Problem switching to EV mode ?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by dickfineman, Nov 28, 2013.

  1. dickfineman

    dickfineman New Member

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    Just reading about someone over here in UK who was given a PiP as a courtesy car while his Gen 3 was being serviced. He travelled 10 miles in EV mode before being kicked into HV mode. When he saw the empty solid EV battery disappear and the layered HV battery appear with 7 bars, he immediately pressed EV button to use up the last mile or so from the 7 bars of electricity remaining. But, the system would not allow this after trying many times and always left the ICE on. Tried again later to enter EV mode on his driveway but to no avail. He said his Gen 3 never fails to allow him to use up the 7 bars on the HV battery. The engine was warm aswell, so why this behaviour ?

    Thanks,

    Peter.
     
    #1 dickfineman, Nov 28, 2013
  2. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

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    EV in the plug-in works differently than the regular Prius. You have to have a mileage remaining on the MFD to be able to go into EV. Once that mileage is gone, the only way to get it back is a long downhill run with regen or plugging the car into the wall.
     
    #2 jdk2, Nov 28, 2013
  3. dickfineman

    dickfineman New Member

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    But why didn't it let him use up the ' ordinary ' part of the battery...like in the Gen 3, equivalent to about 1.5 miles, when it switched to HV mode ? The PiP is supposed to revert to being an ordinary Prius when the charged EV part runs out.
     
    #3 dickfineman, Nov 28, 2013
  4. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

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    Did he let the car warm up fully after the ICE started?

    If the engine has started, it needs to go through the warm-up cycle.
     
    #4 jdk2, Nov 28, 2013
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there are 3 battery icons in one. solid until you only have one mile left. then layered until you're down to zero, then it changes to the same look as a regular gen III. but the ice kicks on automatically when this happens and you can't go back into ev. this is so the ice can warm up while you're using some of the remaining charge. with a regular gen III, the ice starts and goes thru the warm up cycle as soon as you power up, then ev becomes available. it's all about pollution control.
     
    #5 bisco, Nov 28, 2013
  6. dickfineman

    dickfineman New Member

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    But it looks like the ICE fired up even with 7 bars of layered battery left, after using up all of the solid battery. I do think you are correct Bisco....the guy must not have realised that, even after some higher speed HV driving, if the ICE has been off for a while, it needed a warm up cycle.
     
    #6 dickfineman, Nov 29, 2013
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    exactly. my ice never comes on until i hit zero miles of ev left.
     
    #7 bisco, Nov 29, 2013
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