Steering wheel jolt when powering on hybrid system

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan Allen @ Sep 7 2007, 08:26 PM) [snapback]508879[/snapback]</div>

Since my car is not broken, I cannot step on the break. However, when I step on the brake, I only push the power button momentarily, nowhere nearly as long as two seconds. Perhaps that is your problem.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan Allen @ Sep 7 2007, 08:40 PM) [snapback]508885[/snapback]</div>

From www.dictionary.com:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 7 2007, 11:07 PM) [snapback]508896[/snapback]</div>

C'mon, give the new guy a brake. :lol:

He's got a serious question that would be scaring me if it happened to my car.

What we should find out is the name of the dealer so he can be taught, corrected or avoided.

BTW -- Welcome, Dan Allen. IsrAmeriPrius always has something good to right. (Good won, Non?)

 

I too have an 07 with 1K miles. Mine does not do that but lets clarify. When you push the start button it should turn on just electric. Then a few seconds later the ICE should turn on. or are you saying that the ICE turns on the second you start it. Mine never does that. And even when the ICE turns on its pretty soft..no steering wheel movement at all. Now when I put it in park thats another story...sometimes when I push the Park button it makes a nice big clunk with the car jiggling a little. Thats with me dead stopped and on the brake pretty good and most tim es with the E brake on before engaging park too. Thought it was normal. Once it even jumped a little about 5 inches forward when I hit park. Scrared the sh*t out of me. I think you should maybe take it back for a check up. We got us a some weird cars eh? But man I do love this car!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan Allen @ Sep 8 2007, 12:28 AM) [snapback]508952[/snapback]</div>

Time to call in the experts. And if they aren't posting or leaving you PMs by noon MD time, I'd get right on over to the dealer.

If you are following the normal start-up of stepping on the brake and pressing the start button (single, deliberate push, not holding it), then all of your electronics should start, the MFD should turn on, the radio should become available, and, after several seconds, the ICE should start. If it all starts at once, and the real experts (many of whom are PC regulars) can't ID the problem, then head directly to the dealer's place and demand immediate diagnosis.

BTW: When you start your car, do you put it in gear immediately and drive away (no problem if the Ready lamp is lighted), or do you wait for the ICE to complete its warmup and turn off? If you 've consistently done it one way, perhaps you could vary the start to see if that has any impact.

All the best to you!

 

Remember that the power steering is electronic, not hydraulic like in most other cars. If you are applying any pressure to the wheel before you turn on the car it's possible that as the power steering computer wakes up it will sense your request to turn the wheel and suddenly add electric boost to assist you.
Could that be what you are experiencing?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 7 2007, 09:07 PM) [snapback]508896[/snapback]</div>

This is rude, and frankly looks poorly on you I'm sorry to say.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan Allen @ Sep 7 2007, 11:28 PM) [snapback]508952[/snapback]</div>

It's funny how many people remember it this way, but I assure you that the power light is supposed to glow green in "accessory" mode (one push of the button without pressing the brake) amber in "standby" (a second press of the button without the brake), and no light at all when the car is ready to be driven. I think people don't really notice the light until they get confused about the starting procedure, and then when green doesn't mean GO it seems so counter-intuitive they think it must be wrong.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan Allen @ Sep 7 2007, 10:28 PM) [snapback]508952[/snapback]</div>

Mine does that every now and then when the HV battery charge is low (two or three bars).

 

the steering is electric- should not be tied to the ICE being on or not, otherwise we'd all kinda be screwed in a nice long glide with the ICE off.

are your hands on the wheel when you press the button? can you leave your hands off and see what happens? and, which direction does it jolt? are you parking on a nice flat surface?

what kind of "new" noises? under 1k miles is nothing in terms of getting used to the very different sounds the car makes.

 

[deleted]

 

Dan Allen:
I spent some time going over the manual again...actually its my 3rd time...just to check what I remembered and maybe your issue is you have batt charging issues since the ICE may come on at start with low batt as the astute gent before me mentioned. I bet its a simple fix at the dealer....at least I'm hoping that for you....Good luck & sorry to hear you may have a minor issue with your baby.

 

Does it have anything to do with the steering wheel position and has that changed recently?

 

It's not normal for the steering wheel to jerk when you power up. You either have a problem with the electric power steering, or your Prius is pulling a bit when started. Make sure you have good pressure on the brake before powering up. If it keeps jumping, see the dealer.

Tom

 

crikey, 13 posts before anyone even came *close* to addressing the
actual problem. C'mon, guys, you can do better signal-to-noise
than this.
.
Does the car pull in either direction under normal, straight-ahead
driving?
.
Park on a level surface with the wheels straight ahead, and arrange
to power up in that location. Hands off the wheel. Watch it
carefully as the system comes up. Which way does it jerk? How
far? Does it stay put, or return to where it started?
.
The Classics had a problem with some of the torque/angle sensor pots
in the steering system getting flakey, but the '04+ cars have a
contactless reluctance-based sensor that shouldn't wear out. But
if the handler circuit for that started to go or the connection
to the steering column was flakey, that's a different story.
.
_H*