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My EV Switch Observations

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by DaveinOlyWA, Dec 28, 2006.

  1. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    today while installing my EV switch (yes, i ordered it from Coastal and it was promptly delivered along with the jelly beans!! and no i was never worried about receiving my order) i did the unthinkable.... or at least the unadvised.

    after installing the EV switch, i was sidetracked by someone in my apartment complex who stopped to talk with me about my Prius. after talking with them for a few, i went back to the EV install.

    thinking i was done, the first thing i decided to do was test it before reassembling "anything"

    so i got in, started it up and held the cruise control stalk. the first thing i noticed was all the dash displays flashing. the mode indicator was flashing but the "d", "r", "N", etc were not displayed.

    the 2nd thing i noticed was that i could hear a fan or something running. hmmm, i thought, if in EV mode, i should not hear anything...no way i could sneak up on some unsuspecting pedestrian with all that noise going on..

    then i remembered!! i forgot to put the plug back in!!! immediately i remembered printed in red the warnings about not powering up the car while this plug was out. i shut off the car as quickly as i could...

    but there was a problem, the car did not shut off. i hit the button once and the dash went off but the light on the power button remained on and the display was on. i hit it again and then i hear the fan come on, the display is still on, but the power light has turned to amber...

    HOLY SH**~!! what do i do now...inserting the plug with the power on is a major no-no.

    after cycling thru this scenario several times and realizing that the car will not turn off, i thought, well, this acts like a frozen computer, (something i have extensive experience with) so, i put the fob in, powered it green on the go button, then pushed and held the power button down for about 10 seconds and the car turned off, screen, dash, fan and all.

    first thing i did was inserted the plug, all the while talking to my Prius hoping beyond hope that she would not notice that i had forgotten to plug her in. i plugged her in, then started her up, everything appeared normal, EV mode worked like a charm, no weird display lights, nothing... i take a deep breath, i powered her off, cleared the codes with the Scangauge (thanks Henry) realizing that i should have wrote the code down before i cleared it... it was 2 something... 273 maybe??? well, i do not know....

    so, in about an hour, i will be going to dinner with SO, then i will find out if there are any unseen damaging problems that crop up...until then...

    these jelly beans are really really good!!
     
    #1 DaveinOlyWA, Dec 28, 2006
  2. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    I did that...

    I was doing the headlight EV mod, and after tinkering with everything in the steering column, I decided "Hay, let me power this up to make sure the lights/flashers work". Of course not only was the dash still disassembled, but the system plug was still disconnected when I powered up the car.

    The headlights and flasher worked... but it took me a minute to figure out why most of the dash lights were cycling on and off, with the big red triangle on solid, and I was being beeped/buzzed at. I think the MFD also had something nasty to say to me. My first instinct was to press and hold the power button till it went silent - so I never had the 'why won't it turn off?' experience that you did.

    I reinserted the plug, and cycled the system three times to clear the <!>, and all has been well ever since (11 months ago).

    -Ken
     
    #2 kdmorse, Dec 28, 2006
  3. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    well i actually did try the press and hold without inserting fob and that did not work. i wonder if maybe i didnt hold it long enough??

    almost makes me want to go out and try it again... almost...not quite...
     
    #3 DaveinOlyWA, Dec 28, 2006
  4. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Oh Dave. I know that pit of the stomach, that "what the Hell did I do to my car?", that "what am I going to do now?" feeling.

    It's good to hear that it worked out for you so far. Keep us posted.

    p.s. I also talk to Priapus from time to time. Most recently when I ran him out of gas and whispered sweet nothings while he got me to the closest station.
     
    #4 TonyPSchaefer, Dec 28, 2006
  5. dmckinstry

    dmckinstry New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Dec 28 2006, 02:31 PM) [snapback]367827[/snapback]</div>

    LOL.

    Actually, I think a lot of the precautions issues are just for CYOA purposes. At least it sounds like you're okay.

    I'm at a similar stage with the CAN-View installation, but different issue. I haven't had a chance to check it yet, but I think my power tap didn't connect properly. The CAN-View doesn't come on, but everything else works normally. As Henry told me, the hardest part was to get the power tap installed, so I suspect I screwed that up. I'm in Tumwater right now, and will give you a call tonight, or tomorrow a.m.

    Dave M.
     
    #5 dmckinstry, Dec 29, 2006
  6. klevitsky

    klevitsky Junior Member

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    OT, but I know that "OH CRAP!!" feeling too well. I was replacing my rear pads in my Avalon and while tightening one of the caliper bolts, the torque wrench decided to stop clicking, so I kept tightening until ....woosh, sheared the bolt right off. There I was sitting on the ground, next to the only car we had at the time at 6 pm the night before my wife's job interview with that feeling in my gut. I had to do the brakes that night, they started rubbing the rotor earlier that day. Ended up renting a car and driving 20 miles to a dealership that had the bolts in stock, after I dropped my wife off at her interview. I get chills just thinking about it. Glad it worked out easier for you.
     
    #6 klevitsky, Dec 29, 2006
  7. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    yea the one pin has to be all the way in pretty much to the end of the metal. the code on the Prius was U293... all works well, no lasting issues that i can see other than a spot of blood cutting my hand trying to pull the plug out far enough to get those taps on there. cleans up pretty easy though.
     
    #7 DaveinOlyWA, Dec 29, 2006
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