ICE Wouldn't shut off - 20-30 MPH

bigmahma · 06-04-2007, 08:07 PM

I was driving down the long road that leads to my home and I usually use just the electric motor on this portion of my drive - since I know the next morning I'll be letting the ice run to warm up and heading right on the expressway....

Anyway - I couldn't get the ICE to shut down... and my SOC was easily above 60%

I was doing what I normally would do - trying to glide - or just trying to activate the electric engine...

Nada! Whenever my foot hit the gas - the ICE was showing energy to the electric motor..

Couldn't figure out what was going on there - has anyone else had any similiar expirience?

thanks and help!

ozyran · 06-04-2007, 10:19 PM

Earlier tonight I had a similar experience. No matter what, the ICE in my Prius wouldn't shut off. Stopped at a light, parked in a parking lot, etc; turns out that having the vent selector switch set to "defog" kept the ICE running!

Hope this helps.

justifyd · 06-04-2007, 10:44 PM

That happens to me sometimes. In fact, I've experienced it several times in the last week or so. In a way, it's a bit alarming at first. (Well, it's alarming to a Prius driver. I imagine non-Prius folks would think us an odd bunch for expecting, even wanting, the engine to quit while in route!) Suffice it to say, your Prius isn't broken.

I can't speak with authority as to why it happens, but my guess is that the emissions system is a bit on the cool side and the HSD is trying to warm it up. Or perhaps the electrical load is too high for the battery's actual condition -- most, but not all, of my incidents have occurred early in my drive (2-15 minutes into it) while the A/C is working hard and I've been idle/crawling/low speed for a minute or two.

I just have to trust that the HSD is doing what it believes is best. It's not as if I can override it anyhow...

Is your mileage taking any more than a nominal hit because of this? I don't think it's happened often enough to make a measurable difference in my mileage. Keep in mind that you aren't driving a Power Wheels vehicle; the throttle is variable, so "engine on" does not necessarily mean you're getting poor fuel economy. And again, even if your instant mileage looks rotten during that time, the event is probably not significant enough to impact your overall numbers. (Smile: No matter what, you're still beating the snot out of everything around you in terms of MPG!)

- Justifyd

**TonyPSchaefer** · 06-04-2007, 11:00 PM

Yeah, Mahma, I get the same thing. Gets to the point that I'm just shy of shouting at Priapus, "turn the damned engine off!" It's like he's just trying to spite me.

I swear I would absolutely LOVE to have a function that displays exactly what is keeping the ICE on. It could be a little icon on the screen that changes depending on the situation: a thermometer if the ICE is too cold; a speedometer if I'm going to fast; a battery if the SOC is too low; something else if it's a combination. Like you, I know my drive pretty darned well and I know to within a few feet when the ICE should be kicking off. When it doesn't, I notice. But when it doesn't for a quarter mile, I really want to know why.

Wayne · 06-05-2007, 12:30 AM

Your A/C can keep the engine running, believe it or not. Also, battery temperature can keep it from shutting down...

I also would love to have a function that displays why exactly it's running!

ken1784 · 06-05-2007, 01:37 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigmahma @ Jun 5 2007, 09:07 AM) [snapback]455314[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Couldn't figure out what was going on there - has anyone else had any similiar expirience?
[/b]

My bet is you were in S3a...
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/five-stages.txt

Ken@Japan

bigmahma · 06-05-2007, 08:06 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Jun 5 2007, 01:37 AM) [snapback]455519[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

My bet is you were in S3a...
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/five-stages.txt

Ken@Japan
[/b]

I just got off the highway doing 65 for 15 minutes - there is no way the engine wasn't hot enough to be out of S3a.

jstack · 06-05-2007, 08:20 AM

I've heard on the plug-in hybrids they add a system called the can view. It lets you see the exact info on battery, temperature and all factors making the system run in gas-electric-glide. It's about 700 bucks so I don't want to know that bad.

I live in warm to hot arizona, I've have never had the ICE not shut down. Warm temps really helps.

It's still a great system ans gets better with each new generation. The 2008 with lithium batteries can get 90 mpg. If you drive like you care, I'm sure I'll get 100+ most of the time. It's that or the plug-in option for me. I want at least 100 mpg.

JimboK · 06-05-2007, 08:38 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigmahma @ Jun 5 2007, 08:06 AM) [snapback]455579[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I just got off the highway doing 65 for 15 minutes - there is no way the engine wasn't hot enough to be out of S3a.[/b]

I've had my car for almost a year and half, and I still haven't completely figured out the S3a/S3b/S4 deal. (But then I'm a slow learner sometimes.

) What supposedly triggers the transition from S3 to S4 is coming to a complete stop while in S3 and remaining there long enough for the ICE to shut off. There are times, sometimes 20-30 minutes into my drive and with a nicely warmed ICE, where I thought for sure I had done that, only to have the ICE light unexpectedly in situations similar to yours. (It's clear it's dependent on things other than ICE temperature.) It could be that between the characteristics of my commute, my (usually decent) timing of red lights, and coming to a stop only in ICE-off mode (S3b glides or EV mode) that I'm never actually letting it make that idle transition. It's something that I've been paying a little closer attention to recently so I can hopefully, finally get it nailed. I just got Can-view, so maybe that will help.

