1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Outside temp kicks engine on?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Greg_M, Nov 17, 2015.

  1. Greg_M

    Greg_M Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2009
    151
    35
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Does the outside air temp make the engine come on to warm up even if everything else favors all electric mode? If so then at what temp does this happen?

    I'm asking because there have been a couple of times that the engine came on right after start-up with a full charge and the climate control was not calling for heat.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    oh ya. there are so many factors that go into it, it's impossible to say. the o/m says it will always come on below 14 degrees, but in most cases, it's starts happening randomly below 40 or so.

    check the faq's for all the factors that determine whether the ice should fire up.

    i must say, i haven't seen anything yet, so you shouldn't either, being in n.c., but i charge in a heated garage, which also helps.
     
  3. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2012
    1,179
    289
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    If you have a fully charged battery and the very first part of a trip is downhill the ICE will rotate as a brake so as not to over charge the battery. A relatively small amount of downhill will cause this action. Once the ICE rotates it runs until the temp gets to 130F.
     
  4. Greg_M

    Greg_M Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2009
    151
    35
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    It was 32 Sunday morning and it came on.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
  6. Rage557

    Rage557 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2012
    7
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It also appears to be related to how much throttle you want. I have been able to drive for a period of time at low throttle in very cold temperatures without the ICE kicking on.
     
  7. priuskitty

    priuskitty PIP FAN

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2011
    2,286
    335
    0
    Location:
    Clawson, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    There's also another factor you may not have considered: ICE comes on after travelling 124 miles all EV.
     
    #7 priuskitty, Nov 17, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2015
  8. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2005
    2,783
    1,151
    0
    Location:
    Roseville, CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Yet another factor: if you have the climate control on and set to a temperature above "LO", then the ICE will come on to warm up if the outside temperature is below about 59 F. At least that is what I see.
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    and also if you press the front windscreen defrost button.
     
  10. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    2,732
    1,703
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Since everyone is throwing in their guesses, I'm going to say you hit the 124 mile EV limit. If you drive continuously on EV over 200 km, the ICE kicks in to condition the ICE to ensure that nothing sits still for too long.

    Whops Priuskitty already beat me to it.
     
    priuskitty likes this.
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    drives me crazy when i'm hitting it hard to get up a hill or something, and that happens.:mad:
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,480
    38,107
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    First world problems. :ROFLMAO:
     
    bisco likes this.
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i know, right? but i suppose p/c isn't the place to talk about clean drinking water in haiti.
     
  14. Greg_M

    Greg_M Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2009
    151
    35
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Thank you for all the input but I've already eliminated the other things that have been suggested. The only thing that makes sense is that the OTA made the ICE come on. I was pulling out of the driveway and the ICE came on. Also the ICE runs at least several times a week.
     
  15. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The Prius is designed as much towards keeping emissions low, as it is fuel efficiency.
    To maintain low emissions the engine must be warmed up to be the most efficient. Therefore The Prius maintains this condition the best it can.
    So in short, yes outside temperatures do affect how cold the engine is, and/or how cold it gets, therefore The Prius will kick the engine on more often in colder temps. Regardless of state of charge, or even our personal desire to want to drive on electric.
     
  16. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2005
    2,783
    1,151
    0
    Location:
    Roseville, CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    That is one of the differences between an extended-range EV, such as the Volt, which tries to minimize ICE use no matter what the impact on efficiency or emissions, and a hybrid with a plug-in enhancement (the PiP), which tries to maximize overall efficiency as well as minimize emissions. In fact, the first Volts were not eligible for the California HOV Clean Air decals due to excessive emissions when the ICE was running. GM had tweak things to get it to comply.

    This is a technical distinction which can be difficult for the marketing folks to get across.
     
    #16 CharlesH, Nov 17, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2015
  17. Greg_M

    Greg_M Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2009
    151
    35
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I'm not talking about a trip where there is a mixture of EV and ICE. I'm talking about a short trip that could easily be accomplished in EV mode without ever using the ICE. ICE came on at 32 degrees when I was pulling out of the driveway and there was nothing calling for heat.
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i don't think tem understands the difference between lift back and pip.
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    what is OTA?
     
  20. Greg_M

    Greg_M Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2009
    151
    35
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Meant OAT
    outside air temp - HVAC term
     
    bisco likes this.