1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

possible or hybrid problem

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by cheanko, Aug 29, 2014.

  1. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Hello priuschat!

    I currently own a 2013 prius plug in base and was very surprised on what happened.I was driving my car today with minimal charge left and then charge ran out.I kept driving without batteries then went home.suddenly when i used my car again tonight without charging,suddenly i saw my ev light on with an 8 mile charge.

    Should i be worried about this?please help me!
     
  2. gallde

    gallde Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2004
    238
    130
    0
    Location:
    Tarrytown, NY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Wow, it's like the loaves and fishes parable! Did you drive past a church?
     
  3. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Oh how i wish it was a blessing from god lol do you think i should get it checked out?my car still drives fine though.
     
  4. IanIanIanIan

    IanIanIanIan Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2013
    152
    56
    0
    Location:
    Royal County of Berkshire, UK.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Battery temperature changes.
     
  5. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    UFOs returning some of the energy they steal from our grid.
    :rolleyes:
     
    ny_rob and cheanko like this.
  6. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yeah its been really hot here in socal.no need to worry?
     
  7. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2012
    1,179
    289
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I see strange changes to EV miles (as in suddenly less) with a full battery on hot days when I start the car and immediately turn on the A/C. The actual EV miles don't seem to reflect that change as I go on many similar EV-only trips and get pretty much the same results. I think the EV miles calculation sometimes gets carried away with its complicated algorithm :)
     
  8. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Ok now my car wouldnt get into gear when i turn it on and wont turn off when i press the switch.after a lot of tries i got it into driving mode.will be bringing it to the dealership asap.i dont know whats happening :(
     
    rxlawdude likes this.
  9. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    Hmm. Defective brake pedal switch or something really bad indeed has happened...
     
  10. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    This is exactly whats happening to my car right now with the other symptoms explained above?so u think its really the 12v battery?

    Prius won't start...ready sign never turns on | PriusChat
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    it might very well be the 12 volt. test it cold with a digital multi meter. there is no way you can go from zero to 8 miles of ev, something is wrong.
     
  12. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I got my car back from the dealership.they did a full diagnostic and said everything was fine.will be bringin it back if anything happens again
     
  13. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    By any chance, are you not pressing the brake pedal when switching on, and when putting into R, D, or B? That would cause the symptoms (and lack of any detectable problems).
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    how can not stepping on the brake add 8 miles of estimated charge to the battery?
     
  15. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2014
    3,002
    480
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I expect to be corrected by someone with more expertise in this if I'm off-track...

    but believe the computer uses more than one method to determine charge level. A simple voltage reading can vary due to temperature, electrode degradation, or voltage fluctuations from the recovery-cycle occurring after recent loading or discharging. For that reason, the system also monitors and tallies current usage, in an attempt to more accurately determine the stored energy potential left in the battery.

    My guess is that the computer periodically revises it's estimate, and that's why you saw an 8-mile difference from the previous reading. It may not be very accurate, but it may be Toyota's best effort at determining true charge level.

    I think smartphones may be more accurate at indicating battery level than hybrid cars, because they have more accurate ways to measure power consumption, based on clock cycles and algorithms which more accurately estimate the power consumed by processor operations.
     
  16. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I have to press the brake pedal to engage it to gear so thats a no

    I think its really the 12v battery.while driving today i notice a significant drop in mpg and my smart entry wasnt working once today.i keep driving in hopes that the battery will get charged to the right amount but i am suspecting the car not starting tomorrow morning again.
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    you may want to put a smart charger on it, in order to prevent purchasing a new battery. might be worth a try.
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i won't correct you because i probably know less than you do. i agree that they have multiple ways of evaluating state of charge, and i have read that it's a very difficult thing to do. but i disagree that it would have 8 miles left, think it was empty and fire the ice.
     
  19. cheanko

    cheanko New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2014
    16
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I think i still should be under warranty.i just had the car for a year.if my car doesnt start right again first thing tomorrow morning i think it has a greater chance that it is the 12v battery problem.now the problem is when i would bring my vehicle for service,the battery would still have a high charge from driving and they wouldnt notice that the 12v battery is the problem.they might say that I am lying or something and will not change/repair the problem.
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    good point.