Huge Disappointment

Cyclesome · 04-03-2005, 01:32 PM

I picked up my Salsa 3/31/05 and have run into a major problem today 04/02/05. I live in Western Pa and we received a Spring snowstorn last night and this morning. We have approximately 3 -4 inches of snow. Roads are not plowed and snow is now truning to slush.

Here is the problem. I could not make it up my driveday this afternoon. I live on a hill. I come down a country road make a right and climb up my driveway. The first part of my driveway is through a field, the latter part is through the woods. The distance is approximately 2/10 of a mile. I could not get enough speed to get the gas engine to come on. Is my driving the problem, my tires? What? I love my little Salsa and want this car to work out for me.

Please Help.

________________________________
'05 Salsa Red Pearl Prius #4 AM 3/31/05

**Tideland Prius** · 04-03-2005, 01:56 PM

I guess you could get a set of winter tyres since the Prius' traction control is very sensitive as it has to protect the electric motor.

prius04 · 04-03-2005, 02:15 PM

Package #4 has VSC. VSC just might some day save your life so don't regret getting it. But VSC will also deny power to a wheel that is slipping. This is for the protection of the driver as much as the electric systems. So if the computer says there is not traction, the wheel will not turn, thus no power is needed, thus the ICE does not come on.

In another thread on this a while ago everyone seemed to agree that there should be a turn off switch as apparently some cars with VSC have such a switch for this very reason. However, this could cause the electirc motor to over rev and this may be why we don't have it.

Your problem is not because the gas engine failed to come on. (Of course, I can't say that there is not some special problem with your car, but that is not what I suspect is happening.)

So the solution is to somehow reliably improve traction. Better tires like Tideland suggested -- just for the winter, throwing sand down, or moving to the Bahamas are all possibilities.

But please don't ever regret getting VSC. Everyone should get VSC.

kidtwist · 04-03-2005, 02:23 PM

I'm just going by what I've read here and elsewhere. My car doesn't have VSC and it doesn't snow here, but I think there is a "slip indicator light" and a vsc light on the dashboard which light up if VSC is activated. If you get one of those you know that's the problem, and the solution is better tires. I believe people have had good results with Michelin Hydroedge tires.

Cyclesome · 04-03-2005, 02:34 PM

My Slip Indicator light flashed on and off the whole time trying to get up the driveway. I did not see a vsc light. I'll need to read my manuel to see what the vsc light should look like.

Sufferin' Prius Envy · 04-03-2005, 02:37 PM

Do you still have less than 500 miles on your car?

Read this thread about exchanging the OEM tires for something better . . . ComforTred? . . . HydroEdge?
http://priuschat.com/forums/a-new-prius-ow...res-vt6863.html

PriusChatters have commented about a vast improvement in situations like yours.

Sufferin' Prius Envy · 04-03-2005, 02:47 PM

You people are confusing VSC and Traction Control!

All Prius models have Traction Control as a standard feature.

VSC - Vehicle Stability Control - is on the AM and BC models only.

Traction Control is what can prevent you (her) from making it up that snowy/icy driveway. On the other hand VSC will (in many situations) prevent her from sliding sideways over the edge of that driveway.

If you hear a chime at the same time the same slip indicator for Traction Control is lit . . . that is what indicates VSC is working. The “VSC” light is a warning of a failure of the VSC system.

bshef · 04-03-2005, 02:57 PM

wow.....sux to live in Penn......!
I'd suggest you forget the snow tires and move out west! :mrgreen:

**Tideland Prius** · 04-03-2005, 04:26 PM

Yep, SPE is right. The slip indicator is tells you that one (or more) of three things just occurred - ABS, TCS or VSC. If it comes on while accelerating, then it's TCS. If the light is accompanied by a chime, it's VSC. If it comes on under braking, ABS is at work. This is useful since we don't have the pulsating feel and hence won't know when ABS kicked in.

bobc · 04-03-2005, 05:45 PM

My vote would be to get snow tires versus upgrades to Hydroedges.

I'm not happy with the 'performance' of my Hydroedges in winter.
Especially in slushy conditions...

-bob

04-03-2005, 01:32 PM	#1
Cyclesome Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Southwestern PA, Somerset County Posts: 28 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Huge Disappointment I picked up my Salsa 3/31/05 and have run into a major problem today 04/02/05. I live in Western Pa and we received a Spring snowstorn last night and this morning. We have approximately 3 -4 inches of snow. Roads are not plowed and snow is now truning to slush. Here is the problem. I could not make it up my driveday this afternoon. I live on a hill. I come down a country road make a right and climb up my driveway. The first part of my driveway is through a field, the latter part is through the woods. The distance is approximately 2/10 of a mile. I could not get enough speed to get the gas engine to come on. Is my driving the problem, my tires? What? I love my little Salsa and want this car to work out for me. Please Help. ________________________________ '05 Salsa Red Pearl Prius #4 AM 3/31/05

04-03-2005, 02:34 PM	#5
Cyclesome Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Southwestern PA, Somerset County Posts: 28 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Huge Disappointment My Slip Indicator light flashed on and off the whole time trying to get up the driveway. I did not see a vsc light. I'll need to read my manuel to see what the vsc light should look like.

