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Snow driving - what was she trying to tell me?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017.

  1. MNdriver

    MNdriver Senior Member

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    Today I was driving in during a snowfall - lovely large flakes coming down.

    While driving, this happened:
    - beeped a couple of times
    - hazard triangle appeared on HUD and dash
    - an amber icon starting blinking

    I didn't want to take my eyes off the road to see the icon clearly (it was way over to the right) and it wasn't there when my car was stopped, but it had a picture of a car and maybe the word off - but not sure about that.

    Was she just warning me to be careful, or notifying me that some safety system was set to OFF? When I parked, I went through everything I could bring up on the multi info display from the button on the steering wheel, but every system option that came up was set to ON.
     
    #1 MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    probably traction/skid control. if the tires are slipping, the car will let you know.
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 11, 2017
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  3. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    With the Advanced model and snowing, my car will notify me that my sensors need to be cleaned because of them being covered in snow. They won't work until they are cleaned or it can sense again.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
    #3 dalcon95, Dec 11, 2017
  4. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    That alert usually stays though. The skid control is mainly a light.
    If the Prime is like the Gen 4, there is also a switch on the left to turn off traction control, but I have never done it.

    Here is one Gen 4 video.



    From Who's driven 4th gen in the snow? | Page 2 | PriusChat
     
    #4 Prodigyplace, Dec 11, 2017
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2017
  5. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    I haven't had the need to turn off the traction control yet. But with the notification of the sensors not working on the dash, I can't see the driving coach to help drive efficiently. I have to turn on the HUD to look at the miniature efficiency scale to get a rough idea to not be aggressive with the gas pedal. It does get aggravating when this happens because I can use the driving coach. And I don't feel like pulling over in snowing traffic to try and clean the sensors either. I guess mini wipers over the sensors might come in handy. LOL

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
    #5 dalcon95, Dec 11, 2017
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  6. huskers

    huskers Senior Member

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    Dang snow, it has to ruin everything. Time to get out my snow wolf.
     
    #6 huskers, Dec 11, 2017
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  7. MNdriver

    MNdriver Senior Member

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    I googled 'Prius Prime traction control' and this came up: "Many Toyota owners are complaining that the Prius traction control system is leaving them stuck in the snow. Consumer Affairs has even gone so far as to call it dangerous. The problem is that once the drive wheels of the car begin to slip, the Prius traction control system shuts down power to those wheels."

    So maybe my Prime was telling me that she had turned off the traction control?
     
    #7 MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017
  8. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    It was saying there was wheel slippage and it was using traction control to try & fix it.

    EDIT: Even though I do not own a Prime, I decided to RTFM.

    upload_2017-12-11_10-59-33.png
     
    #8 Prodigyplace, Dec 11, 2017
  9. MNdriver

    MNdriver Senior Member

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    OK, back to answer my own question. I think I found a picture of the icon; it was this:
    upload_2017-12-11_9-57-3.png , which the manual says is an ICF indicator.

    Getting closer; now off to find out what an ICF is. :)
     
    #9 MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017
  10. MNdriver

    MNdriver Senior Member

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    Sorry, ICS. Intelligence clearance sonar. OK, not so bad.
     
    #10 MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017
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  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    ICS is used to detect things when you are backing up. I do not have that feature.
    The traction control switch is shown in post 8.
     
    #11 Prodigyplace, Dec 11, 2017
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  12. MNdriver

    MNdriver Senior Member

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    I got this warning on my way in as well, but the timing of the message on my display didn't seem related to hazard triangle that appeared earlier in my HUD. At any rate, the triangle in my HUD was a great prod to slow down from my 30 MPH sprint to work.
     
    #12 MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017
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  13. MNdriver

    MNdriver Senior Member

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    Yep, I eventually noticed that in post 8 - very helpful. The icon that blinked at me was definitely the silhouette of a car as seen from the side, not the traction control icon. Although I suppose the hazard sign was a separate warning from the blinking icon.
     
    #13 MNdriver, Dec 11, 2017
  14. Kramah313

    Kramah313 Active Member

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    If it's like my gen 3, the traction control light is telling you that it did its job - that it changed the power input to the wheels to keep it from slipping.

    I haven't heard prime owners complain too much about the traction control - that google result sounds like the complaints against the gen 2. Prior to gen 4 and prime, the Prius did not have an easy button to switch of traction control.
     
    #14 Kramah313, Dec 11, 2017
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  15. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    That's a 2012 article. The Prime did not exist then.
     
    #15 Mark57, Dec 11, 2017
  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    If you could still drive the car at all, this article doesn't apply. The complaining drivers were simply stuck, not able get the car to move forward at all.

    And even that is a cut-and-paste from at least early 2010. And I believe it was referring to one of the Gen2 Traction Control variants, not even Gen 3. And most certainly not the much later Prime.
     
    #16 fuzzy1, Dec 11, 2017
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