(11/1 – see update below) This week I got an email from the salesperson who sold me my 2010 Prius and he included some specs on the upcoming Prius models. While there isn’t a great deal of information here, it was the first time I saw some of it. For those of you who are interested:

The base MSRP for the Prius v are $26,400 for the Prius v Two model, $27,165 for the Prius v Three, and $29,990 for the Prius v Five. (on sale in late October 2011) Here are some specs I came across today for the top of the line version 5 Prius V (confusing, I know):

MECHANICAL & PERFORMANCE
Hybrid Synergy Drive System, SULEV
1.8L DOHC 16V VVT-i 4-Cylinder Engine
EV/ECO/POWER Modes
17″ Alloy Wheels, P215/50R17 Tires
Electric Power Steering (EPS)
4-Whl Disc Brakes / Front Ind Suspension
SAFETY & CONVENIENCE
Star Safety System: VSC, TRAC, ABS,
Elect Brake-Force Distribution, Brake
Assist(BA) & Smart Stop Technology (SST)
Dr & Fr Pass Advanced Airbag System
Dr & Fr Pass Seat Mounted Side Airbags
Side Curtain Airbags & Dr Knee Airbag
Whiplash-Injury-Lessening (WIL) Seats
LATCH(Lwr Anchor & Tethers for CHildren)
for Outboard Rear Seating Positions Only
3 Door Smart Key System
Eng Immobilizer, Tire Press Monitor Sys
EXTERIOR
Rr Splr w/Center High-Mount Stop Lamp
LED Headlamps w/ Auto Level Control,
Auto-On/Off Feature & Front Foglamps
Clr-Keyed Pwr Htd Folding Outside Mrrs
Front Variable & Rear Intermittent Wiper
INTERIOR
Display Audio w/Navi & Entune (See
Toyota.com for APP Info): 6.1″ Touch-
Screen w/Backup Cam, AM/FM/CD w/MP3/WMA
6 Spkrs, XM Trial/HD/Aux/USB & Bluetooth
60/40 Split Sliding/Reclining Fold-Down
Rear Bench Seat w/Armrest & Adj Hdrests
Digital Instrumentation with Trip Info
SofTex-Trimmed Htd Fr Seats w/6-way Dr
Seat w/Power Lumbar & 4-Way Fr Pass Seat
Single-Dial Automatic Climate Control
Center Console w/Armrest, Storage & Tray
Rmte Keyless Entry & Push Button Start
Tilt/Telescopic Steering Whl w/Controls
Cruise Control, Instant MPG Indicator
3 Front & 2 Rear Cup Holders
(1)Fr & (1)Cargo Area 12V Power Outlet
Auto-dim Rearvw Mirror w/ HomeLink

Along with what one package offers and some options here:

Advanced Technology Package: Premium HDD
Navi w/Entune & JBL- 7″ Touch/Split Screen .
w/Backup Cam, AM/FM CD Player w/MP3/WMA ….
Capability, 8 JBL GreenEdge Speakers, ……
SiriusXM Satellite Radio (90-day trial to ..
XM Select Package), HD Radio w/iTunes ……
Tagging, Aux, USB Port, Vehicle Info, Tel, .
Music, Advanced Voice Recognition, ………
Text-to-Speech w/Programmed & Customizable .
Text Responses Via Bluetooth. Dynamic ……
Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Pre-Collision .
System (PCS), Advanced Parking Guidance ….
System (APGS), Panoramic View Moonroof …..
w/Pwr Sunshades, Safety Connect Including ..
Emergency Assistance, Stolen Vehicle …….
Locator, Roadside Assistance and Automatic .
Collision Notification (w/1-Yr Trial). …..
Entune – Includes Bing, iHeartRadio, …….
MovieTickets.com, OpenTable & Pandora; XM ..
Data Services Including NavTraffic, ……..
NavWeather, Fuel & Sports & Stocks. Access .
to Entune Services is Complimentary for ….
Three Years. See toyota.com/entune for …..
Details. ……………………………..
Special Color …………………………
Prius v 5 Standard: 17-in. 10-Spoke Alloy
Alloy Wheels with P215/50R17 Tires, LED ….
Headlamps with Auto Level Control, ………
Auto-On/Off Feature and Headlamp Cleaners, .
Integrated Fog Lamps, SofTex-Trimmed …….
Seating, 3-Door Smart Key System with Push .
Button Start and Remote Illuminated Entry ..
EC Mirror w/Homelink, Step Lamp …………
Illuminated Entry. …………………….
Carpet Floor Mats & Trunk Mat

