1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Something special about outside temp of 37 deg?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by tomctomc, Apr 17, 2008.

  1. tomctomc

    tomctomc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2008
    23
    0
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I have had my Prius for about a month now. This morning I noticed that when the outside temperature was 37 degrees, the small temp indication in the upper right corner of the MFD was replaced with a larger "banner" notification of outside temp along the whole top of the display (like that which appears when you adjust the radio volume). It may have only happened on the way down to 37 degrees from a warmer temp but not on the way up from a colder temp. I happen to also own a Passat that provides a warning when the temp passes through +/- 5 degrees from freezing (ie at 27 and 37 degrees). Has anyone else noticed this and is it a notice to be careful about the outside temp approaching freezing? thx

    (ps I searched and found nothing on this topic)
     
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    You must never drive your Prius through the 37 degree barrier; doing so may destroy the PSD and void your warranty. Page 147 of the owner's manual clearly states that you must pull over and shut down until the temperature transitions through this disallowed range.

    Sorry about that, I couldn't resist. Seriously, it's just a freeze warning. Toyota sets it a bit higher than some.

    Tom
     
  3. Ct. Ken V

    Ct. Ken V Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2007
    535
    57
    0
    Location:
    Bolton,CT
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    tomctomc,

    Yes, we all have had that warn'g about approach'g the freez'g temperature in our Priuses since the 2004 model year. However the '04 & '05's also have a similar symbol on the dash display as well (near the speedometer to the right of the "cruise" & headlight indicator lights). On the '04/'05, since the dash light is small & not that bright, the MFD flashes only a momentary warn'g to alert you, but the dash light continues to stay on at or below 37F. Your warn'g will always come on when the outside air temp reaches 37F going down & go back off when the temp reaches 39F going up. The 2 degree difference between on & off is due to the temp sensor being based on the Centigrade scale & the conversion from it to the Farenheit(sp?) display. Hope this explains it sufficiently.

    Ken (in Bolton,Ct)
     
  4. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2003
    7,093
    2,100
    1,174
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yes, it means your mileage is about to suck. :smow:
     
  5. Ichabod

    Ichabod Artist In Residence

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2006
    1,794
    19
    0
    Location:
    Newton, MA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Connecticut Ken, After your example I'm going to start using apostrophes to save myself 1 character at a time. For example, this post would read:

    Conn'ticut Ken, Af'r y'r ex'ple I'm go'g to st't us'g apostrop's to s've mys'f 1 char'ter at a t'e. F' ex'ple, t's p't wo'd r'd.

    H' h'!!! :D
     
  6. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I still don't understand the freeze warning icon. Here in AZ it doesn't obviously get that cold but there were several times over the winter where it was cold enough. I had it come on once at approximately that temperature... but then there were a handful of days it was upper 20's, and a weekend where it was in the teens (up North in Flagstaff) where I NEVER saw the warning come on. I thought it was odd that I saw it in the upper 30's but it never came on when it was colder? I concluded that perhaps the warning indicator takes into account humidity to determine if the roads might be slick? On the days when it was really really cold it was also very dry.

    Mike
     
  7. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

    Joined:
    May 21, 2007
    6,038
    707
    0
    Location:
    Tumwater, WA USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It means the Frost Spider is going to get you...

    First time I saw that (out of the corner of my eye) I thought aliens had attacked my MFD...
     
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    The outside temperature has to drop to 37° F for the warning to trigger. If it's already colder than that it's your problem.

    Tom
     
  9. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Ahh, okay. Yeah, my truck probably works the same way. My rear view mirror has the temperature and compass built in. At times the display will say, "ICE" and other colder times it doesn't say anything. It probably works the same way where if it gets colder than a certain temperature while it's on then it will display that. Thanks.