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Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by propking, Apr 6, 2005.

  1. propking

    propking New Member

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    It seems every time I sit down in my Prius I find something new. This evening I noticed my wife had not pulled the car all the way up in the driveway so I decided to pull it up. As usual I get in, foot on the brake and power her up. Normally in any other vehicle I usually just leave the door open and ease up to where I wanted it parked. BUT not the Prius..when I put it in drive the red triangle came up and the screen displayed " Caution, Please Press P to Engage Park. The Batteries Will Not Charge if the Transaxle is in Neutral N" At first it scared the bahebees out of me cause all I seen was that big red triangle. I shut the door and away I went. Has anyone experianced this yet ?
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Yup, well known. Message doesn't fit the circumstances, but lots of us see it every time we get out of the car to grab the mail.
     
  3. NHPrius

    NHPrius New Member

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    I have a long driveway that I back into so that when I leave I can just shoot straight out. I noticed and got a kick out of the fact the speedometer gives you your speed when reversing...
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Doesn't it always do that on all cars?
     
  5. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    I only see that message when I set the parking brake but don't put it in Park when I get out for the mail...
     
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    Last night we noticed you can't lock the car using the SKS' black buttons on the door handles or on the hatch unless you have the transponder with you.

    I got home with groceries and took them into the house. My husband went out to pick up the cat food bag, without his key ring, and was only able to lock the car using the lock button inside the car.

    Weird. What's the point of that?
     
  7. kidtwist

    kidtwist New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"79268)</div>
    No, not all cars will tell you your speed in reverse.
     
  8. Torf

    Torf New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kidtwist\";p=\"79345)</div>
    No, not all cars will tell you your speed in reverse.[/b][/quote]

    All the ones I have ever driven with a digital speedometer did, and the ones that have a dial speedometer measure speed opposite of the normal direction, i.e. the needle swings counterclockwise unless there is a post preventing this occurance.

    I have never seen a dial speedometer that actually has readable tics below the zero mark though.
     
  9. skruse

    skruse Senior Member

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    I had the red triangle "will not charge" in neutral experience this morning. The Prius was in drive. After several attempts I noticed the driver's door was not fully closed.

    Closed the driver's door, restarted the vehicle, drove the 45 km (30 mi) to work, everything fine.
     
  10. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

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    "Last night we noticed you can't lock the car using the SKS' black buttons on the door handles or on the hatch unless you have the transponder with you."

    Of course! Otherwise any stranger could walk up and lock/unlock your car!

    I also got the message-- took it to a dealer who knew nothing of the cause. Open the driver's door in Drive and you'll get it every time.

    Hopefully, this is the only software bug in the system... thank God Microslush didn't program the thing.
     
  11. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee\";p=\"79342)</div>
    Not weird. The reason is to prevent you from locking the keys inside the car. It wants to sense the transponder on the outside of the car before it will allow you to lock it using the black buttons.
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kidtwist\";p=\"79345)</div>
    No, not all cars will tell you your speed in reverse.
    [/b][/quote]

    really?!?!? omg, that's a first.
     
  13. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy\";p=\"79427)</div>
    Not weird. The reason is to prevent you from locking the keys inside the car. It wants to sense the transponder on the outside of the car before it will allow you to lock it using the black buttons.
    [/b][/quote]

    hm, didn't know it also looked outside the car for the presence of the transponder as well. :oops: we figured it would look inside the car and lock if the thing wasn't in there. interesting.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil\";p=\"79422)</div>
    well sheesh... i know it takes a key to UN-lock the car... didn't figure you needed one to lock it too... and if i left it unlocked it wouldn't really bother me to have a stranger lock it.
    no need to insult my intelligence... i get enough of that from the more arrogant professors :(
     
  14. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee\";p=\"79513)</div>
    You actually CAN lock the car without the FOB, just not electronically. You just do it manually by locking the doors from the inside then closing the door. When you close that door, I'm pretty sure you need to have the door handle pulled out, but I need to check on that. This is the same way pretty much all "regular" cars can be locked.
    So you can lock the car manually without a transponder or key, just like any other car. But you can't lock it using the little black button without the transponder.
     
  15. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    Ay ay ay! This is becoming much more than I was trying to start. That's how he locked it since he didn't have the transponder with him. I was just trying to point out a little quirk about the SKS, which is a new concept to me. I ended up looking like a complete idiot who can't master the workings of lock mechanisms. :(

    Trust me, I know plenty about 'regular cars,' my old college beater car had power locks that didn't really work so I had to use them manually or hit the 'lock' button 12 times.
     
  16. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    Yes, but what is the logic for not allowing one to lock the car from the outside if the fob is not present, inside or out? I don't get that either.
     
  17. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    THANK YOU! Someone finally agrees with me. :) I was beginning to think I was going nuts here.
     
  18. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanMan32\";p=\"79713)</div>
    I suspect it has to do with concern for the fob being present inside the car but not being sensed for. Automatic sensing shuts off inside the car after a time, and there are locations inside the cabin that even if sensing the fob won't be detected.

    Further, I guess it would suck if the battery was dead in the fob and it go locked inside...the mechanical key along with it.

    Certainly there are a lot of situations it would be convenient to lock without the fob. But, I suspect, the greater ire would be from those locked out of their own car due to one of the above scenarios.
     
  19. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    Aha! That's the reason! SKS checks if the fob's battery is low when you leave the car. I don't know if it will lock if it does detect low battery, but it will give alarm beeps.