Weird and worrying message this afternoon.

[AndrueC]

After today's golf I climbed into my Corolla and before I'd even sat down there was a beep and the dashboard was telling me to press the brake pedal if I wanted to start the car.

But I hadn't even sat down, let alone pushed the start button.

That's a new one on me and somewhat worrying. Did the car try to start itself?

[flash22]

That is keyless start, if the key is it range it will do that, it can be configured if you don't want that option

you may have triggered it by opening and closing the boot or opening or closing a door

[AndrueC]

Strange that in over two and a half years of ownership it's never done it before. Normally it ignores me until I actually press the Start button.

[Cyker]

It might be that you just didn't notice it before - In my Yaris Mk4 it only flashes up for a short amount of time then goes off again if I ignore it and don't do or press anything else in the car.

 

[Ian.S]

My Excel does this. Initially as you get close to the car the interior lights come then when you open the door the dash lights up with the instruction mentioned. I am daily certain that my previous VW did something similar. Our Mini also tells you to press the brake pedal to start. 

[AndrueC]

Huh, guess I've just never noticed it then.

[Bernard Foy]

My Yaris does that, I’ve also noticed that the traction Battery has only recently started to fill all the bars. It hadn’t been doing that when new and only recently started to do it.

[TonyHSD]

These cars are full with surprises, always to discover something new.😁

I have a strange thing once happened.,-  the car stopped recognising  the key is inside, showing “Key not detected “  but the key fob was in my pocket in the usual trousers I wear when at work, no wallet or credit card near the fob, no smartphone either but something has stopped the signal been transmitted from the key fob to the car. The car was still drivable and when I parked I was still getting this messages , I decided to risk and turned off and guess what,  the car refused to start with the same message “Key not detected “, it wasn’t the Battery problem, I  was prepared, I had a new spare one, swapped but nope, it’s not that, usually when the Battery is dead the car shows “key Battery is low”. Then I remember I read somewhere that I have to touch the fob to the start button and hurray the car started. No more messages ever since. I swapped back the old battery and the fob was working fine ever since. What was that and the reason still unknown. 🧐✌️

[Catlover]

2 hours ago, Bernard Foy said:

My Yaris does that, I’ve also noticed that the traction battery has only recently started to fill all the bars. It hadn’t been doing that when new and only recently started to do it.

It’s unusual to fill all the bars. What was the circumstances when the bars filled ie type of journey

[Luke717]

22 hours ago, flash22 said:

That is keyless start, if the key is it range it will do that, it can be configured if you don't want that option

Most interesting. I have a 2020 Excel HB bought end June last year and I've never experienced what @AndrueCdescribes - it's always get in the car, sit, foot on brake and press the power button. That's the procedure described in the PDF manual (the one you download) on pages 252-255.

I don't see any reference to configuring it to behave autonomously. Or am I misreading everything there?

[Ian.S]

Exactly. The only thing that happens as you open the door is an instruction appears telling you how to start the car. It does not start autonomously. 

[Cyker]

6 hours ago, Bernard Foy said:

My Yaris does that, I’ve also noticed that the traction battery has only recently started to fill all the bars. It hadn’t been doing that when new and only recently started to do it.

I've noticed mine has changed its charging behaviour too - It used to stay almost religiously between 6 bars and 3 bars; If it got to 3 bars instantly engine would fire up and charge it to 4. If I got it to 6 by driving or regen it would switch to EV until it dropped to 3.

Today I noticed for the first time it had gone all the way up to 9 bars charge while I was driving before the ICE shut off! I've done this same journey 3 or 4 times since owning the car and it never did that before!

It was weirdly convenient as it allowed me to get from the fast A-road to my first site almost entirely on Battery power! Spooky! Does the computer try and learn your driving style or typical journey or something??

 

[Mikw]

2 hours ago, Cyker said:

I've noticed mine has changed its charging behaviour too - It used to stay almost religiously between 6 bars and 3 bars; If it got to 3 bars instantly engine would fire up and charge it to 4. If I got it to 6 by driving or regen it would switch to EV until it dropped to 3.

Today I noticed for the first time it had gone all the way up to 9 bars charge while I was driving before the ICE shut off! I've done this same journey 3 or 4 times since owning the car and it never did that before!

It was weirdly convenient as it allowed me to get from the fast A-road to my first site almost entirely on battery power! Spooky! Does the computer try and learn your driving style or typical journey or something??

 

Oddly, i've noticed the same in my Yaris Hybrid too!

The last couple of weeks the bars on the Battery have read full a couple of times, enabling me to drive for quite some distance on Battery power alone.

[Bernard Foy]

6 hours ago, Catlover said:

It’s unusual to fill all the bars. What was the circumstances when the bars filled ie type of journey

Short journeys one mile and a half, and when the icu cut out the traction Battery took me further than ever before it cut in again. Unless the computer is learning my driving style and is optimizing mpg. Maybe it’s just down to the warmer weather. Another thing that it does is if I leave anything no matter how small or light or anything on the floor behind the drivers seat, when I switch off the ignition it puts up a message (check the rear seat) weird!!

[Bernard Foy]

6 hours ago, Catlover said:

It’s unusual to fill all the bars. What was the circumstances when the bars filled ie type of journey

I forgot to add that it never filled all the bars on my previous Yaris Hybrid 2019 Joe.

[Luke717]

On 7/5/2021 at 6:42 PM, Ian.S said:

Exactly. The only thing that happens as you open the door is an instruction appears telling you how to start the car. It does not start autonomously. 

Right, got it. I took this photo of what I see when I get into the car driving seat.

