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EV availability not consistent

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by dsviv, Oct 1, 2009.

  1. dsviv

    dsviv Member

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    Excuse me if this has already been covered in another thread, but a search showed no results.

    Set up - car in garage overnight, 57° on car thermometer, 7 bars, engine cold, nothing turned on in the car.

    I am having trouble using EV under the circumstances listed above. A check in the manual shows that EV won't work under certain conditions.

    1. Temp too high
    2. Temp too low
    3. Engine warmed
    4. Low Battery
    5. Etc., etc., etc.
    What in my situation would cause this problem? It has happened several times under similar circumstances, but most of the time it works just fine.

    Any thoughts?
     
    #1 dsviv, Oct 1, 2009
  2. wvgasguy

    wvgasguy New Member

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    Not exactly sure of your driving situation. The ICE will always start up initially to warm up the system, but once that happens and it shuts back off there are other reasons it won't be available. Speed or espectially accelerating too fast. This is not an electric car and if you pull out at anything other than a crawl, the EV will kick off and not be available.

    I'm not an expert on this but I have seen this discussed often in the last three months. Not sure why your search did not turn up info.
     
    #2 wvgasguy, Oct 2, 2009
  3. lamontcranston

    lamontcranston Umbra Tenet

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    #3 lamontcranston, Oct 2, 2009
  4. drspielman

    drspielman Grand Master Chief

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    I have the same issue, like in warm florida, and can not use the ev mode even when the charge is all the way up for a few mintues... until I drive a little...
     
    #4 drspielman, Oct 2, 2009
  5. GoSkins

    GoSkins Member

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    Mine doesn't let me back out of the garage either. See other post.
     
    #5 GoSkins, Oct 2, 2009
  6. dsviv

    dsviv Member

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    I have had the car since June and use EV to back out of the driveway mutiple times a day (two or more). I do this, in part, so I don't get startled when the ICE kicks in halfway down the decline. I also use it 5 days a week when I leave from work in the afternoon, also with a cold engine.

    The manual says that it may not be available when the engine is too hot, but says nothing about a cold engine.

    In reading the thread referenced above (EV Mode) there were many different opinions about EV and its effectiveness. There were other posts about using EV with a cold engine, so I am not the only one.

    Most of the time I have 6 or 7 bars, so that can't be the problem. Engine too hot engine, I don't think so. Temp too hot or cold? Nope.

    I only live 2 miles from work and shopping, so pretty much wherever I go it's on a cold engine. I'm sure that's the reason why my mpg isn't ever going to be as good as most posters.

    I just need to understand the reason EV isn't available at times.
     
    #6 dsviv, Oct 2, 2009
  7. ken1784

    ken1784 SuperMID designer

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    The manual does not say any hot engine, but it does say the hybrid system temperature is high.
    The manual also says warming up for cold engine.
    Please re-read the manual again.

    Ken@Japan
     
    #7 ken1784, Oct 2, 2009
  8. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    This is a double post, but I have found if you don't engage EV the first few seconds the car is on, you will be forced to allow the engine to start and do the warmup sequence.

    If you "do" engage EV within a few seconds of the car first turning on, you will be allowed to drive up to 10mph before it kicks out and the warmup sequence initiates with an engine start.

    If you wait and do it "after" the warmup, you will be allowed to go up to 25mph.

    Seems they give you EV basically as a convenience for very short distances and don't want you try to go far or fast without the use of the ICE as thats not efficient anyway as the ICE will just have to run extra hard to give you back that energy and the conversion is never pure so there is waste.

    I'm not real sure why they give you such a short leash when the ICE is cold verses warmup up though?
     
    #8 windstrings, Oct 2, 2009
  9. dsviv

    dsviv Member

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    I always hit the EV button a second or two after READY.

    Again this morning - 61° in the garage, 7 bars and EV wasn't "available".
    Don't tell that the engine has to be warmed b/c I have used it under similar circumstances many, many times. I am befuddled.
     
    #9 dsviv, Oct 5, 2009
    1 person likes this.
  10. ken1784

    ken1784 SuperMID designer

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    Please make sure the windshield defogger is off.

    Ken@Japan
     
    #10 ken1784, Oct 5, 2009
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