Is it common for the Prime engine, in hybrid mode, to be really noisy when going up hill or a steep grade? My prime engine is really loud when I step on the accelerator under these circumstances. It's kind of embarrassing. Woild like to see if other members have the same experience.
Mine is noticeably louder when cold (not warmed up). I remember the first time mine went from EV to HV I thought a truck was next to me. After a bit it quiets down. That said and having owned three hybrids I think they are all loud in HV mode when under a load eg. going up hill, passing at highway speed etc.
likely normal, but evaluating it over the net is difficult. these cars are not exactly designed to be quiet, as much as toyota does their best, they are designed for reduced pollution and high efficiency
Depends on the load you require climbing the hill. If you are doing 80 up the hill/mountain then yea, it will be loudish. If you are doing below 70mph it will be better. Also found that keeping up with the oil and air filter changes and using the proper synthetics helps too.
before buying one, i read reviews in magazines and that was frequently one of the "cons" - noisy engine
I think it is intended to run at higher RPMs, in bursts. That makes noise. I try to embrace it. Going up long hills is the worst, since it may need to refill the battery reserve while propelling the vehicle. I sometimes accelerate a bit leading up to inclines, and then gradually decelerate as I am moving up. It often doesn't take much to keep the engine purring instead of roaring. ...on the flip side the Plug-in loves going downhill .
That is very reassuring to here from the community. I thought something was not right, but i guess its something to deal with. Its not so bad, I guess. I had previously owned a 2004 Prius and it was much quieter under higher throttle input. Thanks all, I fell much better!!!!
One thought, might need an oil change with the proper oil. A number have expressed good experiences using this oil on a multitude of vehicles. https://www.amsoil.com/lookup/auto-and-light-truck/2018/toyota/prius-prime/1-8l-4-cyl-engine-code-2zr-fxe-j/?volume=us-volume
Different brands of oil have different noise damping qualities while still offering excellent lubrication and engine protection. I have found that Pennzoil Platinum makes the engine quieter when the oil is new, then gets normal sounding after a few thousand miles. The noise damping quality of the oil is not an indicator of engine protection. (My feeling is that Amsoil products are excellent, but not worth any extra cost over all the usual excellent brands--Pennz, Castrol, Mobil1, etc.) Our Prime doesn't have a noisy engine. Even uphill at speed I think the engine is normal sounding, what I'd expect, not outside normal.
The Prius does not have gears. The way to generate additional power is to spin the ICE faster, capture the extra energy with MG1 and push it to the ground with MG2. That design will result in higher RPMs. The sound is normal for the Prius and rather well dampened. But it does sound like an angry wasp, and different from many other cars. At least we get the joy of revving it up and still driving safely.
