Most annoying thing about the prius?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tatania @ Aug 3 2006, 03:59 PM) [snapback]297211[/snapback]</div>

Visors? YEA !! I sense my next cloth to leather conversion project.

 

Climate Control Annoyance:

On the MFD the front and rear defroster icons are reversed from what they are on the steering wheel.

 

Yeah...I've noticed most of the other complaints...I can live with them.

One I haven't seen yet (or maybe just overlooked):

When my wife wants to leave her purse in the car...we get out and I use the button on the door handle to lock the doors...BEEEEEEP. "honey, get your purse" darn smartkey in purse...

Is there a way to overcome this little inconvenience? Now, when she wants to leave her purse in the car, I remind her to take her fob with her.

Cheers,

Larry

 

This is my first car with a touch screen, non-nav/Bluetooth. I don't like the lack of tactile sensation. For the climate controls, you have to take your eyes off the road and look at the screen to make sure you hit the right "button". In my Civic I just take a quick glance at the controls, then my hand finds its way through the process by feel. The screen is also hard to reach. Fortunately some of the audio and climate controls are on the steering wheel. If I had to rely on the touch screen all the time it would be a big problem

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lchamp @ Jan 22 2007, 06:39 AM) [snapback]378925[/snapback]</div>

She can leave her purse and fob in the car. However, you will have to use the buttons on your fob to lock and unlock. It will be like you had [gasp] a normal car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Skwyre7 @ Jan 23 2007, 08:09 AM) [snapback]379442[/snapback]</div>

yeah...where did I put that darn fob...

She's started to put the fob in her pocket. hmmm...in the old days, women had another place to store little things...i'll have to suggest that...

Cheers,

Larry

 

Seats are just horrible. I don't get what's wrong with providing an option for 8 way power seats. Sounds like another stupidity from Toyota - they didn't want to provide leather for years and now they do. But they are still insisting on crappy seats.

I am sick of beige cloth.

 

First I have to say I love my Prius. That said, here's my list of things I wish Toyota would fix:

1. driver seat should be more adjustable
2. bladder
3. guess gauge
4. cold weather performance (An automated grill block shutter or something to help would be nice.)
5. tiny wheels with big fat rubber looks silly (Larger rims would be nice.)
6. wimpy horn
7. all models should have an AUX in
8. reverse beep should be external, not internal
9. no plastic protection interior like the Matrix has for trunk and seat backs
10. traction control should limit RPMs instead of drop power so that if you're a step ahead of it you don't suddenly get hosed
11. passenger airbag sensor is too sensitive
12. cruise control only remembers four clicks up or down while speed limits change in increments of five
13. EV limit of 34MPH should be more like 35 or 36 to be in line with actual speed limits in the US
14. EV 'stealth' should exist in the US by default
15. that darn limiter on the rear wiper
16. the MFD's lack of an obvious window for diagnostic temperatures, pressures, miles since last service, etc.
17. the dash values are only integers (I want at least tenths of MPH if I'm stuck with all digital.)
18. the dash values seem to be an average of the last few seconds so that I can come to a complete stop and watch my MPH take seconds to drop to zero instead of have an instant update
19. all brakes should be disc

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Silver Phoenix @ Feb 1 2007, 05:03 PM) [snapback]384119[/snapback]</div>

1. 
   
   Agreed.
   
   
   What's wrong with it.
   
   
   Got a replacement from Sigma auto, much deeper/louder.
   
   
   The point is not to warn others, it's to warn the driver, because of
   how different things are with the Prius (different shifter, quiet movement).
   
   
   Don't recall seeing that on other co's digital displays

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Aug 3 2006, 03:41 PM) [snapback]297247[/snapback]</div>

Well, I was thrilled to read about another who's discovered how to use the right amd left side mirrors properly. For years I've been telling people that they should be tilted outward almost to the fullest limit. That's how you'll be able to see the cars in your blind spot. Just when the other vehicle slides out of rearview mirror view, and into the blind spot, you'll pick him up clearly in the side mirror. There is little value to seeing the side of your car in the rear view mirror, althought that's how most drivers set theirs up. As far as leaning far to the left to adjust the left mirror, or way over to the right for the right mirror- what's up with that? You want to be in a normal seating postion, and to be able to glance over to either side mirror to see an "intruder." It makes little sense, and sounds somewhat dangerous, to have to lean one way or another to check for blind spot traffic. Additionally, exaggerated movements "telegraph" a lane-change intention- and here in California, signalling a lane change explicitly with a turn signal, or checking a mirror conspicuously, assures one of having the gap in your desired lane quickly closed by aggresive drivers!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cirruspete @ Feb 1 2007, 09:45 PM) [snapback]384239[/snapback]</div>

