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Roadshow: Shifting a Prius into neutral is not easy

San Jose Mercury News -- Alas, shifting a Prius into neutral is not as simple as with most models, as my neighbor Emmett discovered. He's a technology lover, one of those guys who loves to figure out how things work and why.
He took his 2006 Prius through some neighborhood streets at low speeds and tried several times to shift into neutral. He failed the first four times before finally succeeding.

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Submitted Mar 14, 2010 By: coughlin

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Bonanza Champion Author Boston Posts:6,253 Points:1,578,590 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Mar 20, 2010 8:08:22 PM Ignore Bonanza Report Abuse I was always told just turn your vehicle off and put it into nuetral and don't panic.
Pete12 Champion Author Albany Posts:1,928 Points:796,150 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 20, 2010 6:51:52 PM Ignore Pete12 Report Abuse Why hey would make you hold it in neutral for any amount of time in order to go into neutral is a mystery to me.
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,655 Points:673,595 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Mar 20, 2010 4:45:59 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse WOW!
Bonanza Champion Author Boston Posts:6,253 Points:1,578,590 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Mar 16, 2010 4:35:53 AM Ignore Bonanza Report Abuse The article makes is seem more difficult that it should be.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:10,793 Points:633,350 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 8:05:20 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse well, if you buy a new car, esp. one with new technology, remay don't you think you'd be reading the manual. I know I wouldn't remember everything the dealer folks tell me about some fancy stuff.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:10,793 Points:633,350 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 7:52:10 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse Naturenut: Well, he totally ignored the dispatcher apparently when he was told to use neutral, so somehow someone's not telling the full truth here. Sounds to me like he was fishing for attention.. or a new vehicle? Maybe some extra cash from a settlement?
Naturenut99 All-Star Author Illinois Posts:858 Points:158,470 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:04:21 PM Ignore Naturenut99 Report Abuse Its not hard at all to shift into neutral. Just slam the "stick/knob" to the left and hold for 2 sec. and because its the only thing on the left thats all you can get from throwing it that way.
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:2,247 Points:1,158,890 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 7:50:07 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse For those who chose not to read the article... "But in the Prius Emmett found out, you must first push the shift lever to "N," then hold it in that position and finally wait a second or two before the transmission shifts into neutral."
FuelOilOH Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,120 Points:575,570 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 7:03:18 AM Ignore FuelOilOH Report Abuse I guess I'm going to have to go to a Toyota dealership and test drive a Prius to check out shifting into neutral.
ENORMS Champion Author Colorado Posts:2,173 Points:701,775 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 6:40:06 AM Ignore ENORMS Report Abuse GIMME A BREAK...if a PRIUS driver is that much of an idiot he should not be driving at all if he cannot shift the tranny into neutral.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:10,793 Points:633,350 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:00:21 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse seems to me that people have forgotten how to drive... and failing to shift into neutral (which is a position between the drive and reverse/parking) seems like someone who doesn't know how to drive rather than a manufacturing problem. Well, I still drive a stick shift and will as long as they make them. Better mileage than any automatic on the market today and I know for sure I can get my car into neutral in a heart beat.
TPlayer All-Star Author Fort Wayne Posts:576 Points:140,010 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:57:08 AM Ignore TPlayer Report Abuse yclookout... you know nothing about cars... or how 'Drive' to 'Neutral' to 'Reverse' to 'Park' works... It's basically the same on all cars and you can't just 'bump' the car into the 'Reverse' position like you can to 'Neutral'... And all you that thinks it's dangerous to practice shifting to Neutral while driving should not be allowed on the road... if you can figure out how to chat your brains out or other multi tasking behavior while driving you can figure out how to shift to neutral without issue... if you have never done it before go back to your Fred Flintstone car... This guy in the Prius and the CHP officer couldn't think of this?... especially the Highway Patrol officer... pathetic
ItisAJeepThing Champion Author Tucson Posts:11,675 Points:1,177,105 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:52:53 AM Ignore ItisAJeepThing Report Abuse Toyota is spreading BULL ....! If you turn the key off, you lose power stearing and power brakes. Then try to stop and stay on the road if it curves. The CHP officer smelled burning brakes when he passed the Prius.
craigsf38 Champion Author Rochester Posts:1,304 Points:551,865 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:41:19 AM Ignore craigsf38 Report Abuse Do they have keys? that will kill a motor!
