Where have all the Prius gone...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Mendel Leisk, Aug 31, 2014.

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  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yesterday, started it up, began backing down the driveway, controlling speed with a little pressure on the brake. There was momentary weirdness, like the brakes had sort-of let go, then gripped again. And then got the warning "CHECK HYBRID SYTEM" and a yellow triangle (inverted?) with exclamation mark.


    I tried maybe 3 restarts, but the warning persisted. Phoned the dealership, booked-up Saturday, but they said they'd (commendably) squeeze it in. So we brought it in, when they eventually got to it they read the codes, cleared them, test drove, said it appeared the computer(s) "lost contact" momentarily, and it seemed ok, I should keep an eye on it. $69 please.

    I got in and started driving home, down the back lane first. Car started making a VERY strange buzzing sound, coming from under the hood. By the end of the lane I decided I better circle back to the dealership, pulled in at the curb in front, left it running and raised the hood, and: suprise, suprise, the hood support rod was loose, laying over the engine, doing a dance. Comic relief...

    Sorry, hijacking my own thread, back on topic:

    On our first visit, to drop of the car, my wife and I started wandering the showroom a bit, hard to resist. To be fair you can't get that many vehicles in there, but anyway, there was one Prius c. Also a Camry hybrid. Then we went outside down to their expansive covered lot. This is where we'd unearthed our baby going on 4 years back, way at the back.

    Anyway, one side was devoted to trucks, the other side a mix, saw ONE Prius hatchback, and a single Prius v. When we were there 4 years back this lot was littered with Prius. What's going on? Just current low inventory? Local drought? Changing demand?
     
    #1 Mendel Leisk, Aug 31, 2014
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe all of the above? i suppose the 15's are on the way. gas prices support larger vehicles, 4 years ago, everyone wanted to save money, etc.
     
    #2 bisco, Aug 31, 2014
  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    :) Gas prices in the -US- support larger vehicles. Not so much in Canada.
    Dealers know something we don't? Like a new Prius this fall? Though I'm told they love to "clear out" "old" models (easier to sell as customers think they are getting a deal) so maybe that isn't it.
    We ARE right between the new models coming in and the old can't be ordered anymore. Maybe that's it.
     
    #3 David Beale, Aug 31, 2014
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Ooo, the "n" word. ;)

    VERY likely dreaming, but hey...
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Aug 31, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2014
  5. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    After reading your post I then read the new 2015s are arriving in the US. AND the body is "slightly" different. So that may be it.
     
    #5 David Beale, Aug 31, 2014
  6. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    How many miles on her Mendel?
     
    #6 dorunron, Aug 31, 2014
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    46000~ kms. What's that, 35000 miles?? Not much.
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Aug 31, 2014
  8. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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    More like 28,500 miles. Even less!
     
    #8 ftl, Aug 31, 2014
  9. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    I know everyone always says this, but have you checked the 12 volt? Not many miles on her for sure!
     
    #9 dorunron, Aug 31, 2014
  10. Ashlem

    Ashlem Senior Member

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    The prius were probably sold off from this month's incentives from Toyota, and people are probably buying them to save on the inevitable gas price hike that'll be coming soon, because of some random event in a part of the world that has nothing to do with oil but makes the price jump anyway. Or those speculators need a shiny new plane.
     
    #10 Ashlem, Aug 31, 2014
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    @ dorunron:

    Yeah. It was kinda weird: checked it first at the under-the-hood fuse box, and it read 12.70 volts, with my digital multimeter. Then because I was at the battery (snooping, after finding the loose hood support rod, thought I should see what they'd been doing), I measure the voltage directly on the battery and got 12.55. Which was more like I'd expected.

    Strange difference though... I periodically hook up a CTEK 3300. Yeah I know, this is one low mileage, garage-kept, pampered car, lol.

    So the battery's coming up on 4 years, like the car. Cause at purchase the 12 volt was completely dead, had to be replaced. It's the OEM YUASA (sic).
     
    #11 Mendel Leisk, Aug 31, 2014
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did you check it cold?
     
    #12 bisco, Aug 31, 2014
  13. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Where have all the Prii gone, long time passing?
    Where have all the Prii gone, long time ago?
    Where have all the Prii gone?
    Gone for F150's everyone
    Oh, when will they ever learn?
    Oh, when will they ever learn?

    So long Pete Seeger, we will miss you.
    In actual fact, I am hoping for a Prii sell-out at the new car dealers this weekend.
     
    #13 wjtracy, Aug 31, 2014
    Data Daedalus and Mendel Leisk like this.
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    ^ finally! :ROFLMAO:
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Aug 31, 2014
  15. Phil Wheeler

    Phil Wheeler Junior Member

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    I suspect that's it. I bought a 2014 Prius 4 yesterday (they have a $1500 factory rebate ending Tuesday) and they seemed to be doing a brisk business. If you go to the Toyota website now and Build a new Prius you get the 2015 models -- including return of the Prius Persona. The 2015s may not be on the lots yet, but I'm sure the 2014 models are being sold fast this weekend.
     
    #15 Phil Wheeler, Aug 31, 2014
  16. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I guess gas is cheap again. This is weird as $3.5 used to be expensive just a few years ago. I had some service done myself on Saturday and I was shocked how few fuel efficient cars they had for sale. While I saw a few liftbacks (way in the back of the lot), there was only one Yaris and a couple of hybrid Yaris (sorry, Prius c).
     
    #16 Former Member 68813, Sep 1, 2014
  17. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

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    I'm more disturbed by your experience with your dealer's service.

    I will never bring my Prius to a dealer until my personal mechanic tells me I have no choice.
     
    #17 KennyGS, Sep 1, 2014
  18. insrch0f

    insrch0f New Member

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    I picked up my car on Saturday and I can say that the 2014 Prius were flying off the lot. As I was waiting, 3/4 of the people sitting with a salesman were looking to buy a Prius.
     
    #18 insrch0f, Sep 1, 2014
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'm not too disturbed.

    They screwed up one button-up item, leaving the hood rod dangling, which really freaked me out for a moment there. I'm not sure what all they did. The hatch area seemed "disturbed", so I'm thinking they maybe checked the hybrid battery's safety switch, and/or the 12 volt.

    They cleared the codes, test-drove it, and really the main thing I think is that it's now logged with them, if there's any further occurrences.

    They washed it. ;)
     
    #19 Mendel Leisk, Sep 1, 2014
  20. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

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    My mechanic has addressed items like that already for free. He gets to work on five automobiles for me, and has done so for over twenty years. He treats me well, and I him.

    The fact a dealer charged you $69 to check a few things, none of which needed anything done, strikes me as a short-sighted business decision.

    I guess as long as you're happy.
     
    #20 KennyGS, Sep 1, 2014
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