Meanwhile, take heart that you're not alone in either experiencing it or [edit] <strike>completely</strike> incompletely explaining it.

douglas001001 · 06-05-2007, 02:17 PM

I've been wanting to post the same question but haven't gotten around to it.

I get in this as well, and find myself activating ev to glide, which is annoying not being able to go past 34 mph. If I think I can get a 4 second delay ice shutoff after coming to a stop I won't ev glide.

I've also had luck with doing a higher rpm pulse (2400 or so rpm) to get back into s4 which works in cases which I can't identify.

06-04-2007, 08:07 PM	#1
bigmahma Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 226 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	I was driving down the long road that leads to my home and I usually use just the electric motor on this portion of my drive - since I know the next morning I'll be letting the ice run to warm up and heading right on the expressway.... Anyway - I couldn't get the ICE to shut down... and my SOC was easily above 60% I was doing what I normally would do - trying to glide - or just trying to activate the electric engine... Nada! Whenever my foot hit the gas - the ICE was showing energy to the electric motor.. Couldn't figure out what was going on there - has anyone else had any similiar expirience? thanks and help! __________________

06-04-2007, 11:00 PM	#4
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 10,497 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 164 Times in 105 Posts Friends: 23	Yeah, Mahma, I get the same thing. Gets to the point that I'm just shy of shouting at Priapus, "turn the damned engine off!" It's like he's just trying to spite me. I swear I would absolutely LOVE to have a function that displays exactly what is keeping the ICE on. It could be a little icon on the screen that changes depending on the situation: a thermometer if the ICE is too cold; a speedometer if I'm going to fast; a battery if the SOC is too low; something else if it's a combination. Like you, I know my drive pretty darned well and I know to within a few feet when the ICE should be kicking off. When it doesn't, I notice. But when it doesn't for a quarter mile, I really want to know why. __________________ Proud father of Priapus: the '04 Tideland BC9 with an OEM EV button and sense of self-righteousness Current Mileage Chicago Prius Group Website Chicago Hybrid Group on FaceBook Find me on faceBook

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06-04-2007, 10:19 PM	#2
ozyran Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 695 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Earlier tonight I had a similar experience. No matter what, the ICE in my Prius wouldn't shut off. Stopped at a light, parked in a parking lot, etc; turns out that having the vent selector switch set to "defog" kept the ICE running! Hope this helps.

06-04-2007, 10:44 PM	#3
justifyd Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 61 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	That happens to me sometimes. In fact, I've experienced it several times in the last week or so. In a way, it's a bit alarming at first. (Well, it's alarming to a Prius driver. I imagine non-Prius folks would think us an odd bunch for expecting, even wanting, the engine to quit while in route!) Suffice it to say, your Prius isn't broken. I can't speak with authority as to why it happens, but my guess is that the emissions system is a bit on the cool side and the HSD is trying to warm it up. Or perhaps the electrical load is too high for the battery's actual condition -- most, but not all, of my incidents have occurred early in my drive (2-15 minutes into it) while the A/C is working hard and I've been idle/crawling/low speed for a minute or two. I just have to trust that the HSD is doing what it believes is best. It's not as if I can override it anyhow... Is your mileage taking any more than a nominal hit because of this? I don't think it's happened often enough to make a measurable difference in my mileage. Keep in mind that you aren't driving a Power Wheels vehicle; the throttle is variable, so "engine on" does not necessarily mean you're getting poor fuel economy. And again, even if your instant mileage looks rotten during that time, the event is probably not significant enough to impact your overall numbers. (Smile: No matter what, you're still beating the snot out of everything around you in terms of MPG!) - Justifyd

06-05-2007, 12:30 AM	#5
Wayne Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 677 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Your A/C can keep the engine running, believe it or not. Also, battery temperature can keep it from shutting down... I also would love to have a function that displays why exactly it's running!

06-05-2007, 08:20 AM	#8
jstack Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 191 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: I Package: B Thanks: 1 Thanked 27 Times in 25 Posts Friends: 0	I've heard on the plug-in hybrids they add a system called the can view. It lets you see the exact info on battery, temperature and all factors making the system run in gas-electric-glide. It's about 700 bucks so I don't want to know that bad. I live in warm to hot arizona, I've have never had the ICE not shut down. Warm temps really helps. It's still a great system ans gets better with each new generation. The 2008 with lithium batteries can get 90 mpg. If you drive like you care, I'm sure I'll get 100+ most of the time. It's that or the plug-in option for me. I want at least 100 mpg.

06-05-2007, 02:17 PM	#10
douglas001001 smug doug Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 210 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Friends: 1	I've been wanting to post the same question but haven't gotten around to it. I get in this as well, and find myself activating ev to glide, which is annoying not being able to go past 34 mph. If I think I can get a 4 second delay ice shutoff after coming to a stop I won't ev glide. I've also had luck with doing a higher rpm pulse (2400 or so rpm) to get back into s4 which works in cases which I can't identify.