Improving the Prius

Mine does alright. I have a 2005 package #6. I would have thought this would be a standard feature in all models. You may want to have that checked.

 

you can do it at the dealer

 

I'm guessing your car has less than 15k miles on it. low to mid 40mpg is normal untill you start to get higher gas mileage. I'm running about 50mpg but i also have 17k miles on my car. If i baby it i could get low to mid 50mpg.


The steering wheel brightness is a set at a single level. If you dim everything else down, your eyes will adjust and it looks quite nice. I turned the screen brightness down and the contrast... er.. down? up? at night i see a darker screen with brighter lines. I guess that's up.


You can get the steering wheel brightness adjusted at the dealer?

 

No you can't. No such option, no such zone, return to sender. :wink:

It is lit, but barely. :idea:

 

This is probably my biggest grip with the prius. I have to look at the steering wheel at night to see which button Im pressing.


The other thing is the buttons on the left side. Anyone else noticed that for the A/C temp the up arrow is on one side, whilst the up arrow for the audio (disc change/radio station) is on the other. Like ^V on one and V^ on the other. I can never remember which is up!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(victor\";p=\"63594)</div>

This is why the buttons have different "textures" to them. Some have little round indents or bumps. Others are located with the little dot that sticks out. They are designed so you can feel what you are touching and simply remember which shape goes to what function. you should try prssing the button and remembering what its "marker" is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid\";p=\"63601)</div>

This is why the buttons have different "textures" to them. Some have little round indents or bumps. Others are located with the little dot that sticks out. They are designed so you can feel what you are touching and simply remember which shape goes to what function. you should try prssing the button and remembering what its "marker" is.[/b][/quote]


Im aware of that, but it doesnt help the button layout is inconsistent.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(victor\";p=\"63628)</div>

I never noticed it until I read your post.

Perhaps it is because the radio stations selector is on a horizontal plain and the temperature adjuster is on a vertical plain?

BTW, were you involved at all with Huygens, the European space probe which landed today on the Saturn moon, Titan? If so, congratulations are in order.

 

The volume is vertical, but the other 2 are horizontal.

Huygens - No, thats done at ESA in Darmstadt, Im at GSOC, Munich.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer\";p=\"63611)</div>

I think people got confused with the auto dimming function with the DRL/Auto Headlights. There are setting for level and sensitivity for day and night for that. There should be a post, perhaps in the KB of all customizable options.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(victor\";p=\"63647)</div>

The temperature controls are on a half circle shaped switch which is divided on a diagonal. The ^ function is higher on a vertical plain than its opposite.

 

Also, the "up" controls for volume and temperature are raised convex domes; the "down" controls are depressed concave dents.

That's intended to be mnemonic.