Battery Status Display; Never full? Here's why.

RobertO · 01-14-2004, 12:15 PM

I made my weekly paranoid obsessive-compulsive visit to my Prius-trained Service Advisor yesterday to "talk Prius".

Primary topic was that my Battery Dispaly NEVER shows solid green bars; at best always leaves one bar white at the top. Tthis despite longer trips that show beacoup watt hours generated on the alternate display panel.

The explanation turned out to be really simple; when the cars come in, the battery display shows full. During the system initialization process before delivery to a customer, the battery system is calibrated by the Toyota Prius tech. Once this and other initializations are done (window lifts, etc.) the battery disply will always have one white bar at the top.

This was confirmed by the dealer tech who went to the Prius school.

Now, if anyone out there knows a different story, let us know; The Truth Is Out There.

Bob

glscheil1 · 01-14-2004, 05:01 PM

Mine were all green when I took delivery but soon drioped to 2 white segments. Has stayed there.

HTMLSpinnr · 01-14-2004, 06:42 PM

I still hit full batt on screen at least once per week going to work.

If you continue to regen much beyond that point, the ICE will spin with some compression braking (less so than B mode). It's possible to get full.

-Rick

terkar · 01-14-2004, 07:03 PM

I have had all green several times. Very easy to do when going down a really long hill/grade. In fact, I have been concerned that staying all green for several miles may cause harm to the battery.

04 Salsa Red

HTMLSpinnr · 01-14-2004, 08:48 PM

No cause for concern, it's not truly at 100%, and the computer won't let you get even close using conventional means.

Once the battery hits the upper limit of it's SOC (state of charge), the extra energy gets piped to MG1 for some compression braking during higher speeds where the foot is off the gas. The end result is the same amount of drag. For actual braking, it's all friction at that point using the pads like a conventional car.

Now I have felt at lower speeds when braking if I hit the full mark (going from stoplight light to stop light after a long descent) during the stop that the regen system will suddenly "let go" a bit requiring me to remodulate the brakes. Basically it was saying "I'm full, no more".

Never fear, this car is smart :-)

gordon169 · 03-21-2004, 12:17 PM

My battery display is normally only half-full. The highest I've seen in its 660-mile life is half plus one -- i.e. still around 3 short of full. Should I be concerned?

In case it matters, I do trips of about 5 miles, avg 45 mph, with about 6 red lights. My mileage for tank 1 was 45.9, tank 2 is 49.3 so far.

(My first post -- I love the car, and this site!)

rockluvr · 03-21-2004, 03:08 PM

Gordan,
No need for concern. If you take your Prius in the mountains for a drive, you will likely see all green bars on the downhill. When going up mountain I've had the last two bars turn pink and then very depleted (no pink bars). I did this on a trip from Denver to Evergreen on I-70 and back.

8AA · 03-21-2004, 05:09 PM

I rented a Prius instead of just going for a test drive. Most of the time there were two or three white bars, but several times I had all of them green. I was wondering if the Prius "learns" the driver's habit and changes the use of the battery. It would make sense to try to use as much of the battery energy as possible, without letting it get too depleted. At the very least, I'd hope that the car starts using more of the battery's energy when the battery is nearly full.

As for the statement that there will always be one white bar at the top, this makes no sense at all. It's like the amplifier in Spinal Tap that was louder than everyone elses because it went to 11 instead of just 10. Maybe with normal driving it is typical for there to be one white bar at the top, because when the battery is full, there's no room left for energy recovery.

**efusco** · 03-21-2004, 05:23 PM

I've hit full green a few times...can make it do it with some conservative driving before a long descent which pushes it to full green...

Someone said (not confirmed) that even when full there's still a 20% reserve...

edmcnierney · 03-21-2004, 07:31 PM

Yup, I've been all green, too. I never got there until I decided to make an effort on a long downhill after a highway run, and I've repeated that "all green" event.

Up until that point I began to suspect it would never happen, so I think it's perfectly normal to never observe it unless you're looking and/or trying.

01-14-2004, 12:15 PM	#1
RobertO Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Renton, WA Posts: 215 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Battery Status Display; Never full? Here's why. I made my weekly paranoid obsessive-compulsive visit to my Prius-trained Service Advisor yesterday to "talk Prius". Primary topic was that my Battery Dispaly NEVER shows solid green bars; at best always leaves one bar white at the top. Tthis despite longer trips that show beacoup watt hours generated on the alternate display panel. The explanation turned out to be really simple; when the cars come in, the battery display shows full. During the system initialization process before delivery to a customer, the battery system is calibrated by the Toyota Prius tech. Once this and other initializations are done (window lifts, etc.) the battery disply will always have one white bar at the top. This was confirmed by the dealer tech who went to the Prius school. Now, if anyone out there knows a different story, let us know; The Truth Is Out There. Bob __________________ Time flies like an arrow -Old Zen Quotation Driftwood Pearl AM-7 delivered Oct. 25, '03. Absolutely No Regrets.

