Using Engine Brake in Car Wash

I'm sure you didn't harm anything, but I'm glad you now know how to find N instead.

B doesn't really behave any differently from L in any conventional car; it is still a forward "gear", and will have a slight tendency to ease forward with your feet off the pedals, and would easily lunge forward if you happened to hit the accelerator, and that's what the car wash operators would rather not have happen. They would rather you be in neutral, free to roll, out of "gear".

-Chap

 

Mine has always been a little difficult to find N in, easier after driving it a year. Also, I try to make sure the big battery is good and charged, especially running the A/C while going through the wash.

 

Finding "N" is rather easy. You move the "gear selector" to "N".

There is a big difference between "N" and "B". First, as noted above, the car -could- drive out of the wheel trolley. Then there is the issue of "no battery charging" when in "N", AND the issue of the engine not changing state in "N". i.e. if running when you put the car in "N" it stays running, and if not running it stays not running.

 

Well, "B" is mostly the same as "D", except it uses the engine to help slow the car (wasting some energy). Very useful descending a mountain pass, but pretty much useless for anything else (the Prius HSD provides very little drag and the car is very aerodynamic so it takes off down hills). So even leaving it in "D" in the car wash would cause no damage (unless the car managed to climb over the wheel trolley).

Remember, in a Prius the engine is not connected -directly- to the wheels. You can even roll backwards with the car in "D" with no damage -at low speeds-. Many of us do this by backing up and then shifting to "D" without stopping. Because we're lazy or in a hurry - or both.

 

I will admit that finding ''B'' is more difficult than N. I still have my problems with that, but, seldom use it unless out West.

 

I noticed a car wash in our neighbourhood: you drive in and stop, the machinery then moves around the car. Seems better for Prius. I've never tried tho.

 

As long as you remember it moves both ways....

-Chap

 

Hah, I thought this thread was going to be about charging the battery by using the pulling motion of the car wash to generate energy.

I saw a Youtube video of a Leaf driver being towed by a friend because he had run his battery out. During the tow, he lightly applied the brakes and ended up regenerating enough of a charge that he could drive the rest of the way home.

 

Hmm ... I guess that might work in a Prius if you get it to go READY and stay READY while being towed, even though it detects it hasn't enough charge to crank the engine. I'm not sure that's easy....

-Chap

 

... and hold it there a couple seconds. Unlike the other 'gears', it won't respond to a quick bump there.