Manual Rant

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Jul 17 2007, 06:57 PM) [snapback]480548[/snapback]</div>

Most of the time a manual isn't even in a rental car. Besides, a rental is an extremely limited short term relationship. Why would one want to know the in's and out's of something you are borrowing short term and has no impact on ownership experience.

Where do you suppose the respondants get alot of their wealth of knowledge?

 

The manual is a good read when you're on the throne. I think I got through half the manual this way. It's always cool to find something new in the manual and then immediately try it out (wipe and flush first!).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Presto @ Jul 17 2007, 08:00 PM) [snapback]480580[/snapback]</div>

And wash you hands!!!!!!! :lol:

 

"Manual Rant, It's a car, not a spaceship"

Maybe not; but the Prius is a lot closer to a spaceship than most cars on the road today!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seasalsa @ Jul 17 2007, 08:31 PM) [snapback]480595[/snapback]</div>

You sure about that?

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Presto @ Jul 17 2007, 08:00 PM) [snapback]480580[/snapback]</div>

True, but the paper is too shiny to work really well.

Tom

 

Some funny remarks, but:

OP is right! The manual is an execrable mess, IMHO. As OP said, repetitious, poor phrasing and terminology, and it's really difficult to locate information in a "random access" manner. Not only is there little logic to the order and placement of some of the info, but the index in so incomplete as to be useless.

 

Not a spaceship?? Dang I guess I am on the wrong forum?
Where is the Star Trek next generation car-rocket thingie??

--des

 

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FL_Prius_Driver @ Jul 18 2007, 08:57 AM) [snapback]480548[/snapback]</div>

I have read it a couple of times. Thought that I had a grip on everything, then driving along and the slip indicator flashes!! What did I do wrong? Have I got a problem? Quick where is the manual? Just what does that mean?????

I challenge anyone to quote me page, or even chapter heading where you can find out just what this is actually indicating. The list of idicator symbols tells me that it is a slip indicator light, but no cross reference to anywhere else in the manual. Index does not even have the words "slip indicator light". So where is the information I need to know?

I found it, but have a little fun, see if you can find the reference. There is much more on how to operate the CD player. I bought a car, not a stero system.

 

Whether someone reads the manual or not is their business. It DOES contain a lot of information but the lack of good layout, organization and index makes that information very difficult to find when needed or assimilate when browsing.

PriusChat, on the other hand, is far more efficient and more often than not content is written in a sufficiently similar version of English that we all use to make immediate sense and give the most appropriate information in the context needed.

Either way, both the manual and PriusChat are potential resources for information of use to Prius owners and drivers, and in my view it's up to the individual which one they want to use when there's a question they want answered or need information on a topic. It's not my place to tell anyone to 'read the manual', just to decide whether to contribute a response or not when I think I have something worthwhile to say.

As such, I can't understand why those who post only to suggest an OP should read the manual bother to waste their time. If a poster has enough sense to buy a Prius, then they have enough sense to be trusted to judge for themselves how best to obtain information, and certainly to be aware that there IS a manual and that it likely does have answers. They don't need me to tell them!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AussieOwner @ Jul 18 2007, 07:54 AM) [snapback]480808[/snapback]</div>

(Page 148, Owners Manual.)
Section 2 has info on lights, so start there. Or start with Pocket Reference Guide, Page 13 . Footnotes for this page say see O.M. section 2-6. I turn to that T.O.C page. Knowing this is part of the Stability Control System, I see VSC.........Page 148. And right there is the SLip indicator light.
There should be a reference in the index, but there is not.

Aside from telling you what the light means, what else can they say? It's a safety feature meant to be totally transparent in operation to the driver. It's just an advanced feature of the anti-lock brake system really. And not much is said about that either.
The stereo, on the other hand, is a very feature filled device that must be manipulated for use. Since the stereo interface in unlike anything in an ordinary car (MFD touch screen and Voice recognition interface), I guess Toyota saw fit to devote many pages to it's use.
Otherwise we'd be getting questions like, "how do I listen to the radio'?

 

There has been a long-running debate on PC about the Prius manual: Is it written in Engrish or Jinglish?

Tom

 

I really, truly did try to read the manual. In fact I spent parts of 3 days doing so right after I got my car. I had to keep going out to the car & looking at things to figure out which set of pictures actually applied to me. I still try to use it as a reference, but it is tough going. I have learned a lot from reading posts here that I am sure are NOT in the manual. Thanks, everyone.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jul 18 2007, 05:48 AM) [snapback]480822[/snapback]</div>

Well, I was going to take exception, and point out that the correct term is "Engrish", but after more thought, the manual is actually better than most Engrish translations. Maybe the newly coined Jinglish is okay is this context...

Oh - a word of warning - the above link is to the engirish.com website, and they are currently hosting "Adult Engrish Week", so if adult references bother you don't go there until next week.

 

I doubt anyone on PC would defend the manual as a well-crafted, well-organized, user-friendly document. It certainly doesn't match the well-crafted nature of the car itself, by a long stretch, in my view.

With the size of the current book, just by eliminating the huge amount of repetition it contains, they could easily have room to tell you a paragraph or two about what the Slip warning light means (re: AussieOwner's post.) If it is a function meant to be "totally transparent" to the driver (as 9G points out) why have a light at all, to get a driver worked up over? If on the other hand, that light ever means there could be actual trouble onboard, then the manual should at least explain the latent nature of the warning light, even as simple as "Ignore this light unless you see it remain lit for 30 minutes at a time, or it shows up when standing still---see your dealer."