On a side note, I am considering a trade-in for the larger Prius V. My family is growing and it would be nice to have a little more room for the extra sets of golf clubs. What are your thoughts? Are you thinking about moving from a Prius 3 to a Prius V?

Update 11/01/2011: Wondering about availability? Dealers are now getting the Prius V in inventory. Just got a call from my local dealer and they have one in stock and ready for a test drive. I will post a review of the 2012 Prius V here shortly, including photos and video. Exciting!

Before I made the appointment, I also searched online to see if Toyota had made any changes to their initial recommendation of 5,000 mile oil change intervals. A while back I’d read that Toyota was considering a 10,000 mile interval for some of their newer vehicles using synthetics. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find anything that looked official or definitive so I called the service manager and headed in.

When I arrived, the person I met with asked me a few questions about what work I would be having done and how many miles were on the vehicle. When he learned that it had only been 5,000 miles since my last oil change, he let me know about the new 10,000 mile recommendation from Toyota Motors. The technician also showed me how to reset the service warning message that had been appearing in my display lately, every time I started my Prius. From memory, I’m fairly sure the steps are as follows:

1) With the Power On, switch the trip-meter to display “TRIPA”
2) Push the Power button to turn the Power OFF
3) (Without your foot on the brake) push the Power ON button while holding in the “km/h” and “MPH” button
4) The display screen will show the progress of reseting of the oil change data.
5) When the reset is complete, release the button and press the Power Off button

Anyway, I asked the tech to send me the official announcement their dealership had received from Toyota, so I’ll copy it below. I didn’t get the free oil change coupon or revised maintenance guide so I’ll have to check on those items next time…

Over the past several months, there has been considerable discussion regarding Toyota and Scion vehicles that have adopted a new engine oil lubrication standard (SAE 0W-20 synthetic) as well as the timeline for the complete integration of this standard. The purpose of this communication is to provide important information regarding the subsequent extension of the oil drain interval for vehicles that have adopted the 0W-20 oil standard.  To that end, I am pleased to announce that TMC has approved our request to move all 0W-20 certified vehicles to a 10,000 mile / 1 year (under normal operating conditions with 0W-20 oil) oil and oil filter change interval effective immediately with the following stipulations:

•         TMS solely bears the cost of Warranty and Maintenance Guide (WMG) revisions (i.e. reprinting and distribution, and scrapping of outdated materials) and any and all owner notifications;
•         TMS works closely with the Dealer organization to ensure that consumers receive real cost of ownership benefit from this change;
•         TMS integrates an updated and TMC approved set of “Special Operating Conditions” (formerly called “severe use”) in all affected WMGs; and
•         TMS helps monitor the impact of this change and report the status to TMC periodically

In essence this change marks a return to the two option format in place several years ago. The good news is that, as mentioned above, the Special Operating Condition criteria and WMG verbiage have been revised to provide greater clarity. The new criteria are as follows:

Special Operating Conditions – In addition to standard maintenance items, the maintenance log indicates services that should be performed on vehicles that are driven under especially demanding conditions. These “special operating conditions” and their required maintenance items are clearly indicated in each chart.

You should perform these additional maintenance services only if the majority of your driving is done under the special operating conditions indicated. If you only occasionally drive under these circumstances, it is not necessary to perform the additional services.

