CleanMPG Previews the 2012 Prius v

More than a Prius and set to bolster a whole new family.

Hi All:

Adding a few more details of the ownership experience.

Most will find the rear end gets extremely dirty. Most standard hatches do unless they are Prius shaped off the rear which none are but the Prius. In any case, my mom states the back hatch door opener and door itself is almost always gritty due to the wash up behind the car once its underway.

Secondly she says all doors have to be forcefully closed or one will inadvertently be left open and it will warn you when you have to take off. She shuttles her mentally challenged sister and my own sister and family to and fro about three to four times a week and often she has to reclose the front passenger, both rear side and even the hatch unless it is closed with some force. This did not occur in her 2010 Prius hatch?

Fuel Economy has been almost identical to her Gen-III since she picked it up. As in the preview, you can throw the EPA out on this one.

Wayne

Hi Wayne
It may help if your mother left the driver side window open about 1" You would think the built in vents would take care of this? Tell her to try that.
Cheers,
H

Hi Harold:

Good idea and I will!

TIA

Wayne

An overhanging spoiler mounted at the top of the liftgate would probably help with the filth. I remember that from Round 1 of Volvo wagon ownership, and I think it applied to the Chrysler minivans that my parents used to drive. I guess it changes the recirculation bubble behind the car so not as much junk gets washed up onto the vehicle itself. I couldn't guess what that would do for drag.

Hi Tim:

The v already has a rather pronounced spoiler up there although it has a flat section through the center that improves its aero even further.


Wayne

Hi All:

To make a short story long, my dad had one of the Prius v’s fobs in his pants pocket while he was mowing grass earlier this week. When my mom was doing laundry, she threw his pants into the washer without checking them.

Well, she discovered the fob had gone through a laundry wash cycle and she knows how expensive these fobs are… So she placed it on the table for 24-hours to let it “dry out”. The next day she took it to the car and locked and unlocked the doors with it so that worked. Next she got in, booted it up and starts the car just like normal.


I was over there last night and after she told me the story, I said I should have a look inside. Low and behold, the electronic board and transmitter unit are somewhat sealed in the plastic housing of the case from behind and a translucent cover form the front that when snapped together apparently form a somewhat waterproof barrier from water and moisture in leakage.

I have never before seen the inside of a Prius FOB so maybe they are all like this but I thought it was a great design and worthy of telling people about it.

In other words, do not throw your fob in the wash machine tonight but in case you accidentally do, there is a good chance no damage will occur and a very expensive replacement key fob will not be needed.

That was close.

Wayne

I have washed mine accidentally too from a Gen III with positive results. I replaced both of our batteries this year because I had to leave my finger on the door handle a few seconds. to get it to lock. The new battery fixed the issue and the life was about 37 months of use.

To add to the caution note. My emergency key like shown in Wayne's pic was lost the 1st week that we had the car. I lost it somewhere between Illinois and Virginia. I called this year to get a new one since I was going on a trip without my wife. Just the key without the fob was OVER $200. In 3 years of ownership I had never used it, so I still don't have one.

Something's got to give with this situation: fob's are rivalling something like a wiper or starter motor in price!

The GenII has gaskets all around to protect it from water as well.

Because they realized people would use it during heavy rain.