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How a new one runs...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by bweston, Dec 14, 2004.

  1. bweston

    bweston Junior Member

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    I've read these forums over the course of the 8 months that I've been waiting on my Prius, and after receiving it on Sunday... 36 hours later, I have a question. I didn't think that the engine came on as quickly as it does. Literally, less than 10 seconds just sitting in Park in my garage (not too cold) after turning the car on, the ICE comes on. Why is this? Will this behavior change?

    I know... this information has been covered elsewhere, but I don't think this specific question has been asked. Gas tank has gone down pretty quickly, and even though the computer says I'm averaging 38 mpg, it doesn't feel like it given the quick rate at which the gas gauge is going down (I won't know for sure until I fill up).

    Just wanna make sure everything is working as it is supposed to.

    Love the car, but I like showing it off more :lol:
     
    #1 bweston, Dec 14, 2004
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

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    All systems normal...

    The ICE will always come on about 7 seconds after ICE start. This was an engineering decision so that people would feel like it was behaving like a "normal" car. It can be delayed with an EV button (search that if you don't know what I'm talking about)

    The fuel guage is quirky and not very precise...you'll get used to what's normal soon enough.
     
    #2 efusco, Dec 14, 2004
  3. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    Plug-in Base
    My experience in the warmer months, was about 150 miles for the first block to go off. The about 30 miles for each of the rest to go off, down to half a tank. Then about 50 miles for each of the remaining blocks.

    With the colder weather, it is happening faster.
     
    #3 jfschultz, Dec 14, 2004
  4. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    Even though the Prius will spend some of its driving time in golf-cart mode, and even though you can prevent the ICE from starting with an EV switch, the car is basically designed to use both gas and electric simultaneously most of the time.

    You will notice that the ICE is on much more than it's off, and also that you very rarely see no arrows either in or out of the battery. You will also see the instantaneous milage jumping around a lot. This indicates that the ICE is constantly changing the amount of gas it is burning.

    The HSD system is constantly juggling the throttle and the flow of electricity from MG1 to the battery or to MG2, into and out of the battery, battery to MG2 or MG2 to the battery, and other more arcane combinations as well.

    So to get back to your first question, the ICE starts up immediately because the ICE is an integral part of the overall system and will be on most of the time. We drivers love to impress the ignorant masses with the silence of our car in golf-cart mode, but the car only wants to do what it was designed to do: reduce emissions and burn less gas.

    It will go into golf-cart mode more easily after it's well broken-in, and in warmer weather, and when heat and cooling are off. But it will always start the ICE 7 seconds after you press the Ready button, unless you defeat it with an EV switch. The Knowledge Base has an article describing how to do this on the cheap, either with or without a physical button, or you can buy an after-market kit for $45, which is easier to install.
     
    #4 daniel, Dec 15, 2004
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