ICE comes on anyway

New hypothesis: there is an intermittent in the "Front Defrost" switch.

We are in sub-50F weather for a couple of days. So I'm thinking of documenting some brief "Front Defrost" switch operations:

• 1 sec - ON and OFF in 1 second
• 10 sec
• 50 sec.
• 100 sec
• 200 sec

There is a lag in how long the ICE runs. So I want to find out if the green outline duration follows the duration of the "Front Defrost" switch operation.

In the meanwhile, could you try cycling the "Front Defrost" switch to see if the engine ON operation becomes consistently shorter?

As for video, I'm using an iPhone 5s that has different video recording modes. I then load it into a video editor to trim it down.

Bob Wilson

 

Not until we have a diagnosis ... something that changes the frequency and duration. If we find cycling the "Front defrost" system has a measurable effect, we can dive deeper and look at ways to replicate the problem in a controlled environment. Then comes the fun job of convincing 'the powers that be' there is a problem that needs fixing.

Please understand intermittent problems are the most difficult to diagnose with lots of opportunity to go down the wrong rabbit hole. But if you're willing, I am curious about the problem and will do what I can to move this forward.

Bob Wilson

 

I nominate Uncle Bob for Toyota Master Troubleshoot Guru, with commensurate pay, of course!!

.

 

These squares should read "ECO MODE" and "EV MODE" and I believe that is what you meant.

Help us help you with a picture at startup if you can't find a way or helper to make a video. I would love to see that square outline around the EV MODE box that distinguishes EV MODE from EV AUTO (page 193 of Owner's Manual). I feel like we are making some faulty assumption resulting in your evil ICE on magic trick.

 

looks like you're in ev mode.

 

be careful, we don't want to lose you!

 

We had an overnight, hard freeze with TV reports of 28F, clerks reporting frost on windshields, and airport temperature of 40F. About 12:30 AM, I headed out into mid-40s with the heater set to 77F. About 1/4 mile from house, I became aware the engine had started: square 'EV mode' and outline car. This is the first time it happened to me.

I tried cycling, ON-OFF, the "Front Defrost" three times to no effect. So I continued on my trip and about a mile later while merging onto a cross town road, it went back to EV mode and the outline car filled with green.

I'm leaving the car out for a cold soak tonight as we have another freezing night in the forecast. Shortly after dawn, I'll use an IR thermometer to document the car temperatures. Then with the cell phone setup to video record, see if I can capture the event.

An intermittent problem, there is no guarantee I'll be able to replicate the problem. Last winter, I knew I'd hit the front defrost button by accident but this year will be different.

Bob Wilson

 

a member in another prime thread couldn't understand why his gas gauge had been going down, even though he had been driving all ev since filling it up.
when he looked at his ratio, he found out he had driven 13% in hv. he never heard the engine.

 

Here's the dual camera setup I use for filming those videos that have been recently shared:

 

A VERY good point. It's sometimes hard to hear the motor running; there could be more unexplained events??!!

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toyota's fault for making it so smooth and quiet.

 

I suppose priuscatprimeguy has especially good hearing?

 

Yeah, damn them anyway; the car is just too nice!!

.

 

The fact that the Prime comes with chocolate bunnies should be a good selling point.