A few days ago after I started the car and tried to move forward, I got a warning saying that shifting the lever to neutral will not charge the battery; I could not go forward or reverse the car. This happened several times in spite of the fact that the lever was NOT in neutral. Then I found out that the driver's door was not shut properly. Once I shut it, the warning disappeared and I could drive. Now I find that every time a door is unlocked, the same warning comes on but now I know what to do. I would like to know if this has happened to anyone Vemvim
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vemvim @ Jul 28 2006, 09:33 AM) [snapback]293850[/snapback]</div> Being that you have not place your model year in your profile, I don't know if it is different for any other model year than a 2005, but . . . If the “ready” light is on and your door is open, you will be able to shift into Drive, Neutral, and Reverse. In Reverse, you will not get the overdone, annoying warnings. Reversing with the driver's door open is a normal operation for those who need to do such things. In the “IG-ON” mode (press power button twice without brake pedal) the amber light on the power button will show. In this mode you can only shift into Neutral. You will get the same warnings with the exception of the “Batteries will not charge . . .” portion of the warnings on the MFD. Receiving any of these warnings because your door is “unlocked” seems very strange, and in my book would warrant having your dealer take a look. I drive with my doors unlocked all the time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 28 2006, 12:25 PM) [snapback]293873[/snapback]</div> I believe the OP said the message occurred when the car is in gear and the door is OPEN (not just unlocked), in which case it is expected behavior, to my recollection. Vemvim, am I understanding your situation correctly?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vemvim @ Jul 28 2006, 12:33 PM) [snapback]293850[/snapback]</div> Sorry I didn't mention the model year. It is a 2005 Prius
It's a normal quirk of the software to give you an incorrect warning message under the conditions of an OPEN door and in DRIVE. All of the new generation models do it. There are no plans for a fix. If it does it when the door is CLOSED but unlocked and in drive, you have a problem the dealer should look into.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil @ Jul 28 2006, 12:05 PM) [snapback]293927[/snapback]</div> Minor clarification: If he is in Drive, Neutral, or “B†with the DRIVER'S DOOR open he will get the warning. Any other door besides the driver's door will only give the “door open†light, not the these-messages-will-freak-you-out cacophony of lights and sound. We should all be able to agree that he should not be receiving any warnings because his doors are “unlocked.†Imagine driving up to pick-up a passenger. . . you unlock the doors and you get a warning . . . then the passenger opens the door and . . . and . . . nothing! You don't get any warnings, just the door open light when they open the door.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vemvim @ Jul 28 2006, 12:33 PM) [snapback]293850[/snapback]</div> I am curious, how did you get the warning saying that the battery will not be chrged n neutral?
Please shift to park. The battery will not charge in Neutral. That's the standard warning on the MFD along with the red triangle of death.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 28 2006, 10:37 PM) [snapback]294141[/snapback]</div> I have never seen that warning before. I do know that it won't charge the battery in neutral but I didn't know that there was an actual message on the MFD saying that.
Try it next time . Put it in D then open the door. Well, if you wanted to be picky, here's the message verbatim “Shift the position into range “P†when parking.†“The batteries will not charge, if the transmission is in Neutral N.†This is from the manual.
Manual Schmanual. Here's how it's done. Start the car, open door. Notice in the one picture that the door is open.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Jul 29 2006, 11:35 AM) [snapback]294302[/snapback]</div> Thanks, Tony. Nice to know that there isn't a more logical "door ajar" message. This is the kind of stuff that newbies or pre-newbies (our Prius hasn't come in yet) need to know.