BM4225 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:5,484 Points:1,179,120 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:38:28 AM Ignore BM4225 Report Abuse Duh, why did they get rid of the key? Was it to save the energy it took to make keys, and the metal, of course let's not forget the cost.
eddmac Champion Author Washington Posts:4,535 Points:999,080 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:37:05 AM Ignore eddmac Report Abuse Here comes the comspearisy theories
GMVAN Champion Author Calgary Posts:1,835 Points:430,005 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:32:27 AM Ignore GMVAN Report Abuse So maybe its not as easy as they say.
genef01 Champion Author Nashville Posts:2,183 Points:703,315 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:30:31 AM Ignore genef01 Report Abuse RENEGADEGAS is right, we ought to make a separate off topic forum for Toyota issues and stick to issues that really pertain to oil and gas subjects.
Jeannemarie Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:24,748 Points:1,642,580 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:09:32 AM Ignore Jeannemarie Report Abuse Prius story - I get 49 mpg even without trying. That's money in my pocket and gas I did not HAVE to buy.
RENEGADEGAS Champion Author Missouri Posts:7,683 Points:620,155 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:02:53 AM Ignore RENEGADEGAS Report Abuse Wow! Another Toyota story. Nice. Anyone in here happen to know the current price of oil and gas or thier pricing trends? Thats what I was looking for.
Bleeder Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,931 Points:818,705 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:01:16 AM Ignore Bleeder Report Abuse You're right there Saturn93...we are building better cars to protect ourselves from ourselves.
ItsMorph Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:26,712 Points:2,212,935 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 1:00:59 AM Ignore ItsMorph Report Abuse It should just be a simple matter of bumping the shift lever. Dumb to make it anything other than that.
Saturn93 Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:4,245 Points:1,015,740 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:56:47 AM Ignore Saturn93 Report Abuse So many safety and security interlocks on cars, especially with auto transmissions, that it is not always easy. We are building cars to protect ourselves from our own dumb actions.
AllGold Veteran Author Lansing Posts:408 Points:710,365 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:56:34 AM Ignore AllGold Report Abuse Shifting a Prius into neutral is easy, although you can't just tap it; you do have to hold it at N for a bit but it takes less than a second. You wouldn't really want it to instantly shift into neutral because then whenever you accidentally hit the knob it would drop out of gear.
ashishpa All-Star Author St. Louis Posts:744 Points:168,775 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:54:43 AM Ignore ashishpa Report Abuse I am not sure why it didn't worked here but my friend tried the same thing after the incident and it worked successfully for him.
mmene Champion Author Houston Posts:2,585 Points:588,395 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:49:46 AM Ignore mmene Report Abuse When I bought my Corolla a few years ago I considered a Prius but worried that this was new technology and the kinks might not be fully worked out. I feel like I made the right choice now.
pulpwood Champion Author Mississippi Posts:4,055 Points:1,194,940 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:39:49 AM Ignore pulpwood Report Abuse Do they have keys? that will kill a motor!
250FORD Champion Author Minnesota Posts:7,691 Points:1,238,160 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:35:46 AM Ignore 250FORD Report Abuse Toytas should just have a master kill switch installed. When your car tries to kill you you could hit this and kill the car first.
yclookout Champion Author Sacramento Posts:2,132 Points:409,925 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:34:54 AM Ignore yclookout Report Abuse It is tough, neutral is right in the middle, in between drive and reverse there is no stop there, you just have to hit it right, and there is only a short distance between the three positions. There is no key, just the start button, the park button(you can't do anything with that while the vehicle is in motion), and the little shift knob. Also the start button doesn't want to shut off the power unless the car is stopped.
