I've had my 2006 for a couple years now and have just lately observed that when I turn on the air conditioning, the battery lines drop quite rapidly. And my mpg is down to 40... perhaps because the ice is kicking in so often to recharge the battery. Any one else ever experience this problem? Is my battery getting weak?
mine does this for the first 10 mins in this 112 heat. It's brutal on the system for a while, but once i get crusing around the battery goes up ever slowly, especially if i coast/brake gently to lights etc. just the way they are, my MPG has dropped from high 40's down to 42mpg..but in fall it will be back up. im sure someone will chime in with more techie details on why it does this.
No problem with that here, even though the lake is all the way up to 62 °F. A few more weeks and we will be able to swim. All that cold weather keeps the air temperatures modest. Tom
bring your prius down here! it sucks in the summer months..most of the year though it's most efficient. But when you can cook dinner on the pavement, the prius get's a work out. I would rather run the A/c on 76 though, then not run it and risk the hybrid system overheating, that 90mm fan(?) in the vent in the rear dont do diddly
Probably normal behavior, especially if it's been hot where you are. (Where is that, BTW? It would be help us help you if you include that in your profile or your post.) The AC runs off the battery, and the ICE needs to run to recharge the battery. The impact on fuel economy is greatest at slower speeds (especially stop and go conditions) when the ICE otherwise shuts off when not needed for propulsion.
After about only 5 minutes of being in the car this morning, I was in line at the bank. I noticed my battery meter get all the way down to 2 bars. Will the ICE turn on to recharge it or if I had continued to sit there,would it have run dead? I did have the AC on. Approx 85 degrees.
You're fine. The car manages the battery very effectively to prevent either excessive discharging or overcharging. The ICE would have started if you had sat much longer.
your overestimating the capacity of the battery... as well as underestimating the current draw of the AC.
Yes. Why do you ask? harper42, how often do you check the air pressure in the tires? It should be checked (and adjusted as needed) at least monthly.
I think your observation is normal. From a previous thread regarding AC and fuel economy, one suggested to adjust the temperature set point that will allow you to put it on Auto AC. I've been doing this lately and my battery has been behaving normally as it discharges and charges back up...and my mpg is improving from 53 to 56 being careful on the throttle.
I still dont know which is worse on the Prii; dry vegas heat or moist florida heat. Both are hard on people but my Rachel seems to be Ok with the heat here averaging over 50mpg even in the 90's with big humidity. I have yet to have a day when I didnt run the air from the first day I drove her in March until now.
You're misunderstanding the battery guage. When you see purple, the battery is at 40% capacity, it is not nearly drained.
