My T-Spirit is heading for its first 10,000 miles in the next week or so. According to the manual, this means it will need a 10,000 mile oil change (intermediate service). I've checked in the handbook, and the index says there is a "service indicator warning", but having carefully looked through the pages, I can't find any reference to anything to remind me to take the car for a service. Is this going to be an "undocumented feature" or does the car let the fact that it is due for a service go without a warning? I'm surprised if it does not have a "service due" indicator - just about every car I've owned / driven for the past 10 years or so has had this feature!

On the topic of "service indicators", during the recent wintry weather I was also disappointed to find that there is no warning for "low screenwash".

With this track record, I also suspect that there won't be a warning about bulb failures (headlamps etc.) - standard feature on my last 2 cars (volvos).

I've already commented on the lack of a "frost warning / skid risk"

Considering the compute power / user interface features on the car, it is surprising that warnings have not been catered for.

On balance, I'd much rather have these simple features which will help with safety and maintenance than the "auto park" which is hardly ever used!

Service indicators Yes, if you do a lot of miles per year, I can see the advantage of them but for the mileage I do I can almost guarantee it will be a once a year service.

Low wash bottle level, again nice but not the end of the world. Same with a bulb failure minic.

But I'll agree 'auto park' is a waste of space for me but maybe people in bigger cities find it useful.

I don't mean to be rude or condescending, but if I take my vehicle to an independent garage to service it, they may or may not have the right tools to reset the service indicator, and if not then I have to pay my dealer extra to get rid of the warning? Thanks but no thanks.

I do not really think that the Prius is the sort of car you could take to "happy harry's Auto's"

All these warnings just stop people making the effort to check their expensive purchases, it should be a weekly routine to check oil/water/screenwash/bulbs etc.

It takes 5 minutes, nobody is that busy especially if they have time to be posting on here

[quote name='cabcurtains' post='964483' date='Jan 25 2010, 07:04 PM']All these warnings just stop people making the effort to check their expensive purchases, it should be a weekly routine to check oil/water/screenwash/bulbs etc.

It takes 5 minutes, nobody is that busy especially if they have time to be posting on here [/quote]



Plus another 5 minutes to check the wife's car!

Nah - it's a company car, doing about 2000 miles a month - so it always goes to a main dealer for service. I know I SHOULD check everything regularly.... but it does take some of the effort out if the car does it for me.... anyhow, that's why I went for the model with all the toys, rather than the basic

NB Please note the smiley faces - I'm not taking myself madly seriously here!!

p.p.s. And another thing.... it would be really nice to have "show me home" lights.... (i.e. put the headlamps on for 30 seconds after locking the car to illuminate the path to the back door at home) I'll get my coat.......

Don't the USA have show me home lights on the Prius?
It's a shame that the UK don't have the option of features that are standard in other countries.

[quote name='johalareewi' post='964713' date='Jan 26 2010, 11:01 AM']It's a shame that the UK don't have the option of features that are standard in other countries.[/quote]

Never quite understood the economics of making different spec vehicles for different countries
I guess the local importer says to Toyota 'we can sell them for x amount, now what toys can you fit on the car for that price'

[quote name='Fujisan' post='964659' date='Jan 26 2010, 07:18 AM'][quote name='cabcurtains' post='964483' date='Jan 25 2010, 07:04 PM']All these warnings just stop people making the effort to check their expensive purchases, it should be a weekly routine to check oil/water/screenwash/bulbs etc.

It takes 5 minutes, nobody is that busy especially if they have time to be posting on here [/quote]



Plus another 5 minutes to check the wife's car!
[/quote]
I'm glad someone else has been on that training course

Hi the service indicator you are looking for are on the Gen 3 push Setup then Vehicle then Maintenance you have to input the information you require the car then reminds you when required
it seems a bit of a waste of time to me

[quote name='ian rooke' date='27 January 2010 - 04:37 PM' timestamp='1264610256' post='965116']
Hi the service indicator you are looking for are on the Gen 3 push Setup then Vehicle then Maintenance you have to input the information you require the car then reminds you when required
it seems a bit of a waste of time to me
[/quote]


Made up that I've just spotted this post! OK I know that I should be keeping track of my own service intervals and all that, but I've been spoilt by my last few cars telling me when they are due for a service themselves.. What I find surprising is that the default from new is that nothing is set as a reminder. I had to remember the 10,000 mile service myself - but now it appears that the dealer has set the reminder for the next oil change. I also find it a bit daft that there are a whole series of "reminders" for things that should ALL be looked at during a regular service! Looks like someone has over-engineered a solution!

[quote name='Dave R.' date='23 March 2010 - 09:16 PM' timestamp='1269378995' post='987275']
[quote name='ian rooke' date='27 January 2010 - 04:37 PM' timestamp='1264610256' post='965116']
Hi the service indicator you are looking for are on the Gen 3 push Setup then Vehicle then Maintenance you have to input the information you require the car then reminds you when required
it seems a bit of a waste of time to me
[/quote]


Made up that I've just spotted this post! OK I know that I should be keeping track of my own service intervals and all that, but I've been spoilt by my last few cars telling me when they are due for a service themselves.. What I find surprising is that the default from new is that nothing is set as a reminder. I had to remember the 10,000 mile service myself - but now it appears that the dealer has set the reminder for the next oil change. I also find it a bit daft that there are a whole series of "reminders" for things that should ALL be looked at during a regular service! Looks like someone has over-engineered a solution!
[/quote]


You do need to check that whoever does the service actually fills these screens in! My s/h 2nd Gen T Spirit with main dealer history, having 6 services does not have anything filled in at all on the maintenance screens! I do have a printout from the Lease Company that owned the car detailing what was done when (i.e Tyres changes, Services, Water Pump replacement etc) but nothing too detailed. I am just hoping that the Main Dealer service staff followed the recommended Service routines, even if they never bothered to fill in the screen! Perhaps they did not want to get oily fingerprints on the touchscreen.

I have a service indicator - my memory

Have had cars with service indicators in the past and they are a royal pain in the ****. The garages hardly ever remember to reset them which either means a trip back to have them do it, find out how to do it yourself (switch head lights on/off 3 times, whilst pressing 4 buttons at once or some other impossible task), or just ignore it!

I personally like the 10k service interval on the Toyotas as it is dead simple to remember when a service is due or they write to you after 12 months. Simples

As I won't be doing 10,000 miles a year - more like half that, I will probably go into a sequence of an interim check before an MOT and then a Full Service before the following MOT. That way if the interim check picks anything up I can get it done then, which should spread the cost. I will though make a point of recording things like brake pads in the Service schedule as if I do need to get them changed, it will be years before they need doing again - The car still has its original pads after 64K and I understand that they can last a lot longer than that!

I am not sure that Toyota will write to me as my car was brought from a general dealer, but they did remember to write to me to tell me I could scrap my old Corolla when it was 10 years old!

The 10K interval is though easier to remember.