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Strange vibrations

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by sophie999, Jan 13, 2012.

  1. sophie999

    sophie999 Junior Member

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    I have noticed that if I push gas pedal while turning the corner, especially if starting to go uphill, there is significant vibration felt in the gas pedal. It happens every time, as I use the same road each day, for 6 months now. I recently had a rental prius for a weeks, and had the same experience, although not as pronounced as my car.

    Can anyone explain why that happens? Is that normal?

    Thanks

    Sophie
     
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Is the vibration when setting off from stationary or is it when already moving?

    Is the road wet or slippery? Or maybe the engine is having to work harder up the hill and thus you feel more vibration?
     
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  3. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    Could it be that when you are slowing down to make the turn that the engine turns off and then when you go to accelerate the engine fires back up ?

    If you are familiar with the Hybrid System Indicator screen, when you slow down to turn if the bar goes to the left side and past the line in the middle then the engine is turning off. When you accelerate the bar will move back past the middle bar and means that the engine is firing back up.

    This will cause a slight vibration.
     
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  4. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    ^ what JD said, plus the engine mount has probably loosened up too making the even more noticeable.
     
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  5. sophie999

    sophie999 Junior Member

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    Thanks for the replies.

    The vibrations are felt during both initial acceleration from stop AND while moving. There is a traffic light there, so that sometimes I go thru and sometimes have to stop. The vibrations are quite prominent, nothing like when ICE usually turns on.

    A few weeks ago, I experimented. While go thru the light on green, I let the car slow down UNTIL the wheels were back completely straight, and then accelerated. The vibrations went away. This seems clearly related to accelerating with the wheels turned. I was wondering if anyone else had similar experience. Might be hard to pick up, as we normally do not accelerate while turning (at least for me, this is the only spot where I drive like that, and I do drive a lot every day).

    Thanks

    Sophie
     
  6. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Well if it is consistent, I would bring it in and take a tech for a ride. Could be a bearing issue in more or more of the wheels.
     
  7. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    I think there is a similar thread on here about this issue. If you start off on a hill the car does vibrate a little more than usual in that the electric motor is having to both power the car forward and start the engine. Being gentle helps as does using the hill start assist option.

    Hill Start Assist - When in D drive and stationary with your foot on the brake pedal such as at a traffic light, press the brake pedal a little harder until the car beeps and a light will flash on the dash. You have now activated the hill start assist function. When you take your foot off the brake the car will still remain stationary for 2 or 3 seconds, beep and then automatically release the brake. This should give you plenty of time to press the accelerator before the car rolls back and should help give a smooth drive off.

    Try it somewhere safe until you see how it works. You don't need to be on a slope or hill to use it.
     
  8. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    I had the same issue and the vibration mostly disappeared after the right-rear mount was replaced as part of the TSB. The new mount also eliminated the slight clunk/pop I got from the ICE shutting off after making a moderate to hard stop.
     
  9. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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  10. bear4

    bear4 Junior Member

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    I think the issue described by OP is unrelated to MG2 rumble/vibration in that thread. MG2 rumble is hardly noticable, and although I believe all Prii do it (I was also told so by a Prius mechanic), only 4 people on this board actually confirmed the issue themselves that means that an average person does not really notice it.

    The issue described by OP may be related to CV joints or steering mechanism. I would take it to the dealer, to me it seems like a mechanical issue,