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Did anyone else have their Prius "run out of gas"

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by bigj3347, Sep 10, 2006.

  1. bigj3347

    bigj3347 New Member

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    I meant to post this earlier but I've been pretty busy following the Labor Day holiday. I've already driven over 32,000 miles on my recently one year old prius and have never had this happen. Here's what I am talking about.

    As anybody who has driven from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on the 15 freeway can testify, the speed of the road is somewhere between 85-90 MPH. Being as it is only a two lane freeway for long stretches. I simply started cruising at 80 MPH in the right lane. I've driven from LA to SF through all the steep inclines on the 5 freeway cruising at 80MPH and no problems.

    However, just outside Las Vegas, there's this appr. 17 Mile stretch on the 15 fwy where there is like a 3000 feet climb. The incline throughout the stretch, I would guess, averages around 25 degrees, some parts steeper, some shallower.

    I was just cruising along the climb, mileage suffering, but otherwise no problems until I hit the stretch where the incline steepens. Suddenly, my speed just started going down, my car just slowed down to approx 72 MPH by itself. My cruise control was still engaged. I originally thought I had accidentally disengaged CC so i simply stepped on the gas but when I did, NOTHING Happened. There was no resistance that you typically feel when the ICE kick in. I pressed all the way down and nothing happened just cruising at 72 MPH. One I got over the climb, on the way down, everything was fine and when the grade leveled out, I cruised at 80 fine. No problems since. I don't think it's a big problem, maybe just a little underpowered. Anyone else have this happen?
     
    #1 bigj3347, Sep 10, 2006
  2. Ichabod

    Ichabod Artist In Residence

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    Sounds like your battery state-of-charge dropped too low and the electric assist was cancelled to spare the battery from draining too far. That's normal operation for long uphill grades.

    If you're careful about it and the grade isn't too steep you can avoid using battery assist as much as possible and save the battery for when you're on steeper parts. Not using CC would be the first thing to do in that case, and then watch the energy monitor and try to keep it from showing arrows coming from the battery.

    The upshot is you'll have about the same or less power by trying to do that manually as you do when your car forced you to stop using the battery. :D


    p.s. 25 degree slope avg for 17 miles would put you at about +50,000 feet :blink:... 25% grade avg for 17 miles is about 22,000 feet. Maybe it's not actually that steep :)
     
    #2 Ichabod, Sep 10, 2006
  3. priusenvy

    priusenvy Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigj3347 @ Sep 10 2006, 01:16 PM) [snapback]317441[/snapback]</div>
    I've driven I-15 to Las Vegas many times (most recently less than a month ago) and you're about an order of magnitude off.

    Max grade on an Interstate is usually around 6-7%, and I would guess that part of I-15 is a little under 6%. 25 degrees is a 47% grade. That would be a double-black diamond run at many ski resorts.
     
    #3 priusenvy, Sep 10, 2006
  4. GreenSpeed

    GreenSpeed New Member

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    I've driven along I-15 to Vegas quite a few times this year. I've never noticed what you're experiencing however on that 'long' slope I have noticed my engine over-revving when the battery reads in the purple 'one bar left' area. Never really saw a decrease in mileage however but i hardly use the Cruise Control.
     
    #4 GreenSpeed, Sep 10, 2006
  5. bigj3347

    bigj3347 New Member

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    I guess I was way off on the grade, just purely a guestimate. oops. I was in the consumption screen the whole time and didn't think of checking the other screen for my battery charge. oh well, I didn't think it was anything major and the responses seem to support my original theory. I guess I was just surprised since I had never felt the prius was "underpowered" until then. Even so, I'd say that was a pretty rare situation.
     
    #5 bigj3347, Sep 11, 2006
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