Do current Primes emit the pedestrian warning sound?

Window has to be down. I only hear it when creeping along right next to a building, like when going through the McDonald's drive-thru. It is very low volume. Sounds like steam escaping.

 

Yours may not be working like my wife's Prime. The reason I noticed it was it's our second Prime. It may not be you, plus if it's too low volume, you can have the dealer turn it up to level 2 or 3. Just listen to level 2 or 3 before commit and make sure it doesn't drive you crazy being too loud. I think it is very helpful in slow speed parking lots and where people are walking around you while going very slowly.

 

At least on 2017s (and I’d expect 2018s to be the same), yes, there is a pedestrian warning sound. It’s not a beeping sound if that’s what you’re listening for. It’s more of a rush-of-wind kind of sound, or like an amplification of the motor sound. Thankfully, it’s pretty hard to hear from within the cabin, unless you have your windows down.

 

A coworker calls my Gen 4 Prius my spaceship.

 

Having lived in Chicagoland a while back, I understand. A long time ago driving on the Tri-State (I294) near Ogden avenue, I thought one of my wheel bearings was failing, only to find out exiting, that it was the wonderful cicadas screaming at me. Very lovely like a horror movie.

 

Mine sounds like shhhhh-oooooo-shhhhh-ooooo. The wife's Leaf makes more of an electronic chime sound which repeats.

 

At least it's not the sound this Cirtoen concept makes:

 

Just changed mine to Level 3 with TechStream. Can't tell a difference yet but was in a parking lot with others noises. There is an option to turn the noise on when the car is sitting still also.

 

I took mine apart and shoved packing peanuts in against the speaker to silence it. I was going to unplug it but it will throw a code then.

 

I think some people are confusing the warning sound made in the cabin to alert the driver that a passenger or obstacle is present, which can be adjusted for loudness, and the sound referred to in the video that is emitted regardless of the presence of anyone and which is indeed as subtle as it is, well, not very elegant sounding.

Have there been any reports of anyone changing this sound to something more urbane?