Summary of problems reported on Prius 2010

[Analogkid1958]

Cold feet, hot head? Uneven heat distribution...

Love the A/C in the car, but the heat leaves me with cold feet and a burning up head!

In "Auto" setting at any temp or A/C and recirc setting, the default air direction is down to the footwells. But some air is also directed to the side face vents. The upper part of the cabin seems to stay much warmer than the footwells.

I've tried all kinds of combinations of settings, but it seems that the "Auto" setting should be the most equal.

Maybe I'm too used to US cars' climate control systems... :-)

Comments welcome!

[Analogkid1958]

Civic, thank you!

ISSUE: ABS not what I expected?

I got Red into the snow for the first time yesterday and got to experience both traction control and ABS response (I've had experience with Honda and Chrysler ABS, never TCS). Traction control was about what I thought it would be but the ABS seemed to be pretty lame. I didn't experience the shuddering pulsing as in our Honda and Dodge, but instead slow pulses every couple seconds. I slid through a couple stops until I figured out how to compensate.

What's everyone else experiencing?
Thanks!

[CivicQc]

Originally Posted by Analogkid1958

In "Auto" setting at any temp or A/C and recirc setting, the default air direction is down to the footwells. But some air is also directed to the side face vents. The upper part of the cabin seems to stay much warmer than the footwells.

Interesting observations (this one + ABS in snow). If you can create new threads and have someone confirm your observations (see post #2 in this thread), please give me the reference to your threads here and I will add the problems to the list.

[950platinum]

Originally Posted by garygid

THE BACKUP BUG - DANGEROUS UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION
(Not just the annoyance of Abrupt Braking)

Just yesterday, my Prius-III backed up with sudden unintended acceleration, with my foot only on the brake pedal. No, the accelerator pedal was not "stuck" or being touched in any way. The parking spot was level.

I recognized what was happening because it happened once before, just over 2 months ago, just a few days after I got the car, when I was backing out of an inclined driveway. Perhaps insignificant, but both times, I had a passenger in the passenger seat.

I suspect that some unusual element of the timing of turning the car ON, and shifting into Reverse, and possibly the internal state of the computer and the hybrid power system combine to produce this "abrupt" reverse acceleration as I am gently easing off my foot pressure on the brake pedal. Others describe this as an annoying "Abrupt Braking", and the abrupt braking effect does occur, but only in response to the much more DANGEROUS "unexpected, unintended" reverse power (acceleration), to stop the car motion. No matter how gently the brake is eased further ON to stop, the stop is "abrupt", not smooth.

Yes, in this case pressing the brake gently, just a little, stops the car, but with a big "Jerk" (the Abrupt Braking effect). Then, shifting into Neutral and then to Reverse again "resets" the software so that further backing is the normally expected gentle movement of the car.

However, the unexpected "jump" backward (due to the unexpected power and acceleration) might have caused an accident, crashing my car into anything behind it. This is DANGEROUS.

And, after the crash, who would believe me when I said, "The Prius-Backup-Bug did it, not Me!"?

Sincerely trying to help Toyota have a better Prius,
Gary,
Prius-III + Nav, made July 2009 in factory "5"

I actually had something similar happen to me a couple times. It occurs randomly, but when it does, it feels like I have no control over the Prius when backing out. Before I thought it was just the way I was braking, but when I tried releasing the brake very slowly, the same thing happened. I felt a jerking motion every time I stopped because I was scared I would just roll onto the street and hit something. If anyone else knows anything, please let me know.

[mlaurenc]

Purchased my third Prius (2010) in August 2009. Since early November (we're two hours north of Toronto) I've been observing what appears to be a bug in one of the two Prius hybrid system computers. Generally when it is below 0 Celsius, or the car has not fully warmed up, I observe the fuel flow indicator (which I'm always working to keep at its lowest) to fall to zero (disappear). However, the engine continues to run. If I maintain power below mid-point on power bar display, the fuel flow can stay at zero - until engine actually stops - or until I push pedal to move power bar above mid-point, at which time fuel flow indication resumes. Has anyone else seen this, or is this a problem specific to my own 2010 Prius (Canada - base model).

[Analogkid1958]

Originally Posted by CivicQc

Interesting observations (this one + ABS in snow). If you can create new threads and have someone confirm your observations (see post #2 in this thread), please give me the reference to your threads here and I will add the problems to the list.

Thanks again, Civic - where should I put these new threads?

[Analogkid1958]

Originally Posted by Analogkid1958

Civic, thank you!

ISSUE: ABS not what I expected?

I got Red into the snow for the first time yesterday and got to experience both traction control and ABS response (I've had experience with Honda and Chrysler ABS, never TCS). Traction control was about what I thought it would be but the ABS seemed to be pretty lame. I didn't experience the shuddering pulsing as in our Honda and Dodge, but instead slow pulses every couple seconds. I slid through a couple stops until I figured out how to compensate.

What's everyone else experiencing?
Thanks!

UPDATE: I had the dealer check the ABS and they reported all is well. Since we have packed snow and ice (and water on top of packed snow and ice) right now, I took Red to a nearby parking lot and exercised both the traction control and ABS.

I'm more comfortable with them now. The ABS definitely FEELS different than in our Dodge, but seems to be working, as I can steer while coming to a stop.

I guess that comes with being on the uphill side of the learning curve with such a different vehicle!

[Analogkid1958]

Originally Posted by Analogkid1958

Cold feet, hot head? Uneven heat distribution...

Love the A/C in the car, but the heat leaves me with cold feet and a burning up head!

In "Auto" setting at any temp or A/C and recirc setting, the default air direction is down to the footwells. But some air is also directed to the side face vents. The upper part of the cabin seems to stay much warmer than the footwells.

I've tried all kinds of combinations of settings, but it seems that the "Auto" setting should be the most equal.

Maybe I'm too used to US cars' climate control systems... :-)

Comments welcome!

UPDATE: Closing the face vents, or at least directing them toward the window (or over my my shoulder) seems to help. Closing the vents directs a TINY bit more air to the footwells, though it could still be better.

This may be generic to Toyotas, as I borrowed a Yaris this morning while Red was being looked at and it was very similar.

[mlaurenc]

Originally Posted by Analogkid1958

Thanks again, Civic - where should I put these new threads?

Done as suggested.

New thread posted.

Mike

[Orf]

Last night I was in a car queue to get a ticket to board a ferry and as the cars were moving slowly I selected "Park" each time I stopped. After doing this about 6-8 times when I selected "Drive" nothing happened, the car stayed in park.
I tried several times and even selected all other setting to no avail.
I solved the problem by turn the power off with the power switch and powering on again.
I will make further tests today to see if I can reproduce the fault.