New Car - A Few Questions...

March 10, 2011

Collected my new Prius a few days ago and would like to know, please:-

Brake squealing, has occurred a few times (Noticeable when traveling slowly). Is this anything of a concern?

DAB radio. Cannot hear Sat Nav instructions when radio playing, what volume setting should I use or is there any problem here?

Can anyone find Freeman Hospital, Newcastle on their Sat Nav (POI Hospital)? Just interested thats all!

There may be more but thats all so far.

Look forward to replies

March 10, 2011

Collected my new Prius a few days ago and would like to know, please:-
Brake squealing, has occurred a few times (Noticeable when traveling slowly). Is this anything of a concern?
DAB radio. Cannot hear Sat Nav instructions when radio playing, what volume setting should I use or is there any problem here?
Can anyone find Freeman Hospital, Newcastle on their Sat Nav (POI Hospital)? Just interested thats all!
There may be more but thats all so far.
Look forward to replies

Brake squeal, could be new pads/dust... If it doesn't go check with dealer, especially if it happens all the time, sods law says that if it is intermittant it won't happen at the dealers!

DAB radio, sorry can't help, didnt think it was worth buying it, but on the satnav settings there is one for vilume.

Where's Newcastle? :thumbsup:

I think you have to be within 5 miles of a POI??

March 10, 2011

Brake squeal lasted a good 700-900 miles with our car when new. I did complain several times to the dealer and they just kept saying it will go. Highly embarrasing isn't it on a new car, I couldn't be bothered but I guess they have skimped on the copper grease ;-) Just put some redstuff pads and Brembo discs on my Audi with generous helpings of copper grease and no a single squeak.

DAB Radio, we have got it, SatNav voice kicks in on any of the audio channels nothing specific to DAB. What it does is mute lower the volume on the drivers speaker but keeps the rest playing. You can adjust the SatNav guidance volume by either the setup menu or just press the spoken command button on the steering wheel and say 'LOUDER' or 'SOFTER' I guess you can guess which does which.

The hospital is probably known by its different name ;-)

March 11, 2011

Brake squealing, has occurred a few times (Noticeable when traveling slowly). Is this anything of a concern?

The brakes on the prius don't get as much use as a normal car due to the prius using regenerative braking when possible. When travelling slowly (< 7mph) the prius can't use regen and has to use friction brakes which is why you notice it when travelling slowly.

Also, because the brakes don't get used much, it takes longer for them to wear in.

March 18, 2011

Thanks for the replies.

The squealing stopped.

Washed the car, for the first time using my pressure washer because it looked really dirty.

Used the gardex kit that came with the car and the dirt just disappeared! But the squealing came back!

Just as well I washed it as I appeared on local TV news driving through town, it was sparkling!

March 18, 2011

I have a five month old Auris HSD and my brakes squeal too, so it's not just the Prius. It only seems to happen when the car is cold but it is annoying.