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What's that shudder?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by mikenancy1, Jan 15, 2014.

  1. mikenancy1

    mikenancy1 2012 PiP (Base), '10 Highlander Hybrid, '05 Prius

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    My car is usually garage-kept. Last week, I left it in an outdoor parking lot at the airport for 5 days, with temps ranging from 5 to 20 degrees. When I returned and turned it on, it responded with a very loud and visible shudder that lasted about 20 seconds. It gradually diminished, and then was fine. I've been driving it normally for two days, with no more symptoms. But this morning, turning the car on in the garage, it gave me the shudder again, this time for only about 5 seconds. Any thoughts?
     
    #1 mikenancy1, Jan 15, 2014
  2. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Is it in EV mode when it does this or is the ICE on?
     
    #2 chesleyn, Jan 15, 2014
  3. mikenancy1

    mikenancy1 2012 PiP (Base), '10 Highlander Hybrid, '05 Prius

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    ICE

    Now that I think about it, it was in ICE mode the first time (at the airport), but the latest incident, in the garage, was right after a charge. EV hadn't yet kicked in, since I had just started the car and it was cold (15 degrees), but I don't understand if EV plays any part in the process as the car is warming up in cold weather.
     
    #3 mikenancy1, Jan 15, 2014
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    can you give us more details of the second incident, second by second as soon as you powered up?
     
    #4 bisco, Jan 15, 2014
  5. mikenancy1

    mikenancy1 2012 PiP (Base), '10 Highlander Hybrid, '05 Prius

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    Just turned car on, heard and felt a shudder coming from somewhere under the hood, and it quickly diminished (not more than 5 seconds). The end. It didn't sound like metal on metal or anything like that. More like a loud shiver, if that makes sense.
     
    #5 mikenancy1, Jan 15, 2014
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    so, if you had a charge, that was probably before the ice would have fired up?
     
    #6 bisco, Jan 15, 2014
  7. mikenancy1

    mikenancy1 2012 PiP (Base), '10 Highlander Hybrid, '05 Prius

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    Second time-maybe, though the ICE starts up right away in cold weather.
    First time: there was no EV. It was definitely ICE.
     
    #7 mikenancy1, Jan 15, 2014
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    ice could have fired the second time if you were charging at 15 degrees. a lot of anomolies in the cold weather this year. perhaps a bit of leftover fuel in the manifold or some such. keep an eye on it i guess.
     
    #8 bisco, Jan 15, 2014
  9. mikenancy1

    mikenancy1 2012 PiP (Base), '10 Highlander Hybrid, '05 Prius

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    I'm hoping that someone else will reply that they've experienced this. If not, it concerns me. All the more because I'm n Illinois, where PiP's aren't yet sold, so finding a Toyota mechanic who can help diagnose this will be difficult!
     
    #9 mikenancy1, Jan 15, 2014
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    understood. i'm just saying that a lot of gen III ice's are acting a bit funny in this weather (if you peruse the threads) and that's all it may be. all the best!(y)
     
    #10 bisco, Jan 15, 2014
  11. HaroldW

    HaroldW Active Member

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    Sounds like the variable valve timming? H
     
    #11 HaroldW, Jan 15, 2014
  12. eliteconcept

    eliteconcept 700 mile club, top tank mpg 69.5

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    #12 eliteconcept, Jan 17, 2014
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    aha!
     
    #13 bisco, Jan 17, 2014
  14. eliteconcept

    eliteconcept 700 mile club, top tank mpg 69.5

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    report this to toyota asap if your expericing this issue. If nothing else to get it logged that your having the issue. Toyota is having a hell of a time getting the proper fix for this, but report it and keep reporting it if it keeps happening.
     
    #14 eliteconcept, Jan 17, 2014
  15. mikenancy1

    mikenancy1 2012 PiP (Base), '10 Highlander Hybrid, '05 Prius

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    Thanks! Sounds logical. I just forwarded to the service manager of the local dealership, since mine's the only PiP they see.
     
    #15 mikenancy1, Jan 22, 2014
  16. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    The only work-around for this problem / feature / quirk is to let the ICE fully warm up after it starts. There is no fix from Toyota. Dealers generally can't / won't reproduce the problem as it generally takes a couple days parked in the lot to make it happen (rather than in the repair bay):

    - Let car fully cool down
    - Start car, let ICE run briefly, turn car off
    - Let car fully cool down
    - Start car and listen to hammering.
     
    #16 car compulsive, Jan 22, 2014
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