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Doesn't switch of ICE even if warm

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Martin Nilson, Mar 5, 2019.

  1. Martin Nilson

    Martin Nilson New Member

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    Hi!

    I have a Prius II. My problem is that it often doesn’t want to switch of the ICE even when the engine is warm. My way to work is one of theese occasions. I do like 15 km in 90-100 km/h. Then I continue on a smaller road the last 2 km. The ICE switches of when I roll to the first roundabout. Shortly after it comes the next, and then it usually doesn’t switch of. I think all conditions are meet:

    - Engine being warm enough (normally it is 80-88 deg C according to my OBD-reader)

    - Battery charged. With my kind of driving it is usually almost full, only missing the last two segments

    - Heating the cabin sometimes makes the ICE run more. Therefore I usually switch it of when it is time for slower driving.

    Any other ideas? Or is something wrong with my car?


    Thanks for any advice!


    //Martin
     
    #1 Martin Nilson, Mar 5, 2019
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Gen 2 needs to run an engine check and if your specification is the same as the North American specification, you need to come to a complete stop and let the engine shut off before continuing. If you drive without coming to a complete stop and letting the engine shut off before accelerating, then the engine will continue to run.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Mar 5, 2019
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  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Ah! That explains it. My wife's '07 does that. I hadn't noticed the pattern till you spelled it out. Thanks. (y)
     
    #3 jerrymildred, Mar 5, 2019
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  4. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

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    I find the same thing (New Zealand spec, 2008); it seems to 'reactivate' this mode fairly often, but I think this is because of hypermiling causing the engine to cool down and restart the final warm-up cycle. The only fix is to stop, wait for it to cut off, then drive on. My car has the EV mode switch, and while some cars have 30mph as the 'deactivation' speed for EV mode, the NZ Prius has 45km/h (and, the speed limit is 50 in most urban areas). This is annoying when the engine is running during a downhill grade, since the EV mode button can (in my car at least) be used to stop the engine running, but the EV mode deactivates just below the urban speed limit! However, if you have (or fit) an EV mode switch, it may be possible to use that temporarily till you get to a place where you can stop long enough to shut the engine down (I have done this in slow-moving traffic a few times!)
     
    #4 landspeed, Mar 5, 2019
  5. Martin Nilson

    Martin Nilson New Member

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    2008 Prius
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    N/A
    Thanks for the replies. It is an intersection about 1 km from home where I usually needs to stop. This is usually enough for the engine to shut of . So it has to be something else for me . In the middle of my daily run it is also a few hundred metres with speed limit to 60 km per hour where the ice switches of .

    The ev button I use frequently when the ICE doesn't stop as I think it should . It saves a lot of fuel but only works in speeds lower than 50 km per hour .Mine is sold new in Sweden.
     
    #5 Martin Nilson, Mar 6, 2019
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    could be your 12v or hybrid battery is weak
     
    #6 bisco, Mar 6, 2019
  7. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

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    Would be interesting if it was the 12v battery; I have decided to see how long my 12v battery will last; it runs around 10v before the DC-DC convertor kicks in, and if I don't drive the car for a few days, it requires a few 'starts' to boot up (obviously it gets the red triangle). It still 'works' although 11 years old! I could definitely swap it out for a standard lead-acid battery and see if that helps - it may help others if the engine-running problem Martin has is more than just the 'standard' design of the computer. In my car, I can sometimes drive down a gentle grade, with a very gradual charge of the HV battery, and drive a few kms without the engine shutting down (however I usually park up for a few seconds to save the fuel!)

    EDIT : In fact, I will do just this; I have a spare 12v battery (standard flooded lead-acid), and will do an experiment. I won't say *how* I will do it, but it will involve windows being open 24/7 (outdoors, under a shelter) when parked - otherwise there is a risk of the car exploding. I *will* secure the battery, because it is a bad idea for a lead acid battery to 'drain' into your car. I spent the last few weeks doing a lot of work to stop any further damage from such an event that happened a few years ago :D
     
    #7 landspeed, Mar 6, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2019
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