[jdv5753]

I just got my new prius today! My wife drove the car tonight, and now, the light in the dashboard of a car with a key in it keeps blinking (indicator for the smart function I believe). I don't remember seeing it blink earlier.

How do I get it to shut off? How did my wife get it to start blinking in the first place? I really appreciate anyone's advice. Thanks.

 

[hyperion]

I believe if you have "smart key" it indicates that it is waiting for you. Mine has been blinking for a year.

 

[ssmithri]

When you get in "range" of the car, the red light blinks because it is getting ready to let you in!

If you watch it from behind the car and take steps back away from the car, you will see it stop blinking.

 

[JFLile]

Hi! New Prius owner here (bought today).

That light you are referring to is theft deterrent in nature. It indicates the vehicle immobilizer is in place.

 

[jdv5753]

great.

I was just worried that i was running down my battery somehow.

 

[hlreed]

Not much. Worry if it stops blinking.

 

[Hep]

If you time your own blinking to the blinking key, it will appear to be on steady. Trust me. I'm a professional. :wink:

 

[mrv]

The blinking light is in the owner's manual. It blinks when the key is out of the car and the doors are locked, to either tell you that the engine immobilizer is active, or that the alarm is active (in Prius so equipped).

 

[hyperion]

I'm lazy and the index "sucks" To save me fifteen minutes can you post the page in the 2004 manual. Mine blinks continuously when I leave car with my smart key whether the doors are locked or not. (no alarm)(and I've already spent my allored fifteen minutes hunting tonight) I only ask, as when I got home from the dealer with my new car I noticed the light, couldn't find anything about it in the manual, called my dealer and he thought it was my alarm system armed indication until I mentioned I had no system. He then told me to bring the car back so they could take a look at it. I called abother dealers service manager and he told me it was an indication of "smart key" standing by.
I'll bet there would be quite an aftermarket demand for an intelligently written manual!

 

[DanMan32]

No, not smartkey, immobilizer, as mrv said.

Quite honestly, hyperion, why did you even buy the Prius, and why are you on this forum if you don't believe anything we say?

 

[hyperion]

ok.Page 44. Theft deterrent system which will direct you to page 20. But my cars warning will flash when I leave car. Locked or unlocked. (smart key) And Danman, "too keep you honest," and surprisingly in this world there is more than one side.

 

[DanMan32]

Immobilizer: Page 6,20-22,44,131-133,238,257
Theft: 21,35-37,44-45,215

 

[hyperion]

WOW, and it's all indexed. I found it under one. "The theft deterrent system"

 

[jdv5753]

Salesman lacking knowledge of the Prius - is this common?

I saw part of that in the manual before I posted, but it didn't make sense. I guess the reason why I was confused was that my salesman (when I was picking up my car) didn't show me how the smart key worked! He showed me how to use the key fob lock/unlock and how to put the key in the ignition. Never showed me the "keyless" features.

I asked him about the smart key feature before I left the dealer (that I had seen featured on the Web site) and he told me that was only with the package #6 (high-end). I was really confused, but I left without pushing it.

Did I get a lame salesman (for not knowing his vehicle) or is this common since even salesmen may not see these cars too often, since they don't stay on the lot too long?

 

[hyperion]

I had the same experiance. Before returning the salesman to the dealership after having my initial demo ride we stopped at a gas station as my dealership sends you on your way with a full tank. After filling we couldn't get the car started until after five minutes with the manual to get to the part about applying the foot brake. One year later, they are still having the same problem. That's when I started quering whether any Toyota employees were Prius owners and on this website. One year and "nada." My guess when you sell 100,000 standard Toyotas and 10 Prius you don't learn much.

 

[mgaelli]

I know it's popular to bash car sales people, and - it seems - especially Prius sales people. But I have to mention that I had a very knowledgeable salesman throughout my whole (long) purchasing process. He might not have known all the subtle details (I guess he has better things to do in his spare time that surfing PriusOnline ), but he certainly gave me all the info I needed to drive the car. And he was (seemed) truly excited about the Prius.

 

[Astrowoman]

I know it's popular to bash car sales people, and - it seems - especially Prius sales people. But I have to mention that I had a very knowledgeable salesman throughout my whole (long) purchasing process.

I test drove at two different dealerships. Both sales people had all the basics right. OTOH I seem to live in a local hotbed of Prii. I wish I could feel unique, but now I've even seen one the same color as mine parked next to campus. That's in addition to the two silver, two white, one Tideland (what's up with that color anyway? Is there supposed to be green in it?) and occasionaly 1 Salsa new model plus 2 classics that I drive past in the parking lot I use!!!! When I was in FL for two weeks I didn't see a single one!