Package 3 lights

If you bought the car in the United States it is the former, if you bought it in Canada, it is the latter.

 

The sensor on the right in your photo is for the A/C system, which boosts the cooling when solar intensity is high.

The left is a blank where the auto-off sensor WOULD go if it had one. You have the "off with the driver's door" system on your car.

 

I assume we are talking 2006 here.
With all the updates and changes they made to the 2006, they still didn't fix the owner's manual? Heck, they should have managed to provide full auto/DRL even with HID.

 

I have to say that I'm quite upset by this. Why wouldn't such a sophisticated car have headlights that automatically turn on when it's dark? My 1999 sports car did it. Why shouldn't my 2006 computer-on-wheels Prius?

Why should this feature work in Canada, but not in the USA?

BTW, I've got an '06 with a package 7.

 

It may have to do with the HID lights. The spot for the sensor is on the dash, but nothing else.

 

I think we should have a class action law suit against Toyota. This has been misleading since 2004 model. You think they would fix/correct it by now.

Remember when Palm got in trouble because they claimed their screen can display 65k colors but actually a few thousand less? This kind of mistake is not tolerated in the computer industry and why should auto industry be the exception?

 

I read the entire manual too, checked the windshield sticker and then called my salesperson. I too have the package 3 with the auto-off headlights. I'm used to them now, although I was admittedly annoyed at first. I keep my headlights on all the time (better to be seen with on these 2 lane highways and roads) and do enjoy the auto-off feature.

One other little picky thing talking about the manual and what you really get with the car. I read all about the theft protection system and have seen it noted in several of the threads that the Prius has this certain theft protection. I went back to the dealership and had the salesman try unlocking the front door by putting his hand through the open front window while I was sitting over 15 feet away with the smart key...no alarm or flashing lights. On closer inspection of the windshield sticker I see that I have SKS with engine immobilizer...good deal, but the manual does not discrimate between the different theft prevention systems versus the different packages like it does with the MFD/NAV/Stereo.

 

From what I know, if the light stalk on the steering column has an "Auto" setting, you have auto on/off. If not, then not. I had a rental VW Golf in France tha had not only "auto" lights, but wipers too. Cool. But not the Prius.

 

I have a 2004 Prius with the auto off lights. There is one fatal flaw: If you exit the car through the passenger door, the lights don't shut off. Here's the sequence of events that has happenned three times to me:

1. As I'm walking away from the car I notice that I left a window open.
2. I open the passenger door and reach across to power the car on so I can roll the window up.
3. After rolling up the window I power off, lock up, and walk away
4. Because it was daytime I didn't notice that the headlights were turned on by steps 2 and 3.
5. When I get back to my car the battery is dead from the headlight drain. The car won't start and often acts very strangely.

The first time it happenned I didn't know what caused it. The second time I pieced together what happenned after the fact. The third time I should have known better but my mind was on other things.

Now I no longer rely on the auto off feature... I turn my headlights off everytime I get out of the car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Mar 28 2006, 12:26 PM) [snapback]231515[/snapback]</div>

It probably DOES.

My 02 Nissan Maxima DID come w/HIDs and auto on/off lights but I NEVER used that position. Why? Because on p. 2-17 of the owner's manual it says "The life of xenon headlights will be shortened by frequent on-off operation. It is generally desirable not to turn off the headlights for short intervals, (for example, when the vehicle stops at a traffic signal)." When I first read the traffic light bit I said "huh?"

My 04 350Z has HIDs but no auto on/off BTW and has the same passage on p. 2-22.

BTW, in Japan, I noticed many drivers do turn off their headlights when waiting at traffic lights and then turn them back on. Supposedly the reason is so that they don't have their headlights shining into (and blinding) the on the other side of the road.

In short, you are likely better off from a bulb life POV not having auto on/off if you have HIDs.