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Cold weather engine problems

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by cubbyg, Feb 27, 2007.

  1. cubbyg

    cubbyg Junior Member

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    After start-up in the early morning, I noticed that the engine was running rough like a missfire. The car shook and shuttered at a stop while the ICE was warming up the resevoir for the days driving. I reported it to the Dealer. They ran a diagnostic and not to my surprise, since there were no check lights, they did not come up with any "codes."
    The next morning the same thing happened. So, I returned and talked to the Service manager and the shop foreman. They both concurred that I should take a long drive and hopefully the computer would generate some history. Well it is a month later and it is still happening. I called Toyota corporate and they referred me back to the Dealer. The service Manager drove me in a new Prius and the same thing happened. I called Corporate back with the detials of the meeting and they will not refer it to engineering. They said that it is up to the dealer to call for more technical information. For now they tell me that "All Priuses do 'THAT' "
    Are they blowing green smoke up my tail pipe or is there a technical reason for this occuring. I don't like mechanical problems hiding behind the mystic of the hybrid engineering.
    Would appreciate all your inputs. Thanks
     
    #1 cubbyg, Feb 27, 2007
  2. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Eh. That's common when they're cold. If it starts running rough all the time, that's a problem.
     
    #2 richard schumacher, Feb 27, 2007
  3. dmckinstry

    dmckinstry New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cubbyg @ Feb 27 2007, 08:54 AM) [snapback]397232[/snapback]</div>


    Apparently this is normal in the first (or is it the second) stage of Prius operation. Do a search for "5 stages" of Prius operation. I just tried, but the first link that I tried was obsolete. I know a new one has been created, but I haven't found it yet.

    Dave M.
     
    #3 dmckinstry, Feb 27, 2007
  4. ScottY

    ScottY New Member

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    The "five stages" article is on hobbit's website, http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/five-stages.txt

    I'm not sure if this is normal. During last month's cold spell, morning temperature was in the teens for the entire week, my engine behaved the same way as you described one morning. And it never happen ever since. I check the DTC code in CAN-View and nothing show up.
     
    #4 ScottY, Feb 27, 2007
  5. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Is it worse when you shift to Neutral? Remember that any slight
    variation in engine speed causes a roughly 3x variation in MG1's
    speed, and that's a nontrivial mass o' metal to be whipping around.
    .
    _H*
     
    #5 hobbit, Feb 27, 2007
  6. Allannde

    Allannde Just a Senior

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cubbyg @ Feb 27 2007, 08:54 AM) [snapback]397232[/snapback]</div>
    While I can't say with certainty that my block heater is the reason, I have never had the symptoms which you describe. I have a timer set so the the block heater comes on for a few hours every morning to take the chill off the ICE and the engine room. I also use radiator blocking (this is the lowest cost mod I have done). My car seems to be happy.

    I have CAN-VIEW and can detect no negative effects from either mod.
     
    #6 Allannde, Feb 27, 2007
  7. hjon71

    hjon71 Junior Member

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    I have never experienced this problem. My guess would be bad gas? You might try a different station or a dose of HEAT. I would be concerned if my car did this.
     
    #7 hjon71, Feb 27, 2007
  8. brick

    brick Active Member

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    Mine sort of surges if I'm stopped during the first couple of minutes of engine warmup. Doesn't feel to me like a misfire so much as a change related to power flow...either loading the engine by charging the battery or suddenly unloading the engine after supplying a charge. Come to think of it, that hypothesis could be checked by keeping the energy monitor displayed during warmup. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow.
     
    #8 brick, Feb 27, 2007
  9. dmckinstry

    dmckinstry New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottY @ Feb 27 2007, 01:04 PM) [snapback]397423[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks for reminding me/us of that link. I thought I had it bookmarked, but maybe that's on my computer at home.

    Dave M.
     
    #9 dmckinstry, Feb 27, 2007
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