One thing not too clear - the manual on page 254-255 talks about changing power switch modes:

Quote

Modes can be changed by pressing
the power switch with brake pedal
released. (The mode changes each
time the switch is pressed.)

Not sure I fully understand this. Anyone have clarity?

[Catlover]

 Neville,  as it says, you should have a button marked Power or maybe PWR, pressing it will put the computer into a different software mode, making the power softer or harsher (more sprightly).  In my Prius I have a single button - a press takes me from Eco to Normal, another press takes me to Power. In the winter to avoid wheel spin I drive in Eco and in the summer mostly Eco or Normal.  If, say, I on the mWay and in a “bunch” situation and feeling uncomfortable, I put into Power mode and just leave the pack behind then go back to where I was. This Poer button will only work when the car is in ready mode, that also includes when you driving along, no need to stop the car to change modes. Try it.
I also have another button EV, which allows me to force the car to run on hybrid Battery, but o that happens only when the hybrid battery has a good number of bars showing and it only goes up to a certain speed, I think about 27mph. When hybrid Battery bars fall, or that speed is exceeded the car drops out of EV mode.  Clever computer on these hybrids.

Are you clear what the B on the “gear stick” is used for??

 

 

 

 

 

[AndrueC]

I've been keeping an eye on this and it was definitely unusual behaviour for me. I just went out and tried it again. All that happens is:

* When I open the door an image of the car appears on the dash showing the door opening.

* When I close the door the image shows the door closing.

* After that the dash goes to black with just the current mileage in the bottom right.

At no point does the car prompt me to do anything. If I get out the reverse happens.

The only time I've seen that message before is if I press the Start button without holding down the break pedal.

[camellia30]

1 hour ago, Luke717 said:

Right, got it. I took this photo of what I see when I get into the car driving seat.

One thing not too clear - the manual on page 254-255 talks about changing power switch modes:

Not sure I fully understand this. Anyone have clarity?

Surely the manual is talking about ignition states, i.e. accessory 1, accessory 2, ignition etc

[Cyker]

I've also seen that message sometimes, but not sure what I'm doing to trigger it. Maybe pressing a pedal or some other button?

 

"One thing not too clear - the manual on page 254-255 talks about changing power switch modes"

Ah, right, so you know in a Normal car with a key, you have Off, Aux, On, Ignition - That is what that means.

So, with the car off, if you DONT press the Brake and hit the Start button, it will go to AUX (Radio/Infotainment starts, 12v system is powered e.g. lighter socket). Press it again and car switches to On; Fuel pumps are powered up, main computer is initialized, dashboard is on, stuff that doesn't work in AUX like power windows now work etc. However, car cannot be driven yet.

Pressing Start when you're also pressing the brake is like Ignition.

 

[Luke717]

28 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I've also seen that message sometimes, but not sure what I'm doing to trigger it. Maybe pressing a pedal or some other button?

 

"One thing not too clear - the manual on page 254-255 talks about changing power switch modes"

Ah, right, so you know in a Normal car with a key, you have Off, Aux, On, Ignition - That is what that means.

So, with the car off, if you DONT press the Brake and hit the Start button, it will go to AUX (Radio/Infotainment starts, 12v system is powered e.g. lighter socket). Press it again and car switches to On; Fuel pumps are powered up, main computer is initialized, dashboard is on, stuff that doesn't work in AUX like power windows now work etc. However, car cannot be driven yet.

Pressing Start when you're also pressing the brake is like Ignition.

 

Ah, the simplest explanation! Ok, got it! Thank you

[Catlover]

Ignore my post of 2 hours ago, obviously I got hold of the wrong end of the stick ie misunderstood the question.

[Luke717]

2 hours ago, Catlover said:

 Neville,  as it says, you should have a button marked Power or maybe PWR, pressing it will put the computer into a different software mode, making the power softer or harsher (more sprightly).  In my Prius I have a single button - a press takes me from Eco to Normal, another press takes me to Power. In the winter to avoid wheel spin I drive in Eco and in the summer mostly Eco or Normal.  If, say, I on the mWay and in a “bunch” situation and feeling uncomfortable, I put into Power mode and just leave the pack behind then go back to where I was. This Poer button will only work when the car is in ready mode, that also includes when you driving along, no need to stop the car to change modes. Try it.
I also have another button EV, which allows me to force the car to run on hybrid battery, but o that happens only when the hybrid battery has a good number of bars showing and it only goes up to a certain speed, I think about 27mph. When hybrid battery bars fall, or that speed is exceeded the car drops out of EV mode.  Clever computer on these hybrids.

Are you clear what the B on the “gear stick” is used for??

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Joe. I had no idea the Power button did so much! In the year I've had this car, I press it with foot on nbrake, to power on the car. Or not with foot on brake, to turn on accessory mode, and that's a rare moment. That's all.

On the Normal, Eco, etc, I have those options in the center console along with the auto gear shift. The car knows when to be in EV mode no matter the gear setting. The B setting, yes, I use it frequently on some of the steep hilly minor roads in my vicinity where the engine does much of the braking and charges the Battery at the same time. Handy!

[Luke717]

5 minutes ago, Catlover said:

Ignore my post of 2 hours ago, obviously I got hold of the wrong end of the stick ie misunderstood the question.

No worries, Joe, it was helpful, thanks. I just responded 🙂

[Luke717]

38 minutes ago, camellia30 said:

Surely the manual is talking about ignition states, i.e. accessory 1, accessory 2, ignition etc

That's what I thought although the language Toyota uses in that section of the manual doesn't look like it!