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Loss of acceleration from a stop!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by ZC1, Dec 4, 2008.

  1. ZC1

    ZC1 Junior Prius Owner

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    Can the dealership *DETUNE* this stupid overly sensitive feature?

    Standing at a stop sign, ready to turn left/right into a break of fast oncoming traffic, hitting the accelerator the car dashes out, hangs a right/left over the embedded roadway water channel at the head of my street. And Voila, a result you can almost hear....

    'Capt'n...The Enterprise has lost power...'
    Silence....
    'Capt'n...Klingons approaching fast...'
    More Silence....

    (Hitting the steering wheel)
    'Come on, La Bamba, you can do it!....come on babeee....COME ONN..!!'

    And another hair turns grey..

    ZC1
     
    #1 ZC1, Dec 4, 2008
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    No, the feature cannot be detuned.

    Tom
     
    #2 qbee42, Dec 4, 2008
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Try to adapt, your fuel economy will benefit. The only time I have any TRAC engage is on wet/slick roads on an incline.
     
    #3 efusco, Dec 4, 2008
  4. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Better tires?
     
    #4 dogfriend, Dec 4, 2008
  5. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Grippier tires help, but it's not a dragster. Avoid such situations. Practice applying more moderate gas pedal to avoid breaking the tires free.
     
    #5 richard schumacher, Dec 5, 2008
  6. donee

    donee New Member

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    Hi ZC,

    I think the BT Tech chasis stiffener plate helps in these situations. Although better tires will too.

    Its when you hit the reverse camber situation (road slopes away from direction of turn), or when you transition into that situation, that the body flexes, and pressure on one of the drive tires reduces, and traction is lost. The stiffener plate helps keep the tires planted.
     
    #6 donee, Dec 6, 2008
  7. ZC1

    ZC1 Junior Prius Owner

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    I have the chassis stiffener plate, but not the shock tower bar, yet...

    The tires never break free (or spin, from what I can feel), it's the simultaneous combination of minor jolt in paveway differences and tires turning at different speeds (during the hard turn) that sets the VSC system off and the Yellow dash light to appear. This loss of power also happens when leaving the grocery parking lot, although to be fair, my foot has to be in it for this condition to happen.

    I like Richard's response, ....it's not a dragster...!
    Darn it, I was hoping it was part Tesla.

    ZC1
     
    #7 ZC1, Dec 7, 2008
  8. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    That's because the traction control will never let you spin the tires. The car detects the onset of loss of traction before you do, and won't allow it to happen.
     
    #8 dogfriend, Dec 7, 2008
  9. dkit

    dkit Junior Member

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    If your tire pressure is higher than the 35/33, for the purpose of the better fuel economy, it might affect your traction, you might try lowering it a bit.
     
    #9 dkit, Dec 7, 2008
  10. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    It's not the VSC. They are going to put this on my tombstone in big block letters: "IT'S NOT THE VSC." I wonder how many times I have typed this.

    VSC handles steering and stability issues. If you turn the wheel and the car doesn't go where you want, VSC will come to the rescue. If you are trying to brake or accelerate and it doesn't work as planned, then the traction control or ABS systems come into play. All Prius have traction control and ABS, but only some have VSC. All will display the problem you describe.

    Tom
     
    #10 qbee42, Dec 7, 2008
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