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Bizarre ICE behavior

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Begreen, May 29, 2006.

  1. Begreen

    Begreen Member

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    Today I had something happen that has me totally bewildered. It was a drizzly day, the wipers were on intermittent and the heater fan on low for defogging (A/C was off). I stopped at a stop sign, the ICE turned off, then on in sync with the wipers. Every time the wipers cycled the ICE would come on for a second, then turn off for about 3 sec. I sat at the stop sign for several cycles just to be sure it wasn't a coincidence.

    How can this happen? Although it hasn't happened again, I am concerned that something is awry. Can anyone explain this strange behavior?
     
    #1 Begreen, May 29, 2006
  2. jmccord

    jmccord New Member

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    Although I can't explain it, you've certainly piqued my curiosity.
    Was there any correlation while moving, or just while stopped?
    Did you try changing intermittent wiper speed to see if the ICE followed suit?
    Strange indeed. :huh:
     
    #2 jmccord, May 29, 2006
  3. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Was the car totally warmed-up? Or, had you just started driving for the first time in several hours? What was the battery's state of charge?

    That IS strange. :huh:
     
    #3 Sufferin' Prius Envy, May 29, 2006
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    never heard of this. The battery can't be that low that it required the engine to be on when the wipers requested power.
     
    #4 Tideland Prius, May 29, 2006
  5. ghostofjk

    ghostofjk New Member

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    For starters, if you had the climate control in the "defrost/defog" position, you can't turn the AC off.
     
    #5 ghostofjk, May 29, 2006
  6. Begreen

    Begreen Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 28 2006, 10:00 PM) [snapback]262260[/snapback]</div>
    Car was completely warmed up and had been driven about 20 minutes. I'm not sure of the battery charge, but it should have been close to fully charged. I had just come down a long hill, good for regen braking. No correlation with movement, other than as soon as I started moving again the car settled right down and behaved fine all the way home.


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ghostofjk @ May 28 2006, 10:55 PM) [snapback]262284[/snapback]</div>
    You can have the air directed towards the windshield and feet. That is the rightmost selection. A/C was off. And the defrost button wan't pushed on.
     
    #6 Begreen, May 29, 2006
  7. ghostofjk

    ghostofjk New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Begreen @ May 28 2006, 11:04 PM) [snapback]262288[/snapback]</div>
    I'll get my owner's manual in the morning and quote from it if I remembered correctly. Or you may beat me to it. I believe the AC always automatically comes on when that position is selected, even if you try to defeat it.
     
    #7 ghostofjk, May 29, 2006
  8. kDB

    kDB New Member

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    maybe the battery was fully charged and the car was trying cut some energy from the battery? i know the car will run the ICE to lower the charge, but i've never charged the battery up that much to say for sure if that is what was happening.
     
    #8 kDB, May 29, 2006
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Begreen @ May 29 2006, 02:04 AM) [snapback]262288[/snapback]</div>
    Yes, you can have the air sent to the windshield without turning on the A/C compressor.

    If you had a good charge then came down a hill doing regen charging, the SOC may have been so high that the computer was burning off excess charge by spinning the ICE. It will do this if it needs to, and it can be that funny cycling on and off that you describe. Once you start moving, it doesn't need to do this anymore since it can use the excess charge to move the car.

    Tom
     
    #9 qbee42, May 29, 2006
  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    if it's windshield defroster, A/C should automatically be on and the mode to "fresh air"

    if it's windshield and feet, I don't think the A/C will be on automatically.
     
    #10 Tideland Prius, May 29, 2006
  11. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Poltergeist, Yep that is it. Have the car exercised now! You have little time. Nope I have never seen anything like that at all. Sorry
     
    #11 hdrygas, May 29, 2006
  12. Begreen

    Begreen Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ May 29 2006, 10:48 AM) [snapback]262391[/snapback]</div>
    Yes, it was the windshield and feet.


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ May 29 2006, 04:36 AM) [snapback]262317[/snapback]</div>
    Interesting assessment. I needed to clear the intersection and had the display off. If it happens again, I will check the state of battery charge. Thanks for the tip Tom.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas @ May 29 2006, 05:10 PM) [snapback]262514[/snapback]</div>
    Maybe I should start hanging chicken bones from the mirror :D
     
    #12 Begreen, May 29, 2006
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