are no warning signals/indicators. Everything seems normal except I get a single beep as I power down. It doesn't matter if it's in park or not. No doors are open and I am not multi-tasking with anything else as I power down. My sks is on, my key is in my pocket.

I can find nothing in the owner or repair manuals. does anybody have any further ideas/info?

 

I suggest that you replace your fob battery.

 

Yup, the fob battery is probably weak. The same thing happened to me with my 04 a few months ago.

 

That took care of it - Thank You!

 

Would the weak battery explain a beep sometimes, and others not? It's definitely not the door, since I am conscious of that - and the beep doesn't always occur. I suppose it is cheap enough to replace the fob battery (except that my battery door is REALLY tight, and I almost always injure myself opening it, so if I can avoid it....)

 

The single beep on power down with the SKS appears to be associated with the fob battery being weak and near its end of life (based on previous posts on this forum). Our cars are approximately the same age; mine was bought in March 05. I've had the beep intermittently for the last 8-10 months although probably not in the last two months. When the battery finally fails I will replace it.

Since non-SKS systems don't rely on the fob battery to operate the car it does not sense whether the battery is nearing end of life.

 

Hi - I am having the same beep. It started on Monday, 1/5/09 - I put the car in park and turn it off and there is a single beep. If I take it to Toyota tomorrow a.m., can they check the 12 volt battery as I have had the same battery since I purchased by Prius in 3/05? I do not want to get stranded in a parking garage - I park on the 7th level every day.

Thank you.

ML
2005 White Prius, 24,000 miles
Miami, FL

 

Hi ML,

The problem is not the 12V battery. Rather, the problem is a weak battery in the fob; replacements sold at any drugstore for ~$5. If you can change that battery yourself you can save some $.

 

Thank. I disconnected SKS and there was no beep. I will now figure out how to replace the fob battery.

thanks again. There is another chain on this forum where it was speculated that it was the signal of a low 12 volt battery and that had me concerned. Kendall Toyota wants $285 to replace the 12 volt battery.

ML

 

Yes. Battery strength may vary as you move the fob about and hold it in differing ways, so yes, sometimes it will beep and sometimes not.

Tom