Brand new owner, need advice!

It's strange that the brake rotors needed work since the brakes wear very little on a Prius. Most of the braking is done by regenation. The friction brakes don't come in to play until about 7 mph under normal braking situations.

As for the ICE starting up after the light changes, it's normal. When the engine is cold, you will feel a little shudder when it starts. When it's fully warmed, you probably won't even notice it.

 

If you feel the stutter in the last couple of mph before reaching 0 mph, it seems "normal". I wrote about it when I was a newbie at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...ter-right-before-car-stops-10.html#post342775 and http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-brakes-stutter-right-before-car-stops-4.html.

If you want to see if it's repro strictly w/the friction brakes, shift to neutral before braking. No regen happens if you're in neutral.

If my 06 Prius still does it, it either does it less or I've totally ignored it/tuned it out now. I'll have to try again when I drive my Prius next (I switch between 2 cars).

I am surprised about your rotors though.

 

if they say they turned your rotors i would doubt it. even if they did it was just to get you to go away.
normal brakes on a prius almost never wear out, it is probably impossible to warp the rotors. its pretty hard to wear out the brake pads usually, 100k miles on same brakes is normal.
now, your real problem with brakes is the fact that they barely get used, and barely get rubbed in or heated up.
thus usually grabby brakes, is a result of non- use, or more precisely very light use.
i havent done brakes on my prius yet... nor has almost anyone, but the rotors cant be that expensive, nor the pads, if the pulsing is still there i would go back and ask that they replace the rotors and pads. then you know you are starting from a good place. negotiate a bit offer to buy the parts if they put them in.
if they are just a bit grabby at the last moment before you come to a full stop, that is normal forget about it.
you can clean/ heat up your brakes to see if that helps the problem, going about 50 mph, put it in N, then firmly brake down to 10 mph, not real hard, but a long rolling stop slighty more than normal braking at a stop light lets say, repeat 3 times.
then try to see if braking is different at low speeds. warm brakes work better.
can you isolate it to front wheels or rear?
i have heard of rear drums being sticky on the prius too, again from lack of use...
if the brakes get replaced/rebuilt with new parts, and the tech uses a quality lubricant and gets all the pins/slides, pad backing, etc for extra protection, then brakes mechanicals should stay smooth, and most likely it is grabby from lack of use, have you ever looked at rotors on a car after it rains and it hasnt been driven for a few days, they are rusty coroded looking, it takes several minutes of driving a normal car to clean the rotors. well on a prius they dont ever get cleaned properly, brakes barely get used, thats the problem.

 

yes feeling the engine shudder a bit when you push down on the gas past the electric mode is normal, i try not to force the engine to start up at this time at full throttle, just feather it up till it starts then roll onto throttle from there .
its no speed demon anyway, nice easy starts make it go smoother.
if you need it its got some power, but just like starting your normal car with the gas pedal pegged to the floor, the prius i'm sure doenst appreciate it either.
extra wear on CVT from hard acceleration when engine has to kick in from off and apply 5000 rpm within an instant.
i wonder why the tranny fluid on the prius seems to prefer being changed at 50k, not 100k...
its probalby due to all the extra friction from when the engine goes from off to on at every stop.

 

Yeah that's what I was thinking. They probably drove it down a hill in neutral to rub some of rust off the rotors and that's it.

 

The shudder when your ICE (internal combustion engine) stops is normal. I noticed for a while, but it is something you get used to. I also just bought an '08 with a Touring package , also from Automax. Interesting coincidence, I wonder if they got get a lot of these. Mine was a rental car in DC for a while and then someone in Colorado owned it. My first Prius was an '05 I bought new that got totaled by insurance when I got hit on the freeway. - that car seemed to have a sign on it that said "hit me" as three different people did at different times. It had the same shudder, but the brakes still had lots of pad left after 70,000 miles.
Tony

 

Do you have a friend or coworker who owns a similar Year Prius? If you do, have him or her drive it and ask them if it seems normal.....they'll know.

 

There are no fixed gear ratios. In an non-CVT automatic, as you accelerate, you will feel the engine RPM go up to a certain point, then the transmission shifts, RPMs drop, then gradually rise, and so on. In your Prius, if you use steady pressure on the pedal to accelerate to a given speed, you will not feel the above cycle.

As for jerking, when shifting between D <-> R, as long as your foot is firmly on the brake, you shouldn't feel the car jerk, unlike an automatic.

To go w/Gurple42's suggestion, where are you in TX? Perhaps a Priuschatter near you in TX can help you out.

 

Don't let the Auto Max dealer off the hook; polite but persistant requests may help you accomplish your goal of fixing your car TO YOUR SATISFACTION; remember, Auto Max is staffed by humans (just like us) . If they aren't rascals (a certain % of any group are less than honorable), they'll work to make you happy. Most folks are decent (even used car dealers), I've found, and will work with you to solve the problems and help you get on your way. If you are unhappy or happy, a hard copy / letter always helps..it rewards "good" behavior and "punishes" bad behavior. Send it to your local dealer and cc the HQ. Might appealing to your sales person help? They might be depending on or expecting your referral to others.."work them" to "work for you" as your inside advocate.
1. Keep returning promptly (keep a log of dates and time spent, names of people you speak with, and a summary of each conversation) and asking them to fix problems before your 30 day warranty expires. If 30 days passes and still no satisfaction, you may receive satisfaction via your state's lemon laws.
2. Learn about your state's lemon laws. If and when you have to insist the dealer fix problems, you'll know what to ask for (what is reasonable) and what you may expect... and what isn't resonable (not covered under the lemon law).
3. Consider researching and purchasing an extended warranty for your Prius ASAP (before 30 days expires). Read the fine print carefully and, perhaps, ask for and expect recommendations or referrals from prior customers.
4. If the dealer fails to fix the problem, you may have recourse through the Better Business Bureau, your state's Dept. of Consumer Affairs or Attorney General's Office (or whatever your state may call it). Don't hesitate to mail a letter AND use email..two efforts are better than one. And, cc your local lender (if you used one), the US Dept. of Transportation, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), your US Congressman and state representatives, Ralph Nader, and Toyota's US HQ office. By appearing reasonable and sensible, you enhance your own credibility and "send the message" that the dealer is dealing with a knowledgable, sophisticated, and persistant adult. The unwritten message you may wish to send is, "I am not going to take any crap, don't dish out your normal excuses 'cause they don't hold any weight with me, and I'm going to tell all my friends at the country club / work place/ VFW Hall / yacht club /etc. what a sleezy operation you run." (no retailer wants an unhappy customer to badmouth them) Be genuine, let your complaint reflect your better judgement and nature (you set the high standard and expect them to reach for it), and be willing to escalate your complaint until you receive satisfaction..which might include your state's attorney gen'l's office or consumer advocate's office...different names in different states, but I hope you catch my drift. Good Luck, Ted