Sody33 Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:13,110 Points:1,507,725 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:33:09 AM Ignore Sody33 Report Abuse Both of our Toyotas shift from D to N easily and I would say the Prius more easily than the Rav4. Now I guess someone will come out with a horror story about my Rav and I won't believe that one either. There's a fool born every minute and we seem to get more than our share in the media.
zdn Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,216 Points:318,895 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:33:02 AM Ignore zdn Report Abuse what
jadeusa Champion Author Dallas Posts:4,291 Points:876,385 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:31:10 AM Ignore jadeusa Report Abuse glad that slowly the truth is coming out about the Prius.
CruisinLinda Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:6,458 Points:1,293,150 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:28:43 AM Ignore CruisinLinda Report Abuse Oh, please! The Prius incident in San Diego appears to have been a hoax. The first time I shifted my 2007 Prius in N from D, it worked, and I've succeeded a few more times. It looks like I won't have to strap a mattress to the front of it.
captngasTN Champion Author Tennessee Posts:1,738 Points:429,775 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:28:31 AM Ignore captngasTN Report Abuse very poor article
rwm1 Champion Author Iowa Posts:1,946 Points:844,550 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:21:33 AM Ignore rwm1 Report Abuse I was actually considering a Prius as my next car until all these ugly weird facts surfaced lately. Now I wouldn't have on if you paid me. Find me a good used Monte Carlo or Impala, I've never had problems with them. And great highway mpg.
jpgredwine Champion Author Hartford Posts:2,142 Points:179,965 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:21:20 AM Ignore jpgredwine Report Abuse Toyota needs to include an EJECTION SEAT in their new models.
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:12,968 Points:1,281,225 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:13:58 AM Ignore 10k Report Abuse this is funny..people are dying, or getting seriously hurt in these cars, and this Q and A appears ??..why the h*ll can't a prius be shifted into neutral like a normal car ??..
grouch311 Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,044 Points:671,305 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:12:32 AM Ignore grouch311 Report Abuse ignition to "off" would be easier
cutter1330 Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:3,146 Points:722,310 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:12:26 AM Ignore cutter1330 Report Abuse Neutral should always be easy to get into.
EVBuddy Champion Author Nevada Posts:11,724 Points:2,063,160 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:12:06 AM Ignore EVBuddy Report Abuse Is that a good way to test the cars?
Sgt151 Rookie Author Louisiana Posts:73 Points:439,015 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:09:46 AM Ignore Sgt151 Report Abuse Sounds like Emmett cant drive standard shift.
96sc1 Champion Author El Paso Posts:5,577 Points:731,840 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:09:30 AM Ignore 96sc1 Report Abuse The Japanese penchant for gadgetry keeps me out of their vehicles.
roadrunnerMO Champion Author Kansas Posts:3,446 Points:736,320 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:08:47 AM Ignore roadrunnerMO Report Abuse We are tired of all these corruption stories about Toyota.
RENEGADEGAS Champion Author Missouri Posts:7,683 Points:620,155 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:05:18 AM Ignore RENEGADEGAS Report Abuse What the heck! Another story about Toyota that has nothing to do with fuel or oil prices. Start a forum under "off topic" for Toyota and discuss it there.
pbc2001 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,311 Points:416,430 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:04:26 AM Ignore pbc2001 Report Abuse Why is gas so expensive? One thing is clear: it should be less expensive.
DosEquis26 Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,952 Points:1,094,010 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 12:02:17 AM Ignore DosEquis26 Report Abuse boycott Toyota!
oahugasit Veteran Author Hawaii Posts:488 Points:520,980 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 11:58:46 PM Ignore oahugasit Report Abuse And the news reports that investigators thinks the California Prius incident maybe a hoax... huh?
Gary65 Champion Author Toronto Posts:1,498 Points:468,370 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 11:53:42 PM Ignore Gary65 Report Abuse They don't make any thing like they use to. Every thing now adays is made cheap and not to last.
toyota1999 Champion Author Louisville Posts:5,123 Points:1,067,225 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 11:50:38 PM Ignore toyota1999 Report Abuse If the cars were as simple as they were back in the 60's. Oh to have a simple car like that again. No computers at all.
Powerstroke73L All-Star Author Sacramento Posts:813 Points:335,870 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 11:48:26 PM Ignore Powerstroke73L Report Abuse Z51Corvette - you don't find it easy to hold a four inch long lever in place for a "second or two"?