slow dying?

[Don4221]

Driving home tonight with my new 05 Prius (240miles), the car began slowing down such that I had to pull to the side of the road as the speed dropped to 10 mph. The motor would reve but the car acted like the clutch was slipping. I went a couple of hundred yards this way, and then gradually the car regained crusing speed. No warning lights, etc, came on. Any suggestion here.

Also- lots of drivers flicked their bright lights at me, wanting me to dim when the lights already were. The bright lights seem strange, not really focusing on anything.

[aka007ii]

Originally posted by Don4221@Dec 10 2005, 12:52 AM
Driving home tonight with my new 05 Prius (240miles), the car began slowing down such that I had to pull to the side of the road as the speed dropped to 10 mph. The motor would reve but the car acted like the clutch was slipping. I went a couple of hundred yards this way, and then gradually the car regained crusing speed. No warning lights, etc, came on. Any suggestion here. 

Also- lots of drivers flicked their bright lights at me, wanting me to dim when the lights already were. The bright lights seem strange, not really focusing on anything.

[snapback]171283[/snapback]

Take it back to the dealer.

PS: Is the gas gauge blinking? Last bar. Maybe the tank wasn't full from the dealer.

[skijapan]

Originally posted by Don4221@Dec 10 2005, 05:52 PM

Also- lots of drivers flicked their bright lights at me, wanting me to dim when the lights already were. The bright lights seem strange, not really focusing on anything.

[snapback]171283[/snapback]

I also get flicked at when using the low beams. (I don't have the HID lights) The headlights on the Prius seem to be pretty bright. I'm thinking they might be aimed a little high out of the factory...?

[efusco]

Originally posted by Don4221@Dec 10 2005, 02:52 AM
Driving home tonight with my new 05 Prius (240miles), the car began slowing down such that I had to pull to the side of the road as the speed dropped to 10 mph. The motor would reve but the car acted like the clutch was slipping. I went a couple of hundred yards this way, and then gradually the car regained crusing speed. No warning lights, etc, came on. Any suggestion here. 

Also- lots of drivers flicked their bright lights at me, wanting me to dim when the lights already were. The bright lights seem strange, not really focusing on anything.

[snapback]171283[/snapback]

Not right/normal at all. You had no warning lights? Hadn't hit the shifter on accident? If no good explaination you need to take it in, esp. if it occurs again.

[Bill Merchant]

Welcome to PriusChat, Don. I'm sorry this had to be your first post.

The Prius doesn't have a clutch and this is completely abnormal behavior. It sounds like you were driving on electric power, but then the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) wouldn't have been revving.

Many people think the "clutch is slipping" when the engine revs what seems a disproportionate amount for the speed, but it's normal at highway speed (ICE being operated at maximum torque, with excess energy sent to the battery). It is not normal at 10 MPH.

[windstrings]

Originally posted by Bill Merchant@Dec 10 2005, 10:31 PM
Many people think the "clutch is slipping" when the engine revs what seems a disproportionate amount for the speed, but it's normal at highway speed (ICE being operated at maximum torque, with excess energy sent to the battery). It is not normal at 10 MPH.[/size][/font]

[snapback]171592[/snapback]

Thanks.. I didnt' know that.. I remember reading that the engine seeks to run at optimum rpm for max efficiency and to charge batts at same time, but It never clicked that it would sound funny like it was over reving.. now when I get my car I won't freakout....

[DanMan32]

I think Evan may have hit on it. If the car was shifted to neutral, the car won't appear to have any power. If the ICE is already running when the car is shifted to neutral, it will stay running, and can the RPM can be increased with the accelerator pedal.

The car I believe will shift to neutral if you accidentally hit Park, or into Reverse while the car is moving.

[Don4221]

This stopping happened again, this time the car wouldn't move at all. I turned off the motor and restarted it, which did the trick and the car ran again. I took it to the dealer again and they said that the computer was not set correctly when it was off-loaded from the boat. So, we'll see???? The dealer also checked the head lights, which were OK.

[hdrygas]

Originally posted by Don4221@Dec 15 2005, 10:21 PM
This stopping happened again, this time the car wouldn't move at all. I turned off the motor and restarted it, which did the trick and the car ran again. I took it to the dealer again and they said that the computer was not set correctly when it was off-loaded from the boat. So, we'll see???? The dealer also checked the head lights, which were OK.

[snapback]174283[/snapback]

Did you try driving it on the other side of the road? Let us know what the final diagnosis is please. Another chance to learn. If you can get the codes they pulled off the computer and post them.