Engine Information

Rest · 11-30-2006, 01:50 AM

Anyone else miss engine information? It seems the Prius has taken it all away from us. I like seeing a temperature gauge for instance. It lets me pull over BEFORE any engine damage happens. The Prius uses idiot lights, which light after the damage has been done.

dmckinstry · 11-30-2006, 08:32 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rest @ Nov 29 2006, 10:50 PM) [snapback]355598[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Anyone else miss engine information? It seems the Prius has taken it all away from us. I like seeing a temperature gauge for instance. It lets me pull over BEFORE any engine damage happens. The Prius uses idiot lights, which light after the damage has been done.
[/b]

Yes. I miss gauge information too. I would think with all the other information they have available they could have included oil pressure and coolant temperature or block temperature as well. I guess the only way to get that is purchasing something like Can View or Scantool. I don't have either of those yet and don't know exactly what they do provide.

Dave M.

**efusco** · 11-30-2006, 09:13 AM

I, definetely, like having more data to look at and the CAN-View provides more than I'll ever be able to make complete sense of.

But the idiot lights don't work the way you describe....they light once a maximum acceptable range is exceeded before damage occurs. They provide an adequate margin of safety, I assure you.

tochatihu · 11-30-2006, 09:42 AM

The aftermarket "scan" devices have the potential to give you lots of temperature, electrical, and electrical motor info. But without a different oil pressure sensor installed, you're not going to see anything more than a two-state indication of oil pressure with a transition in the 1 to 3 psi range. This is one of my (few) Prius Pet Peeves.

Evan, part of this pet peeve is that the (dim little) oil pressure warning light may not provide the safety margin that you and I both hope for. IMHO it ought to be announced at least as conspicuously as the 'low fuel ding".

klevitsky · 11-30-2006, 11:17 AM

I've looked at Can-View about 3 times now, but $300 plus an after-market 7" touchscreen monitor is a little pricey for a temp gauge. Of course I realize CAN-view gives you loads more info, but knowing how much voltage is going where is not something I'd need to know or can do anything about. It's nice for the folks that have the $1000 extra kicking around, but I do wish it was part of the standard display. Doesn't seem like it would have taken that much more programming to include it on the MFD from the get go. My 2 cents.

qbee42 · 11-30-2006, 12:16 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rest @ Nov 30 2006, 02:50 AM) [snapback]355598[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Anyone else miss engine information? It seems the Prius has taken it all away from us. I like seeing a temperature gauge for instance. It lets me pull over BEFORE any engine damage happens. The Prius uses idiot lights, which light after the damage has been done.
[/b]

The Prius does a better job watching engine data than any human can do. It's not like the old limit-switch idiot lights; you'll get plenty of warning before any damage is done. That said, I like being able to view data out of technical curiosity, so I'm with you on having it available on the standard screens.

Tom

David Beale · 12-01-2006, 03:02 PM

If the CanView is too expensive for you, consider the Scangauge III. Small, easy to install, quite useful (if you're an info nut)

.

galaxee · 12-01-2006, 03:10 PM

"idiot light" pretty much means if you continue to drive around with the light on, you're an idiot. if you see a light and pull over as soon as possible, in most cases the problem is fixable.

if you pull over as soon as you see the oil light, you'll probably be ok. if you drive another 6 blocks, the engine is probably toast.

vince31 · 12-01-2006, 05:14 PM

Dont know about you, but I got an automatic 8 yr/100K mile warranty on the engine and Hybrid components as standard. So why would I want to be paranoid about the exact reading on the gauge, as long as its within acceptable limits (as defined by the idiot lights) then its OK.

hobbit · 12-01-2006, 05:52 PM

Toyota could have easily implemented the "geek screens" with nothing
more than a little more programming in the display module. But they
also wanted to keep it all jack-simple for the, uh, "typical" driver,
which happens to be very few of us here ... so we're left to put all
that stuff in ourselves. Still, leaving out things as ROCK-BOTTOM
BASIC as an engine tach and a battery-current meter is inexcusable.
.
_H*

11-30-2006, 09:42 AM	#4
tochatihu Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kunming Yunnan China Posts: 1,823 My Car: 2001 Prius Package: Pioneer #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 7	The aftermarket "scan" devices have the potential to give you lots of temperature, electrical, and electrical motor info. But without a different oil pressure sensor installed, you're not going to see anything more than a two-state indication of oil pressure with a transition in the 1 to 3 psi range. This is one of my (few) Prius Pet Peeves. Evan, part of this pet peeve is that the (dim little) oil pressure warning light may not provide the safety margin that you and I both hope for. IMHO it ought to be announced at least as conspicuously as the 'low fuel ding". __________________ DAS Tochatihu, the Hopi hummingbird kachina

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11-30-2006, 01:50 AM	#1
Rest Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: CA Posts: 745 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: N/A Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Anyone else miss engine information? It seems the Prius has taken it all away from us. I like seeing a temperature gauge for instance. It lets me pull over BEFORE any engine damage happens. The Prius uses idiot lights, which light after the damage has been done.

11-30-2006, 09:13 AM	#3
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 14,247 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 1 Time in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 24	I, definetely, like having more data to look at and the CAN-View provides more than I'll ever be able to make complete sense of. But the idiot lights don't work the way you describe....they light once a maximum acceptable range is exceeded before damage occurs. They provide an adequate margin of safety, I assure you.

11-30-2006, 11:17 AM	#5
klevitsky Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 33 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I've looked at Can-View about 3 times now, but $300 plus an after-market 7" touchscreen monitor is a little pricey for a temp gauge. Of course I realize CAN-view gives you loads more info, but knowing how much voltage is going where is not something I'd need to know or can do anything about. It's nice for the folks that have the $1000 extra kicking around, but I do wish it was part of the standard display. Doesn't seem like it would have taken that much more programming to include it on the MFD from the get go. My 2 cents.

12-01-2006, 03:02 PM	#7
David Beale Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 1,556 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	If the CanView is too expensive for you, consider the Scangauge III. Small, easy to install, quite useful (if you're an info nut) .

12-01-2006, 03:10 PM	#8
galaxee running WOT until out of fuel Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 9,080 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 21	"idiot light" pretty much means if you continue to drive around with the light on, you're an idiot. if you see a light and pull over as soon as possible, in most cases the problem is fixable. if you pull over as soon as you see the oil light, you'll probably be ok. if you drive another 6 blocks, the engine is probably toast.

12-01-2006, 05:14 PM	#9
vince31 Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 17 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Dont know about you, but I got an automatic 8 yr/100K mile warranty on the engine and Hybrid components as standard. So why would I want to be paranoid about the exact reading on the gauge, as long as its within acceptable limits (as defined by the idiot lights) then its OK.

12-01-2006, 05:52 PM	#10
hobbit Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bahstahn Posts: 2,989 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Toyota could have easily implemented the "geek screens" with nothing more than a little more programming in the display module. But they also wanted to keep it all jack-simple for the, uh, "typical" driver, which happens to be very few of us here ... so we're left to put all that stuff in ourselves. Still, leaving out things as ROCK-BOTTOM BASIC as an engine tach and a battery-current meter is inexcusable. . _H*