EV Mode From Coastal: Any Experience Out There?

[popoff]

and the pin needs to be pretty far in. i used a pin punch. (has a tip on it just like those steel tipped dart...actually one of those will help you a lot)

Sounds like I'm the only one that has had a problem with the installation.

I could never get the thing to work and I was getting concerned about all the wear and tear I was putting on the wires, harness and plug so I quit.

Would you please tell me which wire you are referring to and just how did you use the punch pin? The hole in the plug is pretty small and I can't visualize how the punch pin would help.

TIA

[stucholka]

After getting everything working on Thursday night, I had problems again Friday and call Coastal in the afternoon. After describing my problems, I was told that if the three beeps sound, the Prius’ computer is not allowing the engagement of EV, not that the wiring is incorrect.

I have just re-read the entire instructions and it does not state that if the three beeps occur, the wiring is good. When I originally installed the switch, I had all EV mode operations set, pull stalk when powering on, the car was not going over 34 mph (it was in my garage), and my battery was ‘green’. I had the three beeps working after only 15 minutes but could not get it to ‘kick in’. I am not sure why it started to work after tweaking with it for another 30 minutes. I think Coastal could state that in the instructions.

I was running errands today, and if my battery was charged up enough, I would get it to engage. I ended up doing it the hard way, but I did do it!

[bsumpter]

I agree that you have to catch it in the first 5 seconds or so, but I did that today at lunch. No go.

It was actually 93F outside today rather than 85F as I quoted earlier. I think it was just too hot for the car to feel safe engaging EV mode. I believe based on my limited experience that anytime the HV battery is over a certain temperature that EV mode cannot be engaged.

I also noticed this behavior during my ride home today. I engaged EV mode during the first 5 seconds of starting the car when I left work and it worked fine. I disengaged it part of the way home and took the scenic route which allowed me to charge the HV battery into the green (lots of rolling hills). When I tried to engage EV mode immediately after, I got the 3 beeps. I think the charging process on the way home heated the battery up past the EV threshold limit and it would not let me engage it.

This is at least what I am seeing with my car. YMMV.

[Tideland Prius]

I noticed that mine won't beep if it's engaged. I'll know if it is if I feel the engine turn off (if in motion) or if I hear a beep (when engaging at start) as the screen changes to the Energy Monitor.

Cancelling it with the cruise control stalk works. I just held it just as long as I would if I were to engage it. It won't beep and you'll know when you accelerate and the engine kicks in normally. I found that using the accelerator to disengage EV requires quite a big prod. Unless you're close to 55km/h or 34mph, use the CC stalk to disengage.

If it beeps 3 times, it means it won't engage either because you're going too fast, the engine is in its warm-up stage or the computer thinks it's inappropriate given the temperature and/or SOC of the battery.

I got Frank to install it for me. He used a tiny pick-like instrument to yank the white bar out. I think mine's an anomaly. It's usually stiff.

[lt1jane]

I bought my Prius used at the end of April. Two weeks later I ordered the EV mod. I am highly UNIMPRESSED with Coastal Electronics. I call only to get an answering machine and they don't reply to e-mails. They don't return phone calls either.

My husband operates a small business. I know their customer serivice stinks in comparision to what I see everyday. I have yet to receive my order, although I received an e-mail from UPS telling me that the billing information on my package has been received and my package is due to be delivered on July 14th. Not only have I not received it, but UPS reports they have only received the billing information, not the package.

I would love to cancel my order, but I want the EV mod and the mod so my front power outlet will work all the time. Does anyone know of anyone else out there who sells this stuff? My credit card has not been billed yet, but I think the least they could do is fire off an e-mail letting me know that something is on backorder and my order will be delayed.