•         Driving on dirt roads or dusty roads
•         Towing a trailer, using a car-top carrier, or heavy vehicle loading
•         Repeated trips of less than five miles in temperatures below 32°F / 0°C
•         Extensive idling and/or low speed driving for a long distance such as police, taxi or door-to-door delivery use

The details of our 0W-20 interval change implementation strategy are as follows:

•         This change will be applied retroactively in an effort to enhance both the current customers’ ownership experience and the marketability of these key products;
•         Consumers who have paid for an oil and filter change at 5,000 miles will be provided a coupon for a free oil change at their local Toyota Dealer;
•         Customer communication will include distribution of a revised Warranty and Maintenance Guide as well instructions on how to obtain and utilize the free oil change coupon;
•         The maintenance reminder lights on these vehicles will continue to illuminate every 5,000 miles even though the nature of these services has changed

When it happened, I was lucky as there were no cars in front of me and none in the intersection. I was traveling a few miles under the speed limit (posted at 25 mph) in a residential area near my home and came to a four-way “stop sign controlled” intersection. It had been snowing earlier that day so I was taking it slow, knowing I could hit a patch of icy road at any time. As I put on the brakes to slow down, nothing happened.

At first I thought it had to be ice (we’ve all experience that before) but as I continued past the stop sign and through the intersection, my speed did not really change. I was sure I had anti-lock brakes and remembered that I wasn’t really supposed to pump them, but since I wasn’t slowing down I tried that too. Again, nothing happened at first – until I took my foot completely off the brake pedal and slammed it to the floor. By this time, I was probably 4-5 car lengths past the intersection. I remember thinking to myself, “that was NOT ice”. In my estimation, the brakes simply did nothing.

Others who have reported similar issues on forums and in the press noted that they hit a pothole or rough area to trigger this braking issue. I don’t recall anything like that when it happened to me. I just pressed on the brake pedal and nothing happened. When I got home I went online and searched to find out what my car had for a brake system. You can see from my 2010 Prius window sticker  it has anti-lock brakes with EBD and Brake Assist, and it also has enhanced vehicle stability control w/ TRAC. I’m not a brake expert, but I assumed both of those were good things.

I couldn’t find anyone else who reported the same type of issue on Prius websites and forums, so I came to the conclusion that I simply hadn’t pressed hard enough on the brakes. I know the brakes are different from other cars (regenerative braking to recharge the battery) and they sometimes feel a bit squishy, so I convinced myself that it was an isolated incident and that I’d need to be more firm in future braking.

This incident occurred about 6 weeks ago and thankfully it has never happened again, but now I see others coming forward with similar stories. I guess I just didn’t want it to be true, since I am a big fan of the 3rd generation Prius. Now I have to decide what to do. In my opinion, we will be seeing a recall on this problem soon.

From the Toyota Pressroom:

Statement Regarding 2010 Model Year
Toyota Prius Inconsistent Brake Feeling

In certain 2010 model year Prius vehicles, Toyota has received reports that some customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel when the vehicle is driven over potholes, bumps or slippery road surfaces.
 
Toyota is currently in the process of confirming these reports and investigating the vehicle driving conditions under which the reported phenomenon occurs. It would be premature to comment until the investigation has been completed. 

Worries Over Prius Brakes from MSNBC.com
New York Times article regarding Japanese government ordering investigation of braking issues.
CNN article covering complaints with malfunctioning brakes and unexpected acceleration

December 21st is the first official day of winter but somebody forget to tell Mother Nature. Here in the Midwest, we’ve already seen over 17 inches of snow. That is more than half of our average annual snowfall (32″ where I live) and it seems we are just getting started. For the past few years, I’ve owned several different all-wheel drive sport utility vehicles during the winter driving season, but with the purchase of a 2010 Toyota Prius this past summer – I’m now getting used to driving a front-wheel drive car again.

Most of you who live in New England are also relearning how to drive on snow and ice. With this weekend’s snowstorm dumping 10 to 20 plus inches in Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and surrounding states – road conditions are poor at best. And with well over one million Toyota Prius on U.S. roadways, I have lots of company sharing my hybrid driving experience.

