Insert Key?

If it was not in the slot you have SKS. What package did you get. You will find that folks around here are into details! :mrgreen: but we be cool. You only need to put the fob in the slot if you do not have SKS or hit that button under the Steering Wheel. There is a lot to learn and if you like to learn you are in fat city and you will love this car.

 

Congratulations on your new car! I've had mine for 3 weeks and just love it! This morning on the way to work, I even found myself sort of wishing my commute were a bit further. :wink:

hdrygas is right. If you're into finding out about your car, you've come to the right place.

I'm re-iterating some info here, but the fob is your smart key and it works a couple of different ways.

Since your car was operating with the smart key on the dash, I assume your car has "smart function" and it's currently activated. While smart function is activated, you merely need to have the smart key in close enough proximity to the car to unlock doors and start the car. I keep my key in my pocket. My wife keeps hers in her purse.

If you deactivate Smart Mode using the button under the steering wheel (instructions on pg. 33 of the manual) you would use the Lock and Unlock buttons on the smart key to lock and unlock the car (or the manual key) and would put the smart key in the slot you're talking about in order to power up the car.

So I think you'll see that you wouldn't want to actually "keep" the smart key in the slot as in either scenario it would mean anyone could start your car. Which would be bad. :mrgreen:

Enjoy your new ride!

 

Congrats on the new car, the local dealer actually has two in stock at the moment and the moneychangers have a 3,500 dollar markup above MSRP on them. They charge that because the Prius is still hard to come by.

As far as reference sites for the Prius goes, this site is likely the best, followed by Prius Online.

John1701a has a nifty site, and the screen saver he has avaliable features changing Prius pics from the auto show, nifty download for your PC.

The Yahoo Prius site is likely the hardest to navigate. I intend to donate to this site, if Danny has answered my inquiries about it.

This site also was just slammed due to an overload of traffic after the Superbowl ad for the Prius. It is chock full of great information.

 

Hi Jeri and Friends,

Congrats on your new car! I too am a new owner having taken delivery of my wonderful car on February 4th @ 7pm.

It does indeed sound like you have the SKS or Smart Key System. Truly a wonderous thing indeed. Just wait till it is pouring rain, your hands are full and you have only to walk up to your car and touch either the driver's, front passenger's or rear hatch door and have it unlock just for you. I feel so special every time it works for me. Silly I know, but I kind of have a Sally Field moment (to paraphrase "It likes me, it really likes me...").

Oh, one other thing about the SKS, (if this is redundant, please forgive me but I "discovered" this on my own as my dealer pretty much sped through basics and then handed me the fob and sent me on my way - Thank goodness for PriusChat, had I not invested hours learning everything I could about this car before I ever took the key I might still be sitting at the dealership). You will notice a black "dot" on your driver's side door handle, front passenger handle and on your rear hatch. If you depress this dot when SKS is enabled and the key fob is not inside the vehicle it will automatically lock the car for you. If the fob is mistakenly left inside the vehicle it will beep at you to remind you to take the fob with you. You will also see a small flashing orange car shaped icon with a key inside that will remind you when the fob is inside the vehicle (on the dash, in your pocket, in your purse, etc.) to take the fob with you.

I am glad to hear that you have started your journey to Prius mastery by reading your owner's manual. That book and this site (as I am sure you are already aware) are two of the best sources for information you can find.

If you have the Package #6 AKA BC (includes driver and front passenger seat-mounted side and front and rear side curtain airbags [2]; anti-theft system and auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirror with HomeLink® [3] universal transceiver; Smart Key System; High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps, integrated fog lamps and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) [4]; JBL 3-in-1 AM/FM Cassette/6-disc in-dash CD changer, nine speakers in seven locations and FM diversity reception; and voice-activated DVD navigation system [5] with hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth TM [6] technology) you have the full bells and whistles version and just about everything in the book applies at some level.

As for the fingerprints, some folks have been talking about an aftermarket screen protector that they have installed/applied. Search the posts past to see if you can locate the info or post the query so that someone can clue you in on where it can be found. I don't find that the fingerprints show as much as I thought they would unless the light is just right. Usually, if my display is on I can't see them at all (I am too busy checking to see how I am doing in the mileage game anyway .

Of course, you can also just institute a "see with your eyes, not with your hands" policy so that at least the only fingers on your MFD (Multi Function Display) would be yours.

Enjoy your new ride and if you are anywhere near Los Angeles or Orange County this Sunday be sure to come to the LA/OC Prius Meet & Greet. There is a post about it in the main Forum and also in the clubs section. Should be a great way for new owner's such as ourselves to glean all sorts of useful info from the more seasoned veteran drivers.

Take care,

Tisza

Millenium Silver '05, Pkg #3 BI, Custom Painted Mudflaps, Silver Door Edge Guard, 49.8 MPG @ 900 on ODO 496 miles on last tank of gas
"Because He love's Me, that's why..."
"Prius, the ultimate in Geek Bling"

 

You'll soon get used to fingerprints...we all have them, many of us are annoyed by them, but eventually it seems that you get used to them. :mrgreen:

 

If you were wondering about the 'plastic strip', it is simply to keep dust out and an attempt to keep fingers out. Much like the VCR, it will flip up when you slide the fob in.