Traction battery alarm...should I be concerned?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by billnchristy, May 25, 2012.

  1. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    2010 Prius III with 59,000 miles.

    The situation:

    Stuck in traffic jam for 10-15 minutes, during this time the battery went down to 2 bars like normal and the engine started. I pulled in to the car wash as planned and the engine started again while I was in the wash. In the wash I was in neutral. 3/4 of the way through the wash the yellow triangle lit and the display read: "Traction battery low: Please place car in P"

    Of course I could not do that inside a car wash.

    When I got out I put it in D and the alarm went away, I briskly accelerated and used the brakes to regen up to 3 bars.

    After that the battery functioned as normal and was up to about 6 bars by the time I was done with my errands.

    Does the MG not actually charge the battery in Neutral? I am hoping that this was just a "perfect storm" situation.

    Should I do anything other than what was done? We are actually driving to Florida tomorrow and it has me a bit on edge.
     
    #1 billnchristy, May 25, 2012
  2. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    holding the car in D and using the accelerator will work too. it will simply regen instead of accelerate.

    if it filled back up, you're ok. (sounds ok)

    the car really won't regen while in N... n tells everything to do nothing.

    force charge the car before your next wash. it doesn't have to be green... simply not as low as it was. keeping all accessories off will help preserve power.
     
    #2 V8Cobrakid, May 25, 2012
  3. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    Yeah I didn't even give it thought before because I have never been that low prior to entering.

    Good to know it was just a perfect storm. I assume the AC being on didn't help and just pushed it over the limit.
     
    #3 billnchristy, May 25, 2012
  4. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    Interesting, that happens to me too. Cant put the car in drive when on those belts pulling the car through, can you?
     
    #4 gliderman, May 26, 2012
  5. Mauiman

    Mauiman Junior Member

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    This exact thing happened to me today in a car wash -- just kept in neutral and nervously listened to the beeper warning until the car wash finished. Glad I found this posting.
     
    #5 Mauiman, Jul 3, 2012
  6. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    Haven't had it happen since and just had 60k maintenance recently. Seems to just be an anomally.
     
    #6 billnchristy, Jul 6, 2012
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    a lot of stories here about car wash problems. i think you want to go in with as close to a full battery as possible.
     
    #7 bisco, Jul 6, 2012
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    ^^^ and turn off AC if it is at all tolerable.
     
    #8 fuzzy1, Jul 6, 2012
  9. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    Hand wash.
     
    #9 Jonny Zero, Jul 6, 2012
    spiderman likes this.
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    and don't use a pressure washer to get the bugs off.:p
     
    #10 bisco, Jul 6, 2012
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