I’ll admit that I debated even buying a new Prius because I wasn’t sure how it would handle the snowy roads, but it had nothing to do with it being a hybrid-electric vehicle. My concern was mainly about moving from a 4 wheel drive truck with 10″ of ground clearance to a 2 wheel drive car with about 5″. Right before the blizzard hit, I decided to do a few online searches to see what others were saying. That’s when I discovered there is a lot of debate surrounding how the Prius does in snow and in cold weather driving.

On sites like PriusChat.com and GreenHybrid.com, most of the negative comments center around poor traction from the Prius’ stock (factory OEM) tires, a big drop in fuel economy, and issues with the traction control reportedly causing the Prius to stop on slippery hills. Comments are all over the board, ranging from those who claim the Prius is one of the best FWD small cars they have driven in snow to those who say it’s nearly useless. The majority of people commenting on these forums own a second generation Prius (2004-2009 model years) but my guess is the experience is similar in the 2010 Prius 3.

Although I have less than 2 weeks of history driving my Prius in the snow, I’ve been impressed with how well it’s done so far. I don’t see any major traction issues yet, but I haven’t had to climb any large hills either. Most of my winter driving with the Prius has been in town as well. What I have noticed more than anything is the big change in gas mileage. For the first 10,000 miles I averaged 50 m.p.g. in my 3rd generation Prius. Driving on snow and in temperatures ranging from zero to 32 degrees (Fahrenheit), I am averaging only 37 miles per gallon. Again, some of that has to do with the fact that I haven’t been on the highway during this time, but it is still about 10 mpg less than what I got during the summer and fall. From what I’ve read, a 20% drop in fuel economy is normal for most cars under these driving conditions.

If you own a Prius, we’d love to hear how yours handles in the snow!

Mr. Pirillo spends a great deal of his time in front of the camera making videos related to technology and pretty much anything else he  finds interesting. Today I ran across a nearly 12 minute video he made and uploaded to YouTube in early October of 2009. With tens of thousands of hours of video experience, he is a natural at this. In fact, Toyota might well have considered Chris over the Blue Man Group when they first introduced the redesigned Gen III Prius.

Chris…next time you are in Central Iowa please look me up and bring your camera man. We can make a short video of us racing - your loaded up 2010 Prius V against my more conservative 2010 Prius III. Oh, and I should mention that I’ll be in Power mode while you are watching your hybrid system indicator. It will surely be another global sensation.

Just kidding Chris – you are an expert hypermiler and thanks for the review! Lastly, if you need help turning off those annoying reverse beeps, drop me a line. While you may be the #1 Chris on Google, I own the same position for an equally as competitive phrase - 2010 Prius biggest complaint.

My kids have become experts at the Prius Punch game since we started playing it a few weeks ago, so with everyone trying to protect their arms from any more bruises, it is seldom we pass a Prius without someone spotting it. Even so, here in central Iowa I rarely see a Gen III Toyota Prius (or a Gen I, for that matter). And even though the 2nd Generation and 3rd Generation models look totally different to me, I sometimes think I’m seeing a new model only to find out it’s a Generation 2 version when I get close enough to tell.

For this reason, I thought it might be helpful to compare the second and third gen Prius’ to point out a few of the most visible exterior differences using side-by-side photos (or top/bottom in this case).

Front View

One of the first things you will notice when comparing the Gen II (above) and Gen III (below) is the length of the grill. Also, the Toyota emblem is more pronounced (with a blue background) on the new model. Lastly, the fog lights/covers on the Gen III model are rectangular and have been incorporated into the outer edges of the front bumper area.

Side View

From the side, the main thing I look for is the fuel door. It has changed from being square (Gen II) to round (Gen III). Also, the ‘04-’09 models have the indentation across the bottom of the doors.

