Hello! Normally I hang out in the background and read all the wonderful tid-bits I can find here, however this current thing has pushed me to get answers! I own a 2012 PriusV five. I have noticed about 10-13 minutes AFTER I shut down- there is a blue/white light which flashes from seemingly UNDER the car. It is not any of the dash lights, or the soft green light that flashes behind the driver wheel at the final shut down after you step out - it is several minutes even after this. This light does not have any of the accompanying noises you typically hear when the car is "doing something" and if any lights were ON in the garage would go completely undetected. It is a strange sequence of events that even alerted me to the light in the first place. It happens when I have been gone from the home for a while, or driven many miles. It does not happen if I just leave and go to a store nearby and return home. Does Toyota collect information on their cars in this manner? is there perhaps some sort of connection happening that I am unaware of? Is there anybody else who can confirm that their PriusV five does this as well? Again - cool temp light- and I can see it flash (once, twice, sometimes three times at about one minute intervals) about 10-13 minutes after I shut the car off. Thank you for any information you have on this!
We have a 2012 Prius v Five and it has none of the under-car fireworks you mention. There is a faint orange glow in the footwells at night, the courtesy/map/dome lights illuminate on entry and exit, the START/RUN button illuminates, and the dash indicators illuminate, but that's it. Nothing externally. Is it possible a prior owner installed one of those "neon" under-car lamps?
No- I have had the car for a while now, and this light is definitely a "flash" and coming from OUTside the car- and likely under the car. I have looked and looked and all else I can find online are normal lights that I know about- this one I have not been able to find anything-
nope- total and complete silence- the other lights typcially have something- and you know it is the car performing some sort of function- this one does not
has this been happening since you got the car? if you bought it used, it could be anything. i would have someone put it on a lift, and have a look see, maybe someone installed an aftermarket product.
Unfortunately, I am possibly being tracked - this is what I have been afraid it was. I was hoping hoping and hoping some more that the all knowing Prius Chat community would know what it was and alleviate my fears. Time to jack it up and start removing panels to find the source. yay. The only reason I saw the flash was an unusual set of circumstances where I ended up just waiting in the car for one of my kids- and while sitting, the garage overhead light turned off- leaving me in the dark. The light flashed outside of the car-I noted the time (because I remember when I had pulled in and shut off) and I began paying attention over the next couple weeks- when it did do it- when it did not - etc. Even if it were at the same time each day- I have it narrowed down to 10-12 ish minutes after I shut off the car- and it flashes 1-3 times, each flash roughly a minute from the first. No sound, no clicks, beeps, grinds or anything- car is totally silent. If any lights are on in the garage- you would never notice it.
This may sound absurd but do you have, or could you borrow a video camera? If so, set it up on a tripod and have it capture the flashes. Then, post it here if you like, but even moreso, you'll have evidence in case you just might be tracked. This will be permanent evidence should your 'tracker' drop by to remove the device. Just an idea.
