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

What is the plastic thing on windshield?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016.

Page 1 of 3
  1. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    On the Gen4, a 4" by 1" plastic box, attached to the inside of the upper windshield, just to the right of the rear view mirror. Some type of antenna? A sensor for all that collision technology? My Three model doesn't have any special features. Just curious what it is.

    And another dumb question, My Three model has XM radio. Is that something that I have to renew every so often? A subscription? My first experience with it. Multiple baseball, basketball, and football channels, Christian stations, several news and business channels, and about 100 different music stations.

    This old guy is overwhelmed! ;)
     
    #1 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2016
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    sat radio?
     
    #2 bisco, Mar 28, 2016
  3. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Don't know, bisco. I got an "XM" button... is that Satellite radio?

    You're talkin' to a guy who always left his Camry radio tuned to AM! :ROFLMAO: :rolleyes:

    Still tryin' to figure out all this new-fangled fancy technology.
     
    #3 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
    bisco likes this.
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    yes, you get a 3 month trial of xm sat radio, then they zing you. i never listened to it either.:cool:
     
    #4 bisco, Mar 28, 2016
  5. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    How much does it cost??? Anybody know? What do you have to do... type in your credit card number on the screen? :p
     
    #5 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
  6. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    2,592
    2,390
    0
    Location:
    Whittier, CA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Don't worry. you will get a letter from SiriusXM Radio with an offer to renew/extend your subscription. I have played this game many times - if you call and refuse the first two or three "offers" they will finally offer their lowest price - about $5 bucks a month. That is a price I am willing to pay.
     
    #6 krmcg, Mar 28, 2016
  7. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    10-4, thanks.

    (I'm surprised that regular AM & FM has'nt gone to some sort of subscription by now!)
     
    #7 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    55,407
    38,644
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    It's all still there, in the air. Same for your local tv channels, you should be able to snag them with an antenna. And guess what: they're beautiful high definition. :)
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Mar 28, 2016
    SAronian likes this.
  9. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,602
    3,778
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    They did a looooong time ago: they're called commercials. :) Once you find satellite channels you like and begin listening to them, you'll greatly appreciate the non-commercial format. We gladly pay for the service.
     
    #9 fotomoto, Mar 28, 2016
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    55,407
    38,644
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    That's what I love about Canada's CBC radio: commercial free, and a gamut of good programming. Is there something similar in the US?
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Mar 28, 2016
  11. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,602
    3,778
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    The closest thing to that I have is NPR and luckily my local FM station broadcasts in HD with three separate channels of programming.
     
    #11 fotomoto, Mar 28, 2016
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    and even npr has gone to a laundry list of 'semi-commercials'.
     
    #12 bisco, Mar 28, 2016
    fuzzy1 likes this.
  13. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    2,519
    1,790
    0
    Location:
    NEPA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    There's a good number of commercial-free radio stations in the US. In the NYC metro area, I'm particularly fond of WFUV, 90.7 FM, out of Fordham University. Great music mix, and can also be found online at WFUV.org.
     
    #13 RRxing, Mar 28, 2016
  14. eric1234

    eric1234 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2008
    390
    198
    0
    Location:
    Hamden, CT
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    yeah, but most of the channels include some "self-promotion" that I consider commercials. If you listen to some of the news channels, they include commercials. XM is the biggest rip off - like suggested above - be sure to hold out for about $25 / 6 months - they won't offer that at the start, but if you keep threatening (and are willing) to cancel, you likely will get that pricing...



    Merged



    I think that's for the headlight sensor...??
     
    #14 eric1234, Mar 28, 2016
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    ah, thanks for the correction.
     
    #15 bisco, Mar 28, 2016
  16. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    No guys, the headlight light sensor is a small round bubble-looking device, mounted right in the middle of the dash on the Gen4, up by the defrost vents. (My 3 other Toyota's had the same thing. Some are located over by the driver's side.) Photo coming.

    The 4" plastic box up by the rear-view mirror, I think bisco was correct, that must be for the Sat/XM radio.
    I'll go take a photo, if anyone's interested in seeing the "mystery box."
     
    #16 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
  17. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    image.jpg
    Headlight dusk sensor. Gen4 Prius. (Same as on all Toyota's, as far as I know.)
     
    #17 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
  18. Geo13647

    Geo13647 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    38
    21
    0
    Location:
    Scotland
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    The safety system anti-collision & road sign/ lane departure camera& hi-beam sensors are situated behind the rear view. Could be one or both of them, the rain sensor for the wipers is also in the same location. The other anti-collision sensors are behind the T badge on the hood.
     
    #18 Geo13647, Mar 28, 2016
  19. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2016
    2,267
    2,571
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Coast Highway
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    And the "mystery box" mounted up by the rear-view mirror. Gen4 Prius. My cheap Three model does not have any anti-collision features or radar cruise... navigation only. Maybe it's for the Nav. image.jpg
     
    #19 Coast Cruiser, Mar 28, 2016
    Geo13647 likes this.
  20. Geo13647

    Geo13647 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    38
    21
    0
    Location:
    Scotland
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    You got auto wipers? If so then it's the rain sensor.
    The GPS for the nav is usually under the centre of the dash.
     
    #20 Geo13647, Mar 28, 2016
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 3