Rear View

Once again, the Toyota emblem is easier to see on the Gen III with its blue fill. Even better, the Prius lettering and Hybrid Synergy Drive logo are in line with the emblem, and all three are above the license plate on the Gen III.

There are lots of differences between the exterior of the 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, and the 2010 model. When these hybrids are parked and you can get up close, it becomes easy to distinguish one from the other. When they are zooming by you, coming at you, or have already passed you at a more than 30 miles per hour, it’s not quite so easy.

To spot a Gen III that is on the move, try to look for rectangular fog lights in the front, a round fuel door from the side, and badges/logos above the license plate from the back. Again, if you can only see the passenger side, the Generation III doesn’t have the indentation in the lower area of the doors (the Gen II does).

So, how do you tell these two cars apart when they aren’t sitting still?

1.  There is a small LED light mounted in the overhead console and it shines down on the shift lever. Besides adding light to the lever when it is dark, I don’t know what it does.

2.  When you approach the Prius and open the driver’s side door, you hear an strange sound that lasts just a few seconds. This is the brake boost pump being activated to make sure you have sufficient pressure when you first take off. If you wait more than a couple of minutes to start the Prius, the pressure is reduced and you have a hard time braking properly until the car has been driven a block or two. I especially notice this when backing out of the driveway. The brakes can be really touchy and they grab a lot if I wait too long.

3.  There are no belts on the Prius engine. Instead, the water pump and air conditioner compressor run on electricity.

4.  The Prius has alloy rims. You just can’t see them very well, because they are covered by plastic wheel covers.

5.  All four windows are equipped with the auto up and auto down feature, not just the driver’s window like most cars.

6.  The 2010 Toyota Prius requires synthetic oil.

7.  On the left side of the driver’s seat, there is a small storage area on the floor. I’ve never seen one in that location on another car before.

8.  There is a vent in the backseat, just to the right of the right rear passenger seatback. This is an intake vent to keep the hybrid battery cooler, so you shouldn’t block it with anything. See the picture above.

9.  The 3rd generation Prius is more than a full second faster the the previous model in accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour. Now it only takes 9.8 seconds!

10. The plastic and foam materials used in the interior (seats, dash, trim, etc.) are not made from petroleum (like most vehicles) but instead are derived from plants. The ecological plastic emits less CO2 during manufacturing and throughout the life cycle of the car when compared to oil based plastics.

I’m sure there are lots of other interesting facts and near useless tidbits of information about this most incredible hybrid, so feel free to add more to the comments section below and I’ll update this post with more in the future.

Prior to buying it, I owned several small to mid-sized sport utility vehicles (Honda CR-V, Lexus RX, Mercedes ML, and Toyota Highlander) and I always felt that sitting up a little higher gave me greater visibility, and because SUVs were larger and heavier than average sized vehicles, they would provide me with more protection in an accident. Even with the increased rollover risk, right or wrong, I figured that sticking with a 20 MPG SUV was safer than buying a smaller car, like the Gen II or Gen III Prius.

One crash test video I’d seen when doing my research is below, and it shows a Generation 2 Prius going head to head with a much larger sport utility vehicle. In my opinion, the SUV faired better than the Prius, but I’m no expert so I’ll let you be the judge as to how well or poorly either vehicle performed.

If you are interested, here is a link to several more Prius crash test videos – but he main reason I’m writing this article is because the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (iihs) just announced that the 3rd Generation, 2010 Toyota Prius earned their Top Safety Pick award. When I read the news I wanted to know more.

First of all, in order for a vehicle to become a Top Safety Pick, it must have electronic stability control and it must earn a “good” rating on all three crash tests (front, side, and rear). While good doesn’t sound great, it is in fact the best rating given. The other ratings are acceptable, marginal and poor.

The IIHS side impact crash test simulates an SUV or pickup truck hitting the tested vehicle at 31 mph. The frontal trials mimic a 40 mph offset crash with another vehicle in the same weight as the test car. The rear sled test simulates the stationary test vehicle being rear-ended by one going 20 mph.

