Brief Hesitation After Accelerating

I’d still suspect traction/stability control intervention, assuming nothing else is wrong with the car. Try to look for the warning light flashing (far right side of the gauge cluster) if it happens again. And if you have the time, see if you can repeat the issue in the same spots that it has happened...if you can, then there is some combo of wheel movements and road surface that are likely the cause.

Purely anecdotal, but a Grand Cherokee I used to have would very consistently invoke traction/stability control in two spots on the daily drive...the combination of wheelbase, suspension tuning, and minor road imperfections would cause one tire to very briefly spin a tiny bit, which caused me to lose power for a second or two. Very unnerving.


iPhone ?

 

So far my Gen 4 isn't as touchy as my Gen 2 was as far as having a wheel brake loose and get a light. I had to make it spin just to see it work and we have had some snowy and icy roads since I bought the car in November.

 

---------Someone mentioned a PCV Valve and a little sludge build up in the engine as a result - did you see that response? Are you still having this issue ??????????

 

I’ve experienced brief very minor hesitations during acceleration in this Prius. Every time it’s happened wasn’t sure if it was the car, my foot,driver fatigue or wearing different shoes (change my shoes a lot for work) or perhaps the road. But never a 1-2 second delay. I find it difficult to get a really good connection to the road with electric power steering and drive by wire technology. I still miss the rack and pinion steering on my 5 speed civics.

510 - I have had 3 strange incident on highway 13, driving south right around park blvd, I felt a ‘‘thump’ like somethIng hit the wheel well or ran over a big but invisible pothole. A warning light for the EPS came on. All 3 times I inspected the front end everything looks fine. Wondering if you or others experienced this? ...

Third issue - sometimes when parking or turning sharply in a parking lot/low speed the steering column on my car makes a grinding sound. Again, anyone experience this?

 

Here's your RACK and PINION - still there on PRIUS:


I'd reckon it's more the ECO tyres.

 

its the electric power steering. Feels numb and somewhat disconnected from the tyres. This is a common report of the prius, indeed any vehicle with EPS. oh well, I’ll take it for the 50 mpg.

 

I don't think you'll find many cars at all now are without Electric assisted power steering. The very first PRIUS had Electric Assist Power Steering, and it's been around for nearly 30 years - they'll never go back now.

It also can tie in with various safety systems - Lane Keep Assist for instance wouldn't work without it, nor would the Enhanced Stability Control system.

They all wanted to get away from a Power Steering Pump, an extra belt (or more complicated serpentine belt) and that pump spins all the time - not just when assistance is needed. There is also the potential for leaks in the pump, rack and hoses.

Electric Power Steering made it easier (it was still possible with the dinosaur type) to have variable assistance and be speed sensitive.

TOYOTA says:

 

It seems newer cars have so many modules in them and are interconnected with each other and are expensive to replace. One thing I like about Japanese cars is I consider their electronic generally the best in the world.
I think reliability.