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How do you get the ICE to idle on demand when stopped?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by rrg, Aug 31, 2012.

  1. rrg

    rrg Active Member

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    My car is now one year old and I started to think about how the engine was performing or broken in now. One thing I have always looked at to see signs of degradation in my old non-hybrid cars is the idle. If my idle was rock solid, no fluctuations and running at the same value as new, the car ran great. Changes in that meant time for tune up, spark plugs, air filter, clean throttle body etc.
    This becomes more important to me when the car starts reaching very high mileage.
    I track my values with a scan gauge.

    How do I get the ICE to idle at a stop to see how the car idles so I have a baseline?
    Or does anyone know what the idle should be?

    Something tells me you can't.

    thanks.
     
    #1 rrg, Aug 31, 2012
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i suppose if you sit in park with radio and lites etc. on, the battery will wind down pretty quickly and engine will come on to charge it up.
     
    #2 bisco, Aug 31, 2012
  3. jsfabb

    jsfabb Active Member

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    Just crank up the A/C!
     
    #3 jsfabb, Aug 31, 2012
  4. rrg

    rrg Active Member

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    I agree, but with the battery as a variable it's never clear to me if the rpm value is to run the accessories and also charge the battery depending on what % it is at.

    I think a steady rpm might be a moving target but I will try different scenarios now that I am thinking of it.

    UPDATE: 75deg outside, ran the car for 10mins in neutral. No battery influence on ICE, car does not charge in neutral and no accessories on to increase the rpm. The gas pedal does not work in neutral. That's freaky.

    It hit a low of 960 rpm. The water temp was at 160deg by then.
     
    #4 rrg, Aug 31, 2012
  5. jsfabb

    jsfabb Active Member

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    Just shut everything down once the engine kicks in. It should run for a little while.
     
    #5 jsfabb, Aug 31, 2012
  6. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Step firmly on the brake and then step on the throttle. The car won't move but the engine will come on. This is how you force charge the battery too.
     
    #6 F8L, Aug 31, 2012
  7. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    I thought there was a way to turn the ice on for maintenance and it would stay on until you turn it off??? Maintenance mode or something like that.
     
    #7 gliderman, Aug 31, 2012
    kente46 likes this.
  8. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    Have the car in ready mode and leave it in park and just push the gas peddle, the ICE will start.

    When the car is cold and you push the start button a few seconds will go by and it will start and idle the ICE untill it get warm.

    I'm unsure what your asking.
     
    #8 adamace1, Aug 31, 2012
  9. joedirte

    joedirte Member

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    There was some maintenance mode screen option to run ICE. But you can I think run the defroster and ICE will stay running in P, or step on gas to vary rpm in P, or while engine is running switch into N. Anyways, I think they figured it out.
     
    #9 joedirte, Aug 31, 2012
  10. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    Ah! I found it! Its called Inspection Mode:

    Servicing the Toyota Prius cooling system and inspection mode - Boston Auto Repair | Examiner.com

    Prius - Inspection Mode
    Inspection Mode is an operating mode that allows the Prius IC engine to run continuously even if the vehicle is not moving. Official state inspection procedures may require the engine to run and this can be accomplished with Inspection Mode. You may also require the engine to run while performing certain diagnostic operations such as inspecting the CKP or CMP signals.
    During normal operation, the IC engine is controlled by the Hybrid Vehicle Electronic Control Unit (HV ECU), and the engine may or may not run when in Ready Mode and the vehicle is not in motion. Inspection Mode commands the engine to run continuously.
    Inspection Mode can be enabled with or without the Toyota scan tool (Techstream). The following describes how to enter Inspection Mode without a scan tool:
    • Engine should be warm, set parking brake, gear selector in P, and A/C OFF.
    • Turn ignition ON (READY lamp illuminated), then turn ignition OFF.
    • Perform the following steps within 60 seconds.
    • DO NOT depress the brake pedal. Press and release the Power button twice to enter IG-ON.
    • Fully depress and release the accelerator pedal 2x with the gear selector in P position.
    • Depress the brake pedal and move the gear selector to N position.
    • Fully depress and release the accelerator pedal 2x with the gear selector in N position.
    • Depress the brake pedal and move the gear selector back to P position.
    • Fully depress and release the accelerator pedal 2x with the gear selector in P position.
    • The hybrid system warning on the multi-function display should flash.
    • Depress the brake pedal and depress and release the Power button once to turn ignition ON (READY lamp illuminated).
    • The IC engine should start and run continuously.
    When in Inspection Mode, engine speed depends on accelerator pedal position:
    • Accelerator pedal not depressed: idle (approx. 1000 rpm)
    • Accelerator pedal depressed <60%: approx. 1500 rpm
    • Accelerator pedal depressed >60%: approx. 2250 rpm
    Alternative to Inspection Mode: There is another way that technicians commonly use to force the Prius IC engine to run continuously. Although this method does not permit the engine to idle, it can be used to quickly command the engine to run:
    • Set parking brake, gear selector in P, and A/C OFF.
    • Turn ignition ON (READY lamp illuminated).
    • With gear selector in P, simply depress the accelerator pedal.
    The engine will run continuously as long as the pedal is depressed. Releasing the pedal usually causes the engine to stop.This method can be used during diagnostics, provided you have a second person to run the accelerator pedal!
     
    #10 gliderman, Aug 31, 2012
    joedirte and rrg like this.
  11. rrg

    rrg Active Member

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    This is great info Gliderman.

    I will try it out this weekend.

    Thank you very much.
     
    #11 rrg, Aug 31, 2012
  12. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    That should be a sticky.
     
    #12 El Dobro, Sep 1, 2012
  13. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    Anybody tried it yet? I am too busy working today.

    Who dreams up these crazy procedures. Must be software engineers with a geeky sence of humor. They left out the last step, grill a bald eagle gizzard on sequoia charcoal under water! :)
     
    #13 gliderman, Sep 1, 2012
  14. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    The best way to get the ICE to run idle is to turn the heat all the way up.

    Turning the A/C will not work. A/C runs on its own electric motor. It will eventually drain the battery and the car will go into a charge mode that runs the ICE a lot faster than an idle.
     
    #14 Judgeless, Sep 1, 2012
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