Earlier this year Forbes had an article that highlighted the most dangerous vehicles, based on these same crash tests and others from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Chevy Trailblazer and Jeep Libery (SUVs), Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent (small sedans), and Ford Ranger (small pickup) all made Forbes’ list, not one you want to be on by the way. My point in mention the article is that contrary to what some believe, not every car gets a good rating…it is earned. From what I’ve read, only about 1 in 3 small cars earn a Good rating.

According to an article in the New York Times, the IIHS didn’t actually do their own front and side crash tests on the 2010 Prius, but instead relied on prior crash test data from Toyota on the Gen II model. I couldn’t find this mention on the IIHS website, but with the Gen III Prius being totally redesigned – I don’t think we should rely on old data, even if this is now the standard.

Earning the IIHS Top Safety award is the best any vehicle can do, so in that regard I’m glad to hear the news. At the same time, the laws of physics don’t change because of it. Now we wait for the NHTSA report and hopefully some video to back it up.

1. Split Rear Windows – The first thing I noticed when test driving the 3rd generation Prius was how poor the visibility was when looking in my rear view mirror. As part of the hatchback design, the back window area has two separate glass sections, with a fairly wide strip that is not glass running horizontally between them. For me, this creates an unwanted blind spot and it took some getting used to. Some owners like the split window, stating that when a higher profile vehicle (such as a truck or SUV) pulls up behind them at night, in blocks the glare for their headlights.
2. EV Mode Button – I tried using EV about a dozen times during the first month I owned my Prius. Even when the hybrid battery was well charged and all the electric sucking devices were turned off or disconnected, I could only travel a 2-3 blocks at less than 15 mph before the engine kicked in. Essentially, it is useless. I know a plug-in Prius is coming, but on this model I’d get rid of the EV button.
3. Coin Holder Compartment – When you lift the center armrest to access anything you might have in that storage area (for me, my Trident) there is a small black tray that could be used as a coin holder. Unfortunately, if you want to plug in your iPod or put something under that so-called coin tray, all the coins get spilled. This car could use another area to put your spare change. For now, I’m tossing in the cubby area below the shift lever on my center console. Putting stuff down there is very easy for others to see, even from outside the car…so it can become kind of messy if you’re not careful.
4. Ground Clearance – Three days after I purchased my Prius I pulled into a parking lot and scraped the front edge of my new Prius on the curb/sidewalk. I was just sick as I backed up a few inches, scraping all the way, and proceeded to the front of the car to access the damage. Fortunately, none of the scratches were visible. You would think that would have been the last time that happened, but over the past 7 weeks it has occured 2-3 more times. Never have I owned a car that had such low clearance. I’m guessing it was all part of the design, to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag. To me, it’s still a drag. When we get 8 inches of snow this Winter, I’ll be plowing my way to the main road, hoping it has been plowed.
5. Sunglasses Holder Compartment – Have you seen the sunglass holder on the 3rd Gen Prius? I own 4 pair of sunglasses, all of which I would consider normal size for a man. None will fit in the holder, or I should say, all will fit but I can’t close the hatch. Is this really for sunglasses, or am I supposed to put my false teeth in there? Come on Toyata, make that area a little bit larger please!
6. Retracting/Sliding Arm Rest Lid Cover – I liked this at first, now…not so much. Basically, to access the storage area beneath the center console arm rest you first have to push a lever and slide the armrest back. This also gives you access to the 2nd cupholder. The bad news is that your armrest gets pushed into the leg area of the backseat. If someone is sitting back there (passenger #5), it ends up right between their knees. Even with only two kids in the back, it’s easy for someone to kick or bump this when moving around or getting out.
7. Lumbar Support – I’m over 6 feet tall and there is plenty of headroom for me when driving. I’m not a big fan of the front seats, as they aren’t terribly comfortable after more than about an hour of driving. One thing that would really help would be a little lumbar support. Several of my previous rides had this, and even the manual ones with only a three lumbar settings where helpful. I imagine you can buy some kind of device that provides a little lumbar support, but it would be nice if Toyota added this to the next revision.
8. Fog Lights – Search for a picture of the front of a 2010 model (or open this picture of my Prius). Do you see that gray, rectangular shaped piece of gray plastic (with a circle shape inside) where the fog lights should be? They are directly below the front turn signals. Let me tell you, these are not attractive fog lamp covers. I guess if you buy the Prius V package, there are integrated fog lamps rather than these cheap looking covers. I have a package III, so I need to either buy lamps, paint my covers black to look like the rest of the car, or learn to live with them.
9. Storage Spaces – Most cars I’ve owned had more storage spaces that could be reached while in the front or back seat, compared to what this Prius has. Not a lot of places to put your CD cases (if you are old school and still listen to them) and the center compartment below the armrest doesn’t hold much, especially if you have your ipod and cell phone adaptors plugged in there. I have a couple of packs of gum and a pen, and it seems crowded.
10. Improved Navigation Screen – I didn’t spend the extra money to get a navigation screen (I am really happy with the portable one I already own) but I hear that a lot of new owners are unhappy with the colors, functionality, software and resolution.

