Disable Automatic Driver's-Side Window?

the button has two stages if you hit it only to the first one it will stop as soon as you stop pushing it...

 

If you disconnect the 12V battery, it'll make you re-initialize the AUTO function on the window. As long as you don't go through the procedure to enable AUTO mode, the driver's side window will operate like the others. Take note that if you do disconnect the battery, you'll lose other saved settings, like radio presets and the time, and you'll need to reprogram those.

 

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Yeah, just ease your push or pull on the window button there Incredible Hulk. Then the auto feature won't kick in.
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I've disconnected my 12v and the auto window feature was still working when reconnected. Maybe a difference in the '08?
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do not know. Perhaps someone could confirm that. I've known that every time i've worked on the electronics, I had to disconnect the battery, and then a whole bunch of stuff would be reset. Did you disconnect your battery for a brief moment or for a while?

 

I have cursed that auto-down "feature" of driver's windows for years. I always regarded it as a design flaw instead of a "feature". The company I retired from often had several "features" on their equipment. Many of these were, in fact, design mistakes or unintended results of the design process.

The Prius is the FIRST car I have seen that attempts to fix this "feature". I applaud Toyota for their efforts. While I would have eliminated it completely, the Prius solution is the best compromise I can think of, short of another switch to turn the auto-up/down feature on or off.

FWIW department: The Prius is also auto-up. I never saw that before.

Bob

 

Be gentle grass hopper, it isn't a clunky old American car, it will respond to subtle inputs. Don't stab at the switch but lightly press it and when you release the window will stop.

 

Nice...I was wondering the same thing. Thx for the "light touch" explanation.

 

For my part I never saw otherwise, in Europe if it's auto down it's also auto up, and it's also never only auto...
On some french cars all windows have these two stage buttons and auto up/down feature...

On the Prius it's only the driver's...
the only thing I find strange in the prius but also in the toyota Yaris is when you lock the windows (the children lock on the driver's side),
1- it also lock the front passenger window
2- even the driver cannot manipulate the windows without unlocking first...

 

I was wondering about this (don't have my Prius yet).

Locking out all windows to the driver when the "kids" disable button is activated in INEXCUSABLE by Toyota engineers. That is a fairly simple electrical circuit. My other car that is 11 years old does it right. The car I sold to get the Prius did it wrong, and its one reason why I'm not buying the same brand.

If you say big deal, then you don't have small children who will grab that brief opportunity of deactivation.

 

Yeah, I am surprised that they have it set up that way too, (windows not movable even by driver when locked.) However, I love the auto-up/down feature. I had a car that did that with all the windows previously and that was the bomb!

 

I've dealt with MANY cars that have this feature. In every case, it was not "auto only." All you have to do is realize that the switch is two-stage (like point and shoot cameras where you can focus by pushing half way). And suddenly it is a very desirable feature. I love it. Both auto up and down. Subtlety is your friend. This wasn't a "mistake" re-branded as a feature. It cost money to design and implement properly. Now all we have to do is train the drivers.

 

Hey, I have an idea. Why don't they just put a little crank handle on the inside of the door? That way we could eliminate the extra weight of the motors and all of that electronic wires and stuff. Better MPG.

And, a little exercise never hurt anyone. Now that would be really cool...

Bob

 

By using electric windows it allows more flexibility of design throughout the cars interior because it's easier to locate switches than window winder handles.

 

1) I'm sure you understood that that suggestion was about 99% joke. No way do I want to go back to cranks. (Lord knows, there are enough cranks around already )

2) While all you say is true, let's not forget why electric windows were offered in the first place, $$$$$$$. It was an option on high end cars to make money. I would guess that market pressure and to some extent manufacturing costs contributed to making electric the standard it is today.

Side Note
Back in the '70s my dad bought his first car with electric windows. He was so proud of them. One day he called me because they quit working. All four quit working at "exactly" the same time. He went to the dealer to get it fixed. Dealer told him that all four motors were bad. $140.00 EACH to replace. He decided to wait, thus the call to me.

I went nuts! After I calmed down, I told him where to find the fuse and all was wonderful again. I sure wished I lived closer so I could have had a little "talk" with the owner of that dealership.

<back to business>

Bob