You're not supposed to USE the mirrors while leaning to the left or right, just SET them that way. The goal is not to simply see out as far out as possible, but to create a continuous field of view with the rear-view mirror. As explained on Cartalk, the point is that "when a car comes up behind you, you should first see it in your rear-view mirror. But as it passes you (let's say on your left), you'll see it move to the left side of your rear-view mirror. And as its left headlight disappears from your rear-view mirror, it should instantly show up in your left side-view mirror. There should be no delay. It should slip from one to the other, so you can always see it."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Silver Phoenix @ Feb 2 2007, 03:16 PM) [snapback]384599[/snapback]</div>

It's not a cut corner, it's a matter of preference. I'm sure Toyota can cite statistics that indicate that higher-pitched horns are safer because they tend to be noticed more. Otherwise, I suppose it's a matter of personal taste; to me, this was a customization, not a fix. Like getting pinstripes.

Apparently, it isn't enough. I brought my car in to have the bumper repaired (someone else did a really bad parallel parking job), and the body shop guy was moving it around the lot and accidentally started backing it up when he intended to move it forward (I have the reverse beep disabled). He was looking around him, not at the dash, moving slowly, and the car was silent. I smacked the roof of the car pretty quickly, but if he'd just backed up 2 feet, it would have needed another repair.

And (when I got the car this summer and read more on Priuschat) I've read other people relate that they were grateful for the warning.

It's up the the judge's discretion, not tenth increments. If you are 1/10 mph over the speed limit, it's a legal ticket--you are deemed to be responsible for staying under the limit. Most cars' speedometers are a little off by a little, anyway--you can also argue that the 1/10 mph indicator gives you a false sense of security, telling you you're not speeding when in fact you are.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Aug 3 2006, 02:09 PM) [snapback]297154[/snapback]</div>

Indeed! And the material seems to get dirty very easily.

 

I wasn't really intending on defending my opinions. Just putting them out there. But at the moment I have nothing better to do, so...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottR @ Feb 1 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]384224[/snapback]</div>

The bladder has too much variance, and plenty of people have problems with it spitting fuel back at them after they overfill. Obviously just not overfilling it would be useful advice, but it is kind of annoying that the amount of fuel it contains is so unpredictable. Plus I'm kind of concerned about long-term integrity. Even other countries get a normal tank design for their Prius, so there's no reason why we couldn't have one for everyone.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottR @ Feb 1 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]384224[/snapback]</div>

In theory everything can be fixed if you have enough money and/or skill. You shouldn't have to fix something so simple though. No one likes cut corners.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottR @ Feb 1 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]384224[/snapback]</div>

As if the R on the dash isn't enough indication to tell you you're in reverse instead of drive? How about when the car goes backward instead of forward when you take your foot off the brake? Kinda gives it away IMHO.

If the beep serves some purpose, such as to warn folks clear of stepping behind you in a parking lot, that's handy. If the beep is just there to annoy the driver and no one else can hear it, it isn't all that useful. I deactivated the reverse beeping because it served no purpose other than to test my sanity, but I'd actually have preferred the beep still be there, just on an external speaker instead.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottR @ Feb 1 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]384224[/snapback]</div>

So to badly twist a common analogy, if all other manufacturers drove their cars off of a bridge then Toyota should drive the Prius off of one too? The point of innovation is to lead, not to just do what everyone else does. There's plenty of room to put a smaller-sized tenth digit there without rearranging anything. And it'd be ever so nice to know if you're right at the speed you want or .9 over it. Sometimes a single MPH can make a world of difference in a speeding ticket. :lol: Plus it's just nice to know.

 

For me, hands down, the most annoying thing is the shape of the key fob. They certainly could have made the edges a little more rounded.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nicos @ Jan 20 2007, 03:26 AM) [snapback]378201[/snapback]</div>

Hey! I make uController, flash-programmed flashlights that are smarter than the Prius. We currently have a single circtuit with three separate User Interfaces for specific lighting needs: Fixed, portable (that's your flashlight) and bicycle. Would be like throwing a switch in the Prius and having it act like an SUV, a family sedan or a sports car. Don't go talking about the lowly flashlight as if it has no feelings! (I'm serious about everything but the last part there.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Feb 5 2007, 12:21 AM) [snapback]385440[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, forgot the </sarcasm> markup....