[CaPriusLover]

I had an interesting experience on Friday, April 15th. I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this...

I was getting ready to go home for the day. I got in my Prius, pressed the brake peddle and then the start button. The car powered on, the radio was going, but I couldn't put it in gear. This was quite weird, but thought I would shut her down and try again.

Ah Oh, it won't turn off! The light on the power button was lit up, and I could switch screens on the display. I could change radio stations, but that was it!

So, I called the Road Side Assistance number ... and waited for a good 10 minutes on hold. During this time, I decided to see what I could do to fix the problem.

I held the Start Button in for 5...10...15 seconds. But nothing.

I turned the radio off and screen off and then tried to shut down. Nothing

Finally, I decided to take the key out of my pocket and insert it onto the key slot. I heard a beep, and then was able to power off the car. I then took the key out and put it back in my pocket.

It has worked ever since.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before?

BTW, I never did get to talk to a live person at Toyota's Road Side Assitance group. It kinda of make you feel warm all over ... as in the warmth you feel when you blood preasure is going through the roof and all you can imagine is your fingers wrapped tightly around the throat of the manager of this group that is trying to save money by understaffing...

Okay, I'm done ranting!

 

[Hep]

Had almost the same exact thing, and I solved it the same way, by putting the key in that seldom used slot. As best I could tell, I jumped in and hit the power button, the brake, and closed the door concurrently. Some combination of which I did first, or a tie, was not not well recieved and things locked up. I may have even tried to put it in D before the door closed? I just slow myself down now and it has not happened again.

 

[evander]

Am I assuming correctly that you both have a Smart Key? If so, is this a possible glitch?

 

[Sanny]

Did either of you try the REAL fix, which is to get out and kick the left front tire? You KNOW that woulda worked. Or else the leg in the glove box fix.

 

[Hep]

Am I assuming correctly that you both have a Smart Key? If so, is this a possible glitch?

I do have the Smart Key. I don't know that I would call it a glitch. I may just be some kind of safety lock. As long as it doesn't start happening as often as my home PC...
Mine was a couple months ago and only happened the one time.

 

[CaPriusLover]

I too have the smart key. And I too probably did the following at the exact same time:

Hit the brake
Push the start button
Close the door
Ingage Reverse
Fasten the seat belt

I'm thinking it was just too many things all at the same time.

Left tire? I kicked the right tire ... of the car next to mine! I'm not going to kick my car!

 

[DanMan32]

I have gotten the hung at Ig-On issue often. Notice the READY indicator is not lit, and the light on the power button is amber?

Workaround: hit power WITHOUT hitting the brake. Car will power off, though it may take an extra second.

Power back on normally.

 

[Astrowoman]

I read this with interest and will certainly keep it in mind! I think I also won't cancel my AAA just yet. I'll point out, though, that as glitches go it could be worse. My 94 Saturn had those automatic track seatbelts. If I turned the ignition off and pulled the key out too fast, the seatbelt would attack and try to strangle me.

 

[ChasSuitt]

:roll: A few times, I have started Ernestine (My Prius), "READY" light showing, radio on, AC on and had her refuse to go into gear, either forward or reverse. Instead I got 2 quick beeps. A "Start Over" restart worked after one or two tries.

It seemed this happened when I attempted to engage forward or reverse very quickly after pressing "ON".

 

[hyperion]

Yes and sometimes you will only get a shift if footbrake is depressed. You can usually work around all these "glitches" and putting the smart key into the slot seems like the first "start on the list!"

 

[Victor]

I too have the smart key. And I too probably did the following at the exact same time:

Hit the brake
Push the start button
Close the door
Ingage Reverse
Fasten the seat belt

I'm thinking it was just too many things all at the same time.

Left tire? I kicked the right tire ... of the car next to mine! I'm not going to kick my car!

Good God,

Are you an octopus? :shock:

With only 2 arms, I can't do so many things at once :lol:

 

[mrv]

sounds like the OP was in IG-ON. To turn it off, make sure you press the P (park) button, as sometimes the car will get confused if you don't press Park before the Power button.

as for the beeping, that could've been the intermittant beeping that occurs inside the car when the car is in ACC and the driver's door is open. (for more on beeps, see page 27 of the 2004 Prius owner's manual.)

 

[DanMan32]

:roll: A few times, I have started Ernestine (My Prius), "READY" light showing, radio on, AC on and had her refuse to go into gear, either forward or reverse. Instead I got 2 quick beeps. A "Start Over" restart worked after one or two tries.

It seemed this happened when I attempted to engage forward or reverse very quickly after pressing "ON".

Are you SURE you had READY displayed? I thought it was displayed too, but while I was investigating this on the few times it would happen, I was NOT in ready, and the amber LED was on in the center of the POWER button, despite the fact I took the steps to go into ready. Ig-On will look like you have full AC, but you don't; no compressor.

 

[ChasSuitt]

Wellll.... could be I didn't have "READY" displayed. Should this reappear, I will be careful to note the speedo display more carefully...