I just got off the phone with Toyota customer service and informed them of my issues with the Prius.

1. No glove box/center console lock.
2. Shiny black plastic dash/center console covers scratch to easily.
3. Move speedometer to the farthest left position in gauge cluster.
4. No Tachometer.

We have an issue with our 2006 NAV display setting. Page 102 of the NAV owners manual says there is supposed to be a Day Mode button. Our 2006 Prius does not have this option, yet the manual says we should. With this off at night, the NAV background screen should be black. Yet our 2006 Prius just has a dimmed white background, no black. The software was updated at some point but am not sure if it is included in the NAV update or an overall firmware update.

The vehicle is great, don't get me wrong. But I think it could be better.

 

One more thing I told Toyota Customer service, the Prius needs. Since the car can keep all our information in the computer like, telephone address book, home and friends home NAV routes, and memo notes.....there should be a security code the user has to enter. If my Prius is stolen I would hate for all this information to be easily accessed.

 

And one more thing. What's with the rear wiper only being able to be moved like an inch up? Come on Toyota how lame. They should be able to flip all the way up, just like the front wipers.

 

You can easily do a simple 5 minute modification to enable the arm to be raised by trimming away a bit of plastic under the snap-on cover over the wiper hinge. This is free and one of the first mods I did when a got the car.

As for your day/night NAV screen do you have the headlights turned on when looking for the day mode soft key? If the lights are not turned on (parking lights will do) then the button is NOT displayed. Sounds like yours is turned to day mode, which as stated in the manual will be memorized by the system, and just needs to be toggled to std night mode. My 2006 works exactly as stated in the manual.

 

I know I can do the wiper mod, but I shouldn't have to cut anything on this car as Toyota should have designed it correclty.

Our 2006 does NOT have the day mode option shown on the screen. So the button can't even be toggled. It's as if we have the incorrect firmware or something.

 

Well, that is certainly your choice. I'm sure they had a reason to design it that way and they will consider it a correct design. You have the information on how to modify it so whether you do is up to you I guess.

Probably ought to have the dealer check it out then as it is not an issue that affects all 2006's. In fact, this is the first time I've heard of it. I'd be interested in what they say/do as having a white background at night even at reduced brightness is unacceptable.

 

My point was that Toyota screwed up on he rear wiper design.

But yes we have a service appointment scheduled for the NAV day mode issue. But as I said, even Toyota Customer Service agreed with us.

 

So... none of these were problems on your test drive? Sorry, but unless you're one of those who bought the car sight unseen, everything except #2 above is something you already knew when you first test-drove the car, but they apparently didn't bother you enough then to keep you from buying it anyway.

As for the NAV screen, at least it's only a problem with YOUR car, not all 2006's. Toyota should definitely take care of you for that. The wiper blade being an inch too short - darn, that's really hard to fix.

Not trying to be an *** about it, but c'mon, your only real complaint here is the NAV screen. Everything else is personal preference, and they're probably the same preferences you had when you bought it. If I were customer service, I wouldn't even listen to anything but the NAV screen problem. Can you at least turn the screen OFF?

Everything else just needs to go on the list of "Things I want the next Prius to have...", ESPECIALLY the security code. That's an EXCELLENT point, though I don't know of any GPS that has this capability off the top of my head. Great idea.

 

I would like you to post things you do like about the car...

 

more improvements open rear hatch inside like gas, more lights inside, extended shade over display, compass continual disply even without nav sys, mute on audio, have booklett with all options available, their is a light pkge available try to find it.