1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

So is a Prius C and my local Drive-In a no-no?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by Cable387, May 9, 2013.

  1. Cable387

    Cable387 New Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    6
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Purchased a 2013 Prius C Two in early March this year. Love the car so far, but have some questions.

    1) If the battery indicator on the dashboard completely runs out, does that mean the car won't start at all or just that I can't run the car in EV mode but it will still run as long as their is fuel in the car?

    2) This is related to the first question. So the girlfriend and I are big fans of a local drive-in movie theater. It's $8 a ticket and you get to see two new release movies for that price. Problem being that usually you listen to the movie through a radio station on your car radio. This means leaving the car radio on. I've had my battery display drop down to 2 bars before when it isn't fully charged and I'm waiting in a long drive through line at a fast food place, making me start worrying that I'm going to get stuck there if they don't hurry up. This makes me think I shouldn't take my new Prius C to the drive-in, but I don't really know what happens if that battery display runs dry.

    So what exactly happens if my battery display goes completely empty? And since it does appear to drain pretty quickly when in EV mode, does that mean keeping the car radio going for two movies at a drive-in is a bad idea unless I feel like getting stranded?
     
  2. badgerflips

    badgerflips Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2013
    8
    6
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Just keep the car powered on and not in accessory mode and the ICE will kick on as needed. With all lights off and no climate control on, the ICE will likely be very infrequent.
     
  3. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Just keep the car on (in running mode) and it will take care of itself. When the HV battery level drops too low the engine will start up and recharge it to an appropriate level. It can do this until you run out of fuel which would take days.

    DO NOT keep it in "accessory" mode for any length of time. That will kill your 12v battery quickly.
     
  4. Teacake

    Teacake OohShiny

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2011
    152
    43
    0
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Ignorant question - what is accessory mode and/or how do you access it (so one doesn't get into it by mistake)?
     
  5. Ashley7

    Ashley7 Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2012
    545
    222
    0
    Location:
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE
    Dude, the Prius is the perfect car for drive through lines. As others mentioned, the engine kicks on to charge the battery. The car, if on, will not let your battery die. So you get to bask in the lovely fact that you aren't wasting any gas while waiting in line :) (unless your engine does indeed come on to charge the battery).

    I've wondered about the drive-in theater too, though, only because I wonder if the engine coming on to charge the battery would be distracting/disturbing to other attendees?
     
    steveoknievo and karabits like this.
  6. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2009
    1,302
    295
    0
    Location:
    California - SF Bay area
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    You are in "accessory mode" when you push the start button without pressing on the brake pedal.
     
  7. Dogwood2

    Dogwood2 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2013
    106
    47
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    It's worth mentioning that this is why hybrids make great back-up generators for when the power goes out. Just connect an inverter to the 12-volt battery and you can draw up to about 1000 watts.
     
    PriusC-illa likes this.
  8. jglonek

    jglonek Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2013
    22
    6
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I've taken my C to the drive-in twice now. I keep it on the whole time. I keep it on the whole time. The engine does kick on every 10-15 min for a minute or two but I think it sounds louder to us inside than to anyone else. And besides, I'm in Florida so most people keep their cars on for the air.

    Three things: turn DRL off if you have them on. You can turn the head unit screen off (well, the touch one you can) in the options. And bring something to block the dashboard lights. They are obnoxious!

    But my C performed fine. I went with a full tank of gas, had it running for 4 hours and was still able to drive my normal tank mileage after.
     
  9. ftl

    ftl Explicator

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2009
    1,812
    790
    0
    Location:
    Long Island NY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    After hurricane Sandy last year I ran an inverter off my C to power 80 watts of essentials in the house, and used less than a gallon of gas in the 54 hours straight that the car was in Ready mode.
     
    steveoknievo, minkus and PriusC-illa like this.
  10. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Yep. Make sure the car is in READY mode (READY light on). Not all the Prius c owners here have the smart key system (SKS aka "push button start").

    Leaving the car in accessory or IG-ON will kill the 12 volt.
     
    F8L likes this.
  11. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks, Andrew. I sometimes forget they have a keyed system.
     
  12. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
  13. Cable387

    Cable387 New Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    6
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Well, now I feel better. Thank you for all the answers.
     
  14. SuperABM

    SuperABM Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2012
    71
    14
    0
    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    I
    My wife loves the drive in. When we went I just left the car in park. Here are a few things to look out for:

    • Depending on what drive in/type of movie you watch when the ICE turns on it may annoy those that are around you..
    • Bring something to block the dashboard lights because in the dark they can be bright! (I used a sweater)
    • If you leave the C in park you'll be fine, the engine turns on only as needed. (I'd say about once every 15 min for about 45 seconds)
     
  15. Ashley7

    Ashley7 Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2012
    545
    222
    0
    Location:
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE
    Question for the two of you who have taken it to the drive in and say it kicks on every 15 minutes: Do you have climate control on at all? Or does it really go through the battery that quickly just using the radio?
     
  16. SuperABM

    SuperABM Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2012
    71
    14
    0
    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    I
    That's correct, I had the AC on 75. The engine usually only kicks in when it gets down to about one or two blocks. When the engine kicks in it'll recharge the battery a few more blocks but it doesn't recharge the battery entirely. This is why it's every 15 minutes and not 30 or 40
     
  17. Fauxknight

    Fauxknight Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2013
    210
    116
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Regardless of battery usage the ICE will run occasionally just to keep itself warmed up.



    In IG-ON you can monitory the HV battery though right? Assuming one was just running the radio and you started the movie with a decent charge you could just keep an eye on the HV battery and switch to ready if it gets low.

    Alternatively you could just bring a battery powered radio, probably better sound if you have a decent headset to go with it.
     
  18. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    On my Gen 2 Prius, putting the car in IG-ON mode does not put the car's load on the HV battery, it puts it on the tiny 12 volt and will thus drain the 12 volt very quickly. This is even worse than leaving it in ACC.
     
  19. Mr Incredible

    Mr Incredible Chance favors the prepared mind.

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2008
    955
    506
    0
    Location:
    Neb
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    The ICE maintains a certain coolant temp, which varies running with ac/heat/blower/outside temp settings.

    For instance, as I sit outside finishing my cigar with the heater on and the fan blowing the smoke out, I see on my scangauge that the temp will lower to 134* and start the ICE. It shuts the ICE off at 148*. Then repeats the cycle until I leave.

    On cold days it turns on more often, on days I sit with the windows open and the outside temp comfortable it may not turn on at all.
     
  20. wmo168

    wmo168 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2013
    239
    50
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I just watch Iron Man 3 with my C thru Drive in Movie in Florida, There is no issue, it just the ICE turn on once in a blue moon for maybe 30 second. It is much better as the car engine don't run with the A/C on in Florida (VERY HOT) Everyone leave their engine running for Movie. The battery usually power the AC which I have it on the whole duration of the movie... No problem at all.


    Turn off DRL, shut off center info display and have some paper block the MPH display and turn off the Nav screen or dim your radio.