[DaveinOlyWA]

actually getting that pin all the way down was tough but you need to make sure that the white notch is separated far enough. i used a pocket knife to get into that gap and widen it a bit more and the pin slid right in after that

lt1jane

i would try to contact them again. i ordered my EV switch about 3 weeks ago and mine is already installed. did you mark "ship entire order only" or it maybe "ship parts as they come in"

dont remember the exact wording but since many here have received their EV switches recently, you might want to check with them again

[empannin]

I ordered my switch about 6 weeks ago and it finally arrived. The kit itself was easy to follow and it took me ~ 15 minutes to complete. One tool that made the job very handy is a pin installer from radio shack. These are usually red and white and about a buck. they help in pushing the pin in (even though they were designed for installing/removing round pins)

Operation: I enjoy using the EV mode and have found it handy. I have section of road near home with two schools and 20 mph school zone that is almost 1 mile long. 5 or 6 bars is more than enough to cruise along this stretch in EV mode (even with the AC on)

It's not going to get you much farther though. Top scale on the display is 70% (or 80%) charge and bottom is 40%. Since it turns on the motor with two bars showing and rarely is green there is only a little battery to play with in EV mode.

I expect to see a slight mileage increase but do not have solid data yet. My reasoning is I am delaying engine start until I am moving on a road that is at a steady 45 mph. At this speed, the slight excess drain to charge the battery back and warm the engine is minimal and I have avoided the rich mixture warmup cycle traveling at low throttle settings.

While it is true that the battery must be charged by the engine eventually, there are some modes that are more efficient than others for charging.

I would like to find a way to plug-in charge the battery pack to ~ 80% -90% charge at home. I think this would give a range in pure EV mode of ~ 2 miles. Assuming secondary roads, a 5 mile one-way commute and 50 MPG base mileage this would increase it to ~ 62 mpg for the RT. If you could charge at work, it would bump it to 83 mpg. Electric power used would be in the pennies.

Does anyone know if there is a way to link into the existing charger or perhaps if there is a Toyota charger for shop use in servicing/charging the battery pack? Given the cost of the battery pack, you would not want to bypass the battery computer.

Perhaps Toyota will offer in the future and upgrade option to increase battery size or switch to Li-ion. I am watching the efforts of the group in SoCal but $12,000 is a little steep.

Anyway, for the price the Coastal option is a good upgrade, the instructions are clear and the install quick. Even if you use it only occasionally I think it would be nice to have. I have been using mine almost every day - if you currently spend time trying to get a little bit more mpg out of the car, this gives you another trick. I've been averaging ~ 50 to 52 in mixed driving since new with 2700 miles on the car now.

Eric
Black 2005 Prius

[DaveinOlyWA]

well i like the EV mode because the place i work at has nearly doubled its work force in the past year and since i went from a 5AM start to an 8 PM start, i now have to park in the overflow lot frequently which is several blocks away and the walk is uncovered...(in Western WA, that can be very inconveinent) so i have been in the habit of moving my car closer during the middle of the day after the earlier shifts have left (i work 10 hour shifts minimum) so i use EV mode to move the car when i can. (provided its not raining)

[lt1jane]

I have contacted them again and I get the same response- NONE. This will be my first and last order from Coastal Electronics due to their poor customer service.

I'm still searching for the EV Kit and the Power Outlet Kit from other sources. (Anyone know of any other outlets where Prius mods can be found?) If I can find them, I will cancel my order from Coastal since they can't be bothered to let their customers know what is going on with their orders much less reply to phone calls or e-mails.

[bsumpter]

I too had almost given up on my order before it finally arrived. I was able to get in touch with Coastal on the phone a few weeks after I placed the order to find out that it had indeed been backordered.

I purchased my Prius around 3 months ago, and ordered the EV mod around the same time. I just got it in last week. It took some time, but it did arrive safe and sound. Coastal did not charge me any shipping (I assume to make up for the long wait).

Either way, I'm happy with the mod, but I know what to expect if I ever order from them again. They will eventually fill your order, but it will be on their schedule and not yours. I don't think anyone else is making these mods for the Prius (that I know of), so for right now this is probably everyone's only choice.

It is a great product, though! These are well built, well packaged, and have great installation instructions. When you do get your order I'm sure you'll be impressed even though you may have had to wait on it for a while.