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Viper Smart Start

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by MrSolver, Mar 27, 2019.

  1. MrSolver

    MrSolver New Member

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    Location:
    Edmonton
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I'm looking into purchasing my PP this April (really looking forward to it and going cross Country in Canada).


    I just had a few questions for the existing owners.

    1) do you know if there any remote starters for Prius from the Phone. It gets really cold in Canada and being able to start the car from the phone 10 mins before leaving REALLY helps. I was looking into viper smart start but not sure if its compatible with prius prime plugin (wondering if there are alternatives??). Does Toyota Entune App include it?


    2) Do you have any issues in the really cold temperatures (battery dying out or something). Here in Edmonton (sometimes the temperature touches -30).

    3) How's the driving handling of prius in the snow? Just wondering what your experience has been like.

    Thanks in advance
     
    #1 MrSolver, Mar 27, 2019
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

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    #1. No experience with aftermarket remote starters but I believe some members have had them installed. Hopefully they’ll chime in. We don’t have Entune in Canada for the Prime.

    #2. If it’s plugged in overnight, the Prime will keep the battery “warm” (by that it means the battery temperature is above 0°C) so if it’s forecast to dip below -30°C, I’d leave it plugged in so that the car has draw wall power to run the battery heater. Note that there could be problems if the battery temperature drops below -30°C but I assume it requires several hours of below -30°C before the battery reaches that temp.

    #3. Pretty good all things considering. The battery helps balance the car 56/44 front:rear weight ratio. The new TNGA chassis is stiffer and I’m running Nokia. Hakkapeliita R3 winter tyres. The limiting factor is the ground clearance at 4.8”. But on hard pack snow, it’ll be fine with winter tires. (I had the first gen Nokian R on my 2010 Prius and it performed fine in the snow and at -40 temps).
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Mar 28, 2019
    MrSolver likes this.
  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    1) do you know if there any remote starters for Prius from the Phone.
    Yes. There are a few remoter engine starter out there. I was contemplating on installing a Compustar remote on my PRIME, but after I learned that PRIME however will not let you turn on ICE if it is plugged in, I decided not to install it. If you do over night charging and want the ICE to come on next morning, you will have to manually un-plug the charger before you can start the engine.

    2) Do you have any issues in the really cold temperatures (battery dying out or something). Here in Edmonton (sometimes the temperature touches -30).
    I have not experienced -30C in last two winters, but for our regions -30C is rare. We've had plenty of -20C low temp in morning. In fact this past Feb, the gas price got ridiculously cheap, and electric was costing me almost twice as much as gas for the same mile PRIME could run, so I did not plug in whole month. There were a few -20C low temp days, but had absolutely no problem starting the car or get going. This was all without charging over night. Needless to say, the car started ICE immediately upon pushing the START button. NO EV RUN. This would be the case even if I did charge the battery in that cold temp.

    3) How's the driving handling of prius in the snow? Just wondering what your experience has been like.
    With stud less snow tires Xice 3 on I had no problem on plowed snowy or icy roads. I have never driven my car on non-plowed road with snow accumulation more than a few inches. I would think you will have problem get going if you have more than 6 inches of snow or constantly iced up roads, but that's for any car with low ground clearance and non-AWD. Winter tires will take care of most of the driving on snow and ice IMHO.
     
    #3 Salamander_King, Mar 28, 2019
    MrSolver likes this.
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