Help with 2010 V

Congratulations. I'm doing the same thing in a few weeks.

From what I understand, here are the short answers:

You should never need to worry about the high-voltage traction battery, unless you plan on driving the Prius into the ground -- at which point you might just want a new car anyway. The 12 volt battery will need to be replaced regularly, just like any other 12 volt battery.

I plan on doing most of my driving in either regular (no mode) or Power mode -- the mode only affects the throttle response.

You would use B when you are going down steep hills.

 

Welcome to Priuschat, I'll take on a few questions with what I know or a good guess.

"B" mode is the hybrid equivalent of down shifting a conventional car. Use it to slow down on a hill.

Some people drive in ECO for the economy and with a harder press on the gas pedal the car will bypass ECO and give you power on demand.

The traction battery in the GenII is about $3000 installed. Probably more but the failure rate is below 1%.

I am sure the old timers will be here with more details soon. Jerry

 

Welcome, Karen!!

You've just purchased the very best production car available in the world! (Yes, there may be a little bit of bias in that statement, but given the name of this site . . .)

The best place to go for information right now is the Stickies.

There are a number of really valuable threads to read, and I recommend them very highly. Perhaps a better starting point would be the Owner's Manual, but if that only induces sleepiness, then start with the Stickies and move to your manual.

You should look for the Stickies at the start of each Forum. (Start at "Forums" up top and work your way through "2010 Prius" and the "Newbie" forums to look for Stickies. For your benefit, they are listed first in the forum directories.


I would suggest these to begin with:

1. Newbie Forum Sticky: What every newb should know
2. Newbie Forum Sticky: I really wish the dealer told/showed me...(post your wishes)
3. Gen II Prius Fuel Economy Forum Sticky: New owner? Want MPG help? Read this first. (Even though it concerns the previous generation, the main concepts apply and are INVALUABLE!)
4. Gen III 2010 Prius Forum Sticky: Link to PriusChat Glossary (to help you understand some of the lingo)
5. Gen II Prius Main Forum Sticky: Prius Myths and their Rebuttals (this is fun and valuable information to have!)

If you have specific questions, go ahead and ask them!!

I drive in ECO mode most of the time, but not all of the time.

I've used B once in this car -- I was going down a long, steep grade, and using B allowed me to keep the car at a constant speed and not endanger the battery or my brakes.

As suggested: Don't worry about the HV or traction battery. The car's computers do a great job maintaining and protecting it, and it likely will last 200,000 to 300,000 miles without replacement.

 

David (aka Blind Guy)

 

Karen,

I'm new to the Prius also (a 2010 Prius IV). My comments:

1)Watch the DVD. This is a good quick overview.

2) When you use the B shifter don't forget to move the shifter back to D or else your mileage will suffer.

3) Get that Bluetooth going as soon as possible. You'll love it.

4) At this point I use the ECO mode all the time. I've had to teach myself to drive like the people I used to get frustrated with (slow starts).

 

Karen;

Be cautious with those slow starts, they don't always result in the best milage.

A couple of weeks ago I rode with one of the Administrators of this Forum, a Dr. Evan Fusco, who is a recognized Hypermiler, and has posted nearly 18,000 post on this Forum, many are dedicated to how to secure the best Fuel Economy from your Prius.

When he took my wife and I for a demonstration ride in his 2004 Prius, I was AMAZED at the way he drove his car. His driving style was virtually NO different than any average driver. His starts from rest were not Jackrabbit starts, but, they were VERY brisk, NOT at ALL what I expected from someone who regularly attains 75+ MPG.

There is also a growing swell of users who are experimenting with the PWR mode, and MOST are finding there Fuel Mileage is not suffering, and in MANY cases they are finding it INCREASES! You may want to read some of the posts that have to do with the PWR Mode.

Read some of the Threads/Posts on Best Fuel Economy to learn how to maximize your Fuel Economy.

However, the MOST IMPORTANT thing...is to REALLY enjoy your Prius!!!

David (aka Blind Guy)

 

I use eco mode now all the time... I get 50-51 mpg's, and have a prius V with nav. I would love someone to PM me how to use power mode and get better mileage.

 

Congratulations on the new Prius. I too traded a BMW for my Prius, no regrets the Prius is a fun car. I have the advantage of being a previous Prius owner and a lot of that old information translates nicely.

You, on the other hand, will have the priveledge of learning the whole thing from the ground up. Be sure to take a look at those links A Priori recommends. Some of this has already mentioned but I'll mention it again:

1. B Mode is hardly ever used, it's just for decending steep hills when the battery is already charged up.
2. EV Mode is of little value except for sneaking up on people in the parking lot.
3. Try all 3 of the Driving modes and decide which you like. ECO (ECO light will be on). PWR (PWR light will be on), and Normal (the other modes not selected). Like A Priori I use ECO most of the time.
4 Call up the HSI display and learn how to use it.

The Nav system is a bit daunting at first but it is totally manageable and will get you where you are going. I'm not real fond of the Nav manual but the information is in there and I did force myself to study it. The owners manual isn't so bad but it is a bit dry in places.

Most of all have fun with your Prius and ask lots of questions, there are people on here that can answer anything and they even give right answers sometimes.

 

I'm not going to PM you, but rather post this in the clear, in hopes others can benefit from these arguments.

It is argued that using the PWR mode limits throttle actuation time by reduceing the time the throttle has to be opened to attain a given speed. For example, in ECO mode, you must hold down the throttle for (this is an exzample ONLY) 35 seconds to reach 40 MPH, this will consume what is thought to be more fuel than what it takes to accelerate to that same 40 MPH in PWR mode, which could take ONLY 20 seconds.

The point being, acceleration is quicker in PWR mode, utilizing less fuel consumption because of the time differencial it takes to accelerate to the same speed.

NO additional power is being generated, the throttle is simply more responsive.

As far as PWR mode operation, it is said you need ONLY just smartly accelerate away from a stop, and then reduce your throttle pressure as quickly as you approach your target speed, and from then on, use light throttle pressure to maintain your target speed.

Spend some Saturday morning experimenting on a test loop of your own making, make a circuit in ECO mode (start by zeroing Trip A), check your milage, then duplicate that same route in PWR mode (zeroing Trip B first) and compare mileage figures, then you be the judge!

David (aka Blind Guy)