01-14-2004, 05:01 PM	#2
glscheil1 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Raytown, MO. Posts: 150 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 0	Battery Status Mine were all green when I took delivery but soon drioped to 2 white segments. Has stayed there.

01-14-2004, 08:48 PM	#5
HTMLSpinnr Gen III Forums Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 4,073 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 216 Thanked 437 Times in 196 Posts Friends: 18	No cause for concern, it's not truly at 100%, and the computer won't let you get even close using conventional means. Once the battery hits the upper limit of it's SOC (state of charge), the extra energy gets piped to MG1 for some compression braking during higher speeds where the foot is off the gas. The end result is the same amount of drag. For actual braking, it's all friction at that point using the pads like a conventional car. Now I have felt at lower speeds when braking if I hit the full mark (going from stoplight light to stop light after a long descent) during the stop that the regen system will suddenly "let go" a bit requiring me to remodulate the brakes. Basically it was saying "I'm full, no more". Never fear, this car is smart :-) __________________ Rick Johnson - Prius Expert/Gen III Forums Moderator His: Gen III 2010 Prius - Blizzard Pearl Prius IV w/ Solar - 6.3k miles - (First in SW Region!) - 2010 Photos - Mods: Curt Hitch, Toyota Premium Horn, Illuminated Door Sills Hers: Gen II 2004 - Tideland Green Pearl #9 - 117.6K miles - Mods: Bridgestone Ecopia Tires, Homemade mesh foglamp grills Past: Gen I 2002 - Blue Moon Pearl - Mods: Costal hitch Facebook - Ask an Expert I am not employed by Toyota, and the opinions expressed by me as a Prius Expert are not those of Toyota.

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01-14-2004, 06:42 PM	#3
HTMLSpinnr Gen III Forums Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 4,073 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 216 Thanked 437 Times in 196 Posts Friends: 18	I still hit full batt on screen at least once per week going to work. If you continue to regen much beyond that point, the ICE will spin with some compression braking (less so than B mode). It's possible to get full. -Rick

01-14-2004, 07:03 PM	#4
terkar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hendersonville, NC Posts: 104 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I have had all green several times. Very easy to do when going down a really long hill/grade. In fact, I have been concerned that staying all green for several miles may cause harm to the battery. 04 Salsa Red

03-21-2004, 12:17 PM	#6
gordon169 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	My battery display is normally only half-full. The highest I've seen in its 660-mile life is half plus one -- i.e. still around 3 short of full. Should I be concerned? In case it matters, I do trips of about 5 miles, avg 45 mph, with about 6 red lights. My mileage for tank 1 was 45.9, tank 2 is 49.3 so far. (My first post -- I love the car, and this site!)

03-21-2004, 03:08 PM	#7
rockluvr Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 155 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Gordan, No need for concern. If you take your Prius in the mountains for a drive, you will likely see all green bars on the downhill. When going up mountain I've had the last two bars turn pink and then very depleted (no pink bars). I did this on a trip from Denver to Evergreen on I-70 and back.

03-21-2004, 05:09 PM	#8
8AA Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 492 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I rented a Prius instead of just going for a test drive. Most of the time there were two or three white bars, but several times I had all of them green. I was wondering if the Prius "learns" the driver's habit and changes the use of the battery. It would make sense to try to use as much of the battery energy as possible, without letting it get too depleted. At the very least, I'd hope that the car starts using more of the battery's energy when the battery is nearly full. As for the statement that there will always be one white bar at the top, this makes no sense at all. It's like the amplifier in Spinal Tap that was louder than everyone elses because it went to 11 instead of just 10. Maybe with normal driving it is typical for there to be one white bar at the top, because when the battery is full, there's no room left for energy recovery.

03-21-2004, 05:23 PM	#9
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 17,231 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 49 Thanked 249 Times in 148 Posts Friends: 37	I've hit full green a few times...can make it do it with some conservative driving before a long descent which pushes it to full green... Someone said (not confirmed) that even when full there's still a 20% reserve...

03-21-2004, 07:31 PM	#10
edmcnierney Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 11 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Yup, I've been all green, too. I never got there until I decided to make an effort on a long downhill after a highway run, and I've repeated that "all green" event. Up until that point I began to suspect it would never happen, so I think it's perfectly normal to never observe it unless you're looking and/or trying.