studdering when switching to gas engine

Typically the ICE will shudder at startup and shutdown when it is cold. In other words, the engine has not fully warmed. This can be prevalent during the first 10-15 minutes of driving.

 

I agree it is most likely coincidence. When I first got mine it had only 6 miles on it, I never ever heard / felt it like I did in the one that I test drove, it must have always been warm outside when it was new because then I realized later that it usually only does it off a cold engine usually the first drive in the morning. It seems to get softer as the break in period goes. Mine now has 15,000 miles (since March 30) and I don't feel it all most times unless I am concentrating on it.

 

I'm at about 1500 miles on my new toy, and there is still a slight shudder when the ICE kicks in. It's not really a big deal. It also depends how fast I am accelerating. If I accelerate from a stop up to, say, 15+ mph fully electric, the engine kicks in pretty seamlessly, but if I stomp on the pedal, there is a shudder. I think that must be normal.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmama @ Oct 23 2007, 10:10 AM) [snapback]529251[/snapback]</div>

If the shudder is due to a cold ICE, it will still be there after 5K. What you should be concerned with (possibly) is if the shudder is still there after the ICE has fully warmed. You may experience an occasional shudder with a warm ICE. That's normal. But if the shudder is there at startup and shutdown all of the time when the engine is warm, it should be looked at by the dealer.

 

When the ICE kicks in, I would imagine there should be some expected vibrations. Both the first Prius that I test drove at the dealership (8 miles on the ODO) and the Prius that I took delivery of (1 mile on the ODO) exhibited the same behaviour, so that makes me think that this is something that this car just does. It's not terribly annoying to me.