All - I don't see any kind of indicator that the ICE is running. Is there one? Is there a mod I could do to give me one? I usually end up feathering the throttle to see if the bar graph drops, but an indicator of some sort would be much better! Thanks, Jim
I can't answer your question but I would like to know the answer too. I just also had to pop in and ask you if you have a Prius in the color of your aviator???? I though that color wasn't available in the US?
Are in the "consumption" screen? You need to press the "Energy" button on your screen so that you see the graphics showing the a picture of your car, gas engine, battery and electric engine. If you are in the Energy screen then the motor at the top is the ICE. As long as you don't see arrows going away from this engine than the ICE is usually not on. The exception is during initial car warm up, where the engine will run and you'll hear it run, even though the indicator may show it not running.
Coastal Tech was supposed to have an add-on mod that uses a simple LED to indicate whether or not the ICE is on. As far as I know this is still vapor ware. It's too bad because it seems like it would be a popular item.
That's as close a picture as I could find. I have an 06 Seaside Pearl with the NL (I think that's right) package (it's the one with the nav, but no leather)
<-------This is a pretty good reproduction of Seaside Pearl. In the sun, it's a deep sky blue. In the shade and at night, it's closer to steel blue.
Ok that's what I though. The pic the other person has in their aviator looks like that darker blue only available in Japan. (I want that dark blue color!)
Oh yea, I like that Japan only deep blue too! I am going to Japan in June....I look forward to seeing the color in person.
Your ear is the first answer. If you want something more exact the energy screen or consumption screen is not reliable it will show the ICE off when it is not. Particularly when in warm up mode and the engine coolant is below 160 F the energy screen or the consumption screen will show the ICE off when it is on, sometimes it is using more than 99.9 mpg some times less but it is on and using gas. You have some options. The Costal E tech is vapor ware so far but it does exist and my be for sale at some point. The next solution would be ScanGage plugged into the CAN Bus will show you ICE RPM and Gal/Min, ICE temp but it is a generic solution but does work. That is the info you want. The next step is the CAN View it will give you that and much much more. It will cost more however. It is also harder to install. There is a Palm solution as well. It is generic. Personal message Efusco he has used it.
Finger tips work really well too. I use them all the time to verify that the ICE has or hasn't shut off.
OK to be a bit serious, you will need some outside instrumentation, if you are serious about this. If you are not, ears (yes you have to turn the tunes off and open the window) and use you other senses. The Toyota MFD is rather general and averages, and simplifies things a lot. It is OK but not perfect. Some of the other things I mentioned are very specific. You need to decide how deep you want to go.
Its pretty cool that its so hard to tell!!..... Quite an accomplishment on Toyotas part to not be able to tell when the ICE is on!... In the 06, it is very quiet!, and unless your going out of your way to hear and its not raining, or your not going fast, or the radio is not on, it is near impossible to tell without a visual readout.
It's easy to confuse the sound of the cars next to you as being your own engine. I have regularly thought that my engine was on only to discover that it was the sound of a nearby car or truck.
