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

unknown items in instrument panel

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by dinusha, Oct 27, 2012.

  1. dinusha

    dinusha New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2012
    4
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi Guys

    I'm new to this site and this is my first post. This site is very resourceful and helped me to learn lot of things.
    I recently bought a gen 3 Prius (JDM) and extremely satisfied so far.
    I'm still learning the functionality , but there are few things I couldn't understand so far.
    I hope you can point me what is the functionality of items shown in below images

    1] This button is in the instrument panel next to the headlight washer. when i press this and start the vehicle I can hear few beaps.
    [​IMG]

    2] I don't have any idea what this gadget (ETC) is. it's below the instrument panel. it has vol+ and vol- and eject buttons as well. So is this related to media player ?
    [​IMG]

    I couldn't locate above items in the user manual as well.
    Please help me to discover above iems :)

    Thanks in advance !!!
     
  2. Adam Leibovitch

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2012
    498
    102
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    The first one, I think is the Electric Vehicle warning sound. The Prius is really quiet, and kids or bicyclist may not hear it, so you can press that button to warn them of your presence. I have had bycyclist swerve infront of me thinking the lane was clear, and have even had a traffic cop nearly walk backward right into me once. I didn't have the button so I yelled out the window "beep beep".

    The ETC may be an electronic toll collector??? Its hooked up to an antenna that is read by toll roads.
     
  3. dinusha

    dinusha New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2012
    4
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    thanks adam for the reply. I'll check that out
     
  4. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    i HAVE to think that ETC means something else... if i had to guess (which is exactly what it would be) it would be tough especially with the volume controls... i mean what does it do? yell at the toll booth as you drive by?
     
  5. Adam Leibovitch

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2012
    498
    102
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    lol. I guess it tells you "entering toll road" or something. But I am 100% sure now that is a toll collector.

    I think OP must be in Japan, or have a Japan import. That is where ETC and electric vehicle warning are popular items in a prius.

    You can see the logo on this website here: Introduction Process - ETC portal site
     
  6. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    ok, so you insert method of payment into the slot like a credit card??
     
  7. Adam Leibovitch

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2012
    498
    102
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yea, it's pretty cool. I am reading Japan has tolls on all (or most) national express ways, and the toll is based on distance traveled and car classification -truck, compact, etc.
     
    DaveinOlyWA likes this.
  8. Adam Leibovitch

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2012
    498
    102
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
  9. dinusha

    dinusha New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2012
    4
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi Guys.. thanks for your inputs.
    Now I've a clear idea about ETC component. sure it's for toll collecting purposes.
    But I don't think the first one is meant to be an electronic warning sound as one can't hear it from outside.
    Once i push that button and driving the vehicle it gives me 2 beeps in constant intervals.

    Thanks
     
  10. Adam Leibovitch

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2012
    498
    102
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Could it be a toggle switch for EV warning? Maybe if you are in an alleyway or something with close walls drive a few feet, press the button, drive a few feet, press the button with your head out the window. Its kind of a high pitched whirling sound.
     
  11. dinusha

    dinusha New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2012
    4
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I checked what you've suggested. but there is no difference in sound from outside.(no whirling sound)
    furthermore I did some research on EV Warning. the toggle switch is something similar to the image below

    [​IMG]
     
  12. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,122
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I'm not sure if it'll work, but perhaps if you change your thread title to include JDM or something, perhaps ken1784 or someone else from Japan will take notice and respond.
     
  13. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2012
    1,388
    351
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Does the dashboard dispense sushi when that button is pressed?
     
  14. ken1784

    ken1784 SuperMID designer

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2003
    2,940
    1,359
    67
    Location:
    Yokohama, JAPAN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It looks a "Corner Sensor" activating switch.

    Ken@Japan
     
    Chazz8 likes this.
  15. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2012
    1,388
    351
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    What does that do? Why do jdm cars have so many more toys that we do not get in NA? Are they more expensive there too?
     
  16. ken1784

    ken1784 SuperMID designer

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2003
    2,940
    1,359
    67
    Location:
    Yokohama, JAPAN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It beeps when Prius approaches to a wall or something.

    In Japan, there is a lot of dealer options, not factory options.
    The Corner Sensor options are listed on the page-2 of this link. (all in Japanese language)
    The Corner Sensor option price are 29,400 yen ($367USD) to 49,350 yen ($617USD) range.

    Please peek through the options page for other ones.

    Ken@Japan
     
    [email protected] likes this.