04-03-2005, 02:37 PM	#6
Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: USA Posts: 4,012 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Package: N/A Nominated 15 Times in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 0	Re: Huge Disappointment Do you still have less than 500 miles on your car? Read this thread about exchanging the OEM tires for something better . . . ComforTred? . . . HydroEdge? http://priuschat.com/forums/a-new-prius-ow...res-vt6863.html PriusChatters have commented about a vast improvement in situations like yours.

04-03-2005, 02:47 PM	#7
Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: USA Posts: 4,012 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Package: N/A Nominated 15 Times in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 0	Re: Huge Disappointment You people are confusing VSC and Traction Control! All Prius models have Traction Control as a standard feature. VSC - Vehicle Stability Control - is on the AM and BC models only. Traction Control is what can prevent you (her) from making it up that snowy/icy driveway. On the other hand VSC will (in many situations) prevent her from sliding sideways over the edge of that driveway. If you hear a chime at the same time the same slip indicator for Traction Control is lit . . . that is what indicates VSC is working. The “VSC” light is a warning of a failure of the VSC system. __________________ My words are my word. I refuse to actively participate in any forum where my written words can/are changed by the powers that be. If you don't like what I wrote, delete it – but don't put words in my mouth that aren't mine. Good-bye.

04-03-2005, 02:57 PM	#8
bshef Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Left Coast Posts: 329 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Huge Disappointment wow.....sux to live in Penn......! I'd suggest you forget the snow tires and move out west! :mrgreen:

04-03-2005, 01:56 PM	#2
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,900 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	I guess you could get a set of winter tyres since the Prius' traction control is very sensitive as it has to protect the electric motor.

04-03-2005, 02:15 PM	#3
prius04 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NorthEast USA Posts: 1,155 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Package #4 has VSC. VSC just might some day save your life so don't regret getting it. But VSC will also deny power to a wheel that is slipping. This is for the protection of the driver as much as the electric systems. So if the computer says there is not traction, the wheel will not turn, thus no power is needed, thus the ICE does not come on. In another thread on this a while ago everyone seemed to agree that there should be a turn off switch as apparently some cars with VSC have such a switch for this very reason. However, this could cause the electirc motor to over rev and this may be why we don't have it. Your problem is not because the gas engine failed to come on. (Of course, I can't say that there is not some special problem with your car, but that is not what I suspect is happening.) So the solution is to somehow reliably improve traction. Better tires like Tideland suggested -- just for the winter, throwing sand down, or moving to the Bahamas are all possibilities. But please don't ever regret getting VSC. Everyone should get VSC.

04-03-2005, 02:23 PM	#4
kidtwist Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 183 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Huge Disappointment I'm just going by what I've read here and elsewhere. My car doesn't have VSC and it doesn't snow here, but I think there is a "slip indicator light" and a vsc light on the dashboard which light up if VSC is activated. If you get one of those you know that's the problem, and the solution is better tires. I believe people have had good results with Michelin Hydroedge tires.

04-03-2005, 04:26 PM	#9
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,900 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Yep, SPE is right. The slip indicator is tells you that one (or more) of three things just occurred - ABS, TCS or VSC. If it comes on while accelerating, then it's TCS. If the light is accompanied by a chime, it's VSC. If it comes on under braking, ABS is at work. This is useful since we don't have the pulsating feel and hence won't know when ABS kicked in.

04-03-2005, 05:45 PM	#10
bobc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Durham, NH Posts: 360 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Huge Disappointment My vote would be to get snow tires versus upgrades to Hydroedges. I'm not happy with the 'performance' of my Hydroedges in winter. Especially in slushy conditions... -bob

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Finally a disappointment	Houston	Prius Technical Discussion	30	12-20-2006 04:57 PM
Navigation disappointment	clifford	Prius Main Forum	28	08-03-2006 01:36 PM
Disappointment with DCH brunswick, NJ	wishes	Dealers & Pricing	14	07-23-2006 09:43 AM
Pennsacola Dealership a Disappointment	prelector	Prius Main Forum	0	06-03-2006 03:07 PM
Petty Disappointment!	preludemd	Prius Main Forum	8	11-11-2005 02:47 PM