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Pressed pedal, engine revs but no power to the wheels...

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by zor, Dec 6, 2016.

  1. zor

    zor Member

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    So today about half hour ago, i was at a stop and the car started to spudder reving up and down on its own slightly...then when i gave it gas to go.....it wouldnt move.....i would wait about ten seconds and the wheels wouls start to move and the car would accelerate. I just barely made it home, called the dealer and they are not sure what is happening, told me to bring it in. Any ideas? also there is no lights on the dash to indicate any problems....
     
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  2. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    What battery charge at the time? Did you look at the Hybrid Energy Monitor at the time? eg:
    MBWNUP4HTS2WJy2T7SKBQAPa.jpg
     
  3. zor

    zor Member

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    It was at one bar, and the engine was charging the battery directly, and none was going to the wheels if i remember right. Like it sais in your picture....i think it was just one line going to the electric motor and to the battery which was odd...and then it would give me a little power to move and switch back...
     
  4. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I've never seen 1 bar - 2 minimum - though if you've got a Li-ION battery they might program them differently. Hopefully your dealer can help.
     
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  5. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I believe all Canadian Prius are NiMH.
     
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  6. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    I was just wondering why the battery got so low. Had you been using EV to drive for a while, or something?

    [​IMG]
     
    #6 RCO, Dec 7, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2016
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  7. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I did wonder the same thing - I've only got down to 2 bars if either: 1) purposely drive (slowly) in EV Mode; or 2) sit waiting for someone/thing in the car with A/C on - which uses the hybrid battery. With the A/C, I'm fairly sure the time it happened it got down to 2 bars and started the petrol (gasoline) motor.

    Is the car new to you?, and if not, has it happened before?
     
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  8. robsnyder20

    robsnyder20 Active Member

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    Mine goes down to one bar. Often times its when battery is low when putting it in the garage. I start it the next morning and take off. When going down the road, I get really good MPG when first started but it seems to pull the charge off the battery so that way it can do a full idle warmup cycle while moving. I am in Florida so my car doesn't start right away like some of the folks up north.
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    are you saying it has one bar when you put it away for the night, and yet plenty of electricity to take off in the morning?
     
  10. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Sounds Prime to me... :LOL:
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The base Canadian level is Ni-MH, the two higher levels are Lithium-ion:

    upload_2016-12-8_7-17-47.png

    @zor what level do you have? I know Priuschat doesn't have Canadian level descriptors.

    Have you seen this thread:

    Loss of Power on Canyon Road!!! | PriusChat
     
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  12. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'm guessing he's got level "Prius" anyway, with the NiHM battery.

    I'm a bit of a dark cloud type, but it is bugging me, the way the new Prius is so willing to use the battery; driving electric-only even at start-up, in fair weather, for example. I hope the engineers haven't pushed it too far, done a "Honda".
     
    #13 Mendel Leisk, Dec 8, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2016
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  14. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    For quite a while here in Virginia, my Prius has been starting up after it has been sitting, even if the temperature is in the 50s F.
     
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  15. robsnyder20

    robsnyder20 Active Member

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    Sorry for not specifying, it might have 3 or four bars when putting it in the garage (I have Li-on battery, but not prime (2016 Prius)). If the battery is very low, it seems to start and run and pull power from the ICE during warm up and MPG plummets during acceleration. If I step on it, of course it also seems to interrupt the warm up process to provide more power to the wheels.

    Hope this answers the question that I posted about the 1 bar after start up.
     
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  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    got it, thanks!(y)
     
  17. zor

    zor Member

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    Well, right before bed i went to see if the problem is still there and it disapeared so i decided to call them and ask them if they will charge me if they don't see anything....they said they would so i figured if the problem is gone ill keep driving and keep an eye on it.
    so far so good....
     
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  18. zor

    zor Member

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    after talking with some people, it seems like the fact that i was in B mode coming down a hill, might have made it sputter when i came to a stop. Im still not sure why it only went down to one bar on the battery..... and why when i pressed the pedal the engine reved up but wouldnt go anywhere then suddenly start to move very slowly....
     
  19. zor

    zor Member

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  20. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I've only used "B" Mode for 30 seconds just to see what it did, haven't used it since. Almost everyone here doesn't use B Mode at all from what I've read in posts, other than in extended downhill - and I think they said ONLY after the battery was full. The Manual says "... B position, fuel efficiency will become low. Usually, select the "D" position".
     
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