Even with these ten things I wish Toyota would change about the new, 3rd generation Toyota Prius…I still really like this car. Did I tell you it’s getting 50 miles per gallon? So, if you own one…what would you change?

I’m guessing the engineers had good intentions when they made this bleeping beeping noise the default setting from the factory. Probably the easiest way to imagine what it sounds like is to compare it to the noise you hear when a garbage disposal truck (or similarly equipped large vehicle) backs up. The difference is, nobody outside of the vehicle hears the noise. It’s not like it is there to tell everyone…”Hey you, look out now, I’m backing up my Prius here!”. What it tells you (the driver, passengers, and other occupants) is, “Hurry up and back this hybrid up…nobody can stand this noise any longer!”.

The good news is that it is possible to turn off this annoying beep…well, sort of. If you take your ‘10 Prius back to a Toyota dealer (preferably the one you purchased it from), some of them have the necessary laptop, software, and knowledge to change it from a constant beeping sound to just one (uno) reminder beep. That would solve a lot of headaches and complaints. Better yet, if you’ve ordered a Gen III and you are waiting for the boat (from Japan) to arrive, ask you salesperson or manager to program this before you take delivery. That way you might not get charged for the change, and you’ll avoid the issue all together.

In addition to getting this changed, there are several other settings and customization options. Most of them have to be changed by your dealer (including how the fob unlocks the doors, time elapsed before automatic door lock, buzzer volume, how doors lock when you shift out of park, light sensor sensitivity, time for headlights to automatically turn off, etc.). In case you want to read about them all, here are the six pages of the 2010 Prius Owner’s Manual Customizations in pdf.

From what I’ve read, there is no other way to turn off the beeping noise you hear when backing up. Don’t waste your time…call your dealer and make an appointment (unless you actually like it…and then, enjoy!).

Update 8/26/2009: Just wanted to let everyone know that I got my backup beep issue resolved today. I was due for my first oil change at 5,000 miles (all synthetic by the way, and $55) so I emailed the service department and salesperson in advance, telling both that I wanted to have the beeps switched from constant to just one beep. Not much of a reply from them except that it shouldn’t be an issue. When I arrived for the appointment, I let the assigned technician know that I wanted this changed. He said he’d take care of it.

45 minutes later, the tech met me in the waiting area with bad news. He said the options were to leave the beeps as they were, or change them to one constant, nonstop beeping noise. I told him that I’d researched this and emailed everything I could find about how to fix it. The tech agreed to print my email and try again. 5 minutes later he returned with good news. The issue was resolved.

Bottom line…this can be done and it appears to be quite easy, but you’d be wise to send the above link or printed version of the .pdf to your service tech in advance. In the end, mine didn’t charge me for the work, and even though I know it took less than five minutes, you might not be so lucky. Good luck…my beeping nightmare has ended!