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

Stupid things about a great car

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by TheHorsts, Jul 30, 2009.

  1. TheHorsts

    TheHorsts Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    53
    9
    0
    Location:
    Oakland, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Love our new Prius, but...

    - No auto-on headlights
    - Foggy, hard to read temperature display
    - Overly complex navigation user interface
    - Navigation screen isn't that sharp
    - Hard to reach or use area under the center console
    - Middle arm rest has to slide back (into rear passenger knees) in order to open
    - Navigation lock-out while moving BUT there's a ton of things that require you to touch the navigation screen to accomplish that aren't locked out while driving -- very inconsistent
    - Interior door handles that don't let your fingers wrap around to grip them -- they're basically just shallow cups that fingers fit in only part way

    Sounds like I don't love this car, but I do.

    It's just that all these things are sort of silly deficiencies that are essentially obvious once you've owned the car for more than 24 hours. So, they should have all been easy to catch before finalizing the design.
     
    bisco likes this.
  2. eddiehaskell

    eddiehaskell Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2007
    233
    51
    0
    Location:
    Charlotte NC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I'd say no regular (non-pearl) white paint option, $75 oil changes and no backup camera without nav. :(
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  3. MattsGen3

    MattsGen3 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2009
    23
    2
    0
    Location:
    Tucson AZ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    No engine (ICE) temperature gauge.

    Maybe there is one but I didnt figure out yet, I got my Prius last night
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  4. swich2mac

    swich2mac Go Hard or Go Home!

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2009
    319
    38
    0
    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Enjoy your new car. Engineer's can't always get it right on a new generation vehicle. We have built 4 homes and everytime I always have said, "I'll do this on the next one", end up doing it, build the house, and then always find something else that I should have done.
     
    bisco and Mendel Leisk like this.
  5. rcarsonk

    rcarsonk New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2009
    22
    2
    0
    Location:
    Los Gatos, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Wow, I forgot that there isn't an engine temperature gauge.....I would miss that, and will, now that I've been reminded. Now that I think about it, the door handles are silly!
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  6. mattjw83

    mattjw83 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2009
    18
    0
    0
    Location:
    Illinois
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Is there really no option for auto-lights?
     
  7. fgp

    fgp Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    503
    169
    5
    Location:
    daytona
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    scan guage II cures all. i use it for engine temp (which when warmed up is about 190f). i also use it for rpm . great investment i got several years ago and have used on about 5 different cars:)
     
    bisco and priusincc like this.
  8. Future_Prius?

    Future_Prius? New Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2009
    17
    3
    0
    Location:
    Northern Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I just leave my headlights on..they turn off after 30 seconds after shutting off the car.
     
    WingKing likes this.
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Rear cup holders only in the center armrest.

    Tom
     
    Aimer and chich2000 like this.
  10. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2009
    1,389
    948
    4
    Location:
    Foot of Pikes Peak
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    I plan to get one too but wouldn't if Prius included a tach and engine temp gauge. I wonder why they leave out a tach which almost all cars have these days. Any other guages or settings that you recommend for the scangauge with the 2010?
     
  11. fgp

    fgp Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    503
    169
    5
    Location:
    daytona
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    the scan guage does so many things but i mostley just pay attention to rpm, engine coolant temp and also 12volt battery current which is about 14.4 volts.
     
  12. eglmainz

    eglmainz New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2009
    887
    141
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland, IL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    You have a "Hybrid System Indicator" which is much more advanced then a tachometer, which is not as necessary in this car, unless you are hypermiling. This is likely why they left it out.

    On top of that, most cars need a reminder to let you know how much fuel is wasted as you sit still, which the Prius does not do. The tachometer does that very well. ;)
     
  13. fred garvin

    fred garvin New Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2009
    376
    56
    3
    Location:
    northern virginia
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    tach - no need.

    engine temp - no need - the car is either overheating or it isn't, and the prius will tell you if it is, so when it isn't saying it is it isn't.
     
    OceanEyes likes this.
  14. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    952
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
  15. jestoy7

    jestoy7 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2009
    238
    25
    0
    Location:
    Jacksonville, FL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I don't understand the importance of a tachometer on a CVT driven car anyways. Its not like you can change to different forward gears.

    A guage that would be nice is the energy being used for appliances (AC, radio, etc) like the Ford Fusion Hybrid has.
     
  16. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,562
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    This feature depends on the market. Some countries require it, and some don't.
     
  17. yardman 49

    yardman 49 Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    606
    77
    0
    Location:
    Northern Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    I agree that for most users a tach is useless because of the HSD.

    Consider that for a given speed, the ICE may be either off, turning slowly, or turning rapidly, depending on the state of charge (SOC) of the traction battery.

    Additionally, the car can use the ICE, spinning without it producing power, as a way to prevent overcharging of the TB when braking. So in this case the ICE would be turning over without combustion occuring.

    So if you had a tach, you'd see it bouncing all over the place with no consistent correlation to vehicle speed or acceleration. Hence, it would just generate confusion (and many unnecessary threads here on the PC forums!).
     
    1 person likes this.
  18. turapeach

    turapeach Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2009
    100
    36
    0
    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Ditto - except I don't care about the paint.

    In addition it is highly annoying that you can't buy a car in our area without carpet floor mats. They could at least give you a choice between carpet and all weather.
     
  19. NealSpencer

    NealSpencer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2005
    11
    0
    0
    Location:
    Ithaca, New York
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Re: Stupid things about a great car - Intermittent wipers

    I had and sold a 2006 with Nav before I purchased my 2010 IV with NAV; I have a similarly equipped car in the new model. As I remember with my intermittent wipers on the 2006, the slowest speed was at the top with the indicator bars going from small at the bottom to wider at the top. In the 2010 it is the reverse. Am I not remembering my 06 correctly? After a while you don't look at the control, you just know what to do. :rolleyes:
     
  20. Holmesman

    Holmesman Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2009
    63
    9
    6
    Location:
    Largo, FL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    You've got me stumped on this one. The owners manual specifically says that the "Auto" headlight feature is an add-on. If your headlight switch has the word "Auto" on it, then you've got that feature.

    Mine doesn't. Just for kicks I left my headlights on after shutting my car off and waited two minutes. They were still on.

    So I am curious. When you said yours shut off...are you sure you do not have the "Auto" feature. Look on your headlight switch and see if you see the word "Auto".

    Thanks.