my prius v is full of gremlins and is frustrating me

Some of this sounds very legit for audio, heater and electrical issues.

The rest sounds like a BMW owner thinking a Prius should ride like a BMW. It's to bad you didn't seek out a hybrid in another model that more closely rides like a BMW. You must have had a great salesman!

Regarding the electric issues....bring it to Toyota and give them three tries to fix the issue. If it doesn't fix it you have a right to file a Lemon Lawsuit. (In NYS anyway)

 

Sounds like Entune bugs as far the audio. The climate issues sound like a bad defrost switch that gets activated inadvertently by road bumps. Kind of surprised you haven't taken it to the dealer.

I've never owned or driven a BMW but compare to other cars I own or have owned this car is quieter than most I've driven. Perhaps your expectations of a $25K car were a little unrealistic when compared to a car twice as expensive.

Definitely take it to the dealer.

 

Somehow I don't expect a station wagon to handle like a sports sedan. And I expect compromises when the price differential is big too.

My previous cars were a CRV and a Porsche. Owned the one so I could own the other. Completely different experience and expectations. Owned a BMW too that my wife made me get rid of because it was always in the shop (50% of the time for upgrades but she didn't realize the difference).

Is the Prius different than any of the 40+ cars I've owned since 1965? Yes.

Complaints? Sure but none like yours.

• Gray A pillars reflect in the edge of the windshield. Make em black.

• Ledge under the rear window picks up dirt.

• Useless hubcaps.

• Too much brake dust. It is expected I have to clean a white car but these brake pads shed more dust than even my Porsche's did.

• I shouldn't have to go to the dealer to reset some of the optional sounds and door settings I want.Nor buy a scangauge.

• Prefer the 2011 Avalon's display of Nav data but prefer the destination entry on the Entune.

• Would like to allow as an option the entry of destination when moving since, in our family, the passenger is the navigator.

• Prefer seats where the bottom cushion angle can be adjusted.

• LED DRLs (this is 2013, why are we using obsolete bulbs anywhere on a $28k car).

• Prefer the instrument display to be in front of the driver.

• They could turn the card holder into a small bin for breath mints.

Niggles. Outweighed by pluses (just back from the dump, a grocery run and getting 6 gallons of regular gas for 40+ MPG in the winter at 65-70 MPH most of the time). Last week it was a Christmas tree to recycling inside the car. Love the bins under the rear cargo area, a few practice golf clubs (irons, putter) fit perfectly. Love the dual glove compartments. Love how the center console is low so your leg can splay to the side over it. And 3 cup holders in the front. Adjustable back seats. And how their option packages don't make you buy a sunroof (hate 'em. My kids are 6'5" and 6'6"). I could go on.

I took 4 test drives before I bought. Even into my garage to simulate the normal use.

 

Many of the options (door unlocks; nag settings; sounds, etc.) can be changed in the advanced system adjustments. I just went to my dealer and told them how I wanted the electrical stuff setup and they did it for me.

I bought my car because of the hybrid engine. There are also Option packages. Did you buy the highest package and did the package sell you what you wanted. I see it's Option III. Unfortunately I can't remember how many Option Packages Toyota offers on the Prius.

Toyota has other Hybrid models that move up the scale between basic function and luxury vehicle. Camry; Lexus; Highlander...... If your price point was $25,000 you can't touch the luxury vehicles. So, you get what you paid for: HYBRID ENGINE and BASIC VEHICLE.

Who was your salesperson....? They either mislead you or you didn't hear what they said or read what was written. Of course they don't run like luxury vehicles because a Prius is not a luxury vehicle.

I think your subconscious is reporting the reality: "

Owned a BMW too that my wife made me get rid of because it was always in the shop (50% of the time for upgrades but she didn't realize the difference)." ​

That's just how I see it.

Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/my-prius-v-is-full-of-gremlins-and-is-frustrating-me.120940/#ixzz2IL0tIDZp​

 

You buy a brand new car and have a warranty. Take it to the dealer and have them look at it. The warranty is BUMPER TO BUMPER after all.

 

sounds like a trade in on a camry to me. quiet, comfotable, decent mileage and zero shop time! or hycam, even better.

 

You do have that option; or at least I do in my V three.
While driving, hit the voice control button on the steering wheel and say something like: "Destination 25 Maple Street Lincoln, Massachusetts". Use the word Destination.
The nav system will show that address on a map and ask if you want to navigate to that address.
I apologize for sending this thread off-track a bit.

 

One this is the same woman who said to me "You have been looking at the ads for thirty years, why don't you just go buy the Porsche." And when I totaled it "You are going to get another, aren't you?" Two the BMW was a 1970 2002A so it is hardly one I now miss greatly. The only point of mentioning the BMW in the initial postings was to imply I'm not unaware of BMWs (I play golf with a guy who gets a new one every 6 months as part of his retirement package...no insurance, no maintenance, not even gas. How sweet.) since the OP came from BMWs.

The thrust of my message to the OP was intended to be: Positives outweigh negatives to me. No car is perfect and this one isn't to me. I got what I expected and more after multiple test drives. I'm not having big problems like you are. By all means go see your dealer.

 

There, I feel better now. No offense meant, OP, but it's hard to read an unformatted stream of consciousness and could discourage people from offering advice.

The Prius makes sacrifices in sound and ride to lower weight and gain fuel economy. One of these sacrifices is using a light plastic that doesn't handle temperature changes that well. People have found different solutions to the Prius dash rattles, adding reinforcement and cushioning.

The dash rattles may not even occur on a test drive, but the road noise is something you should have identified in your test drive when you took the car on the highway. Search this site for "sound deadening" as there may be people who've modded to improve it.

The radio and Bluetooth problems seem like software issues, so check to see that you have the latest version of Entune. I don't have it so hopefully others will be able to tell you how to check.

The climate control problem obviously needs fixing. When you say "turned the temperature up" did the display change or did it simply start heating and running the fan without a visual indication?

 

Oh sweetie....you just reinforced the subconscious message about the woman in your life! ;-)

And really, you are saying the positives outweigh the negatives? Sure could have fooled me!

Once you get past the learning curve you'll be even more pleased w the Prius....want more luxury, the Hybrid Camry is a great choice (as a previous poster has indicated.)