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Battery rarely full charged

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by PriusvGW, Oct 4, 2014.

  1. PriusvGW

    PriusvGW Junior Member

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    Hi all,

    I just got my Prius v for few days. I noticed that I only saw the battery bar fully charged once and for a very short time. Also, when I idle my car for a period, the battery would drop to three to two bars. Is it normal or there is a problem to my battery? I got 49500 miles on it,

    thanks
     
    #1 PriusvGW, Oct 4, 2014
  2. moeu

    moeu Junior Member

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    On hybrids ususally the battery is set to not charge fully. I don't know if I have ever seen my battery with all the bars. When you idle, listen and you will hear the car go on the battery. The charge bars will drop, but the car will recharge as soon as you start driving.
     
    #2 moeu, Oct 4, 2014
  3. PriusvGW

    PriusvGW Junior Member

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    I often wait for my family in the car. Can I constantly leave my AC on while idling like gasoline car? Because I can do that in gas engine as long as I have enough gas. Apologize for the noob questions, I am so new to Prius.

    thanks
     
    #3 PriusvGW, Oct 4, 2014
  4. Prius_Cub

    Prius_Cub Member

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    Yep, you can sit with the A/C running. The engine will automatically start and charge the high voltage battery as needed.

    LG-AS780 ? 2
     
    #4 Prius_Cub, Oct 4, 2014
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    If you get into the mpg game, the answer would be no. ;)
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Oct 4, 2014
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  6. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    If the battery is fully charged you lose the ability to capture regen power when going downhill, applying brakes or otherwise slowing. The regen function also helps you maintain a safe downhill speed on a steep grade without using as much engine and conventional braking. Apparently capturing regen power at all times is more important than having a full battery once in a while. Obviously the car will use the battery power when it can to save fuel, even when it's not full.
     
    #6 rjparker, Oct 4, 2014
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  7. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    The only full battery I have ever seen so far is in a Toyota publication. It must be photo shopped for that. I have never seen mine go to full bars even when regen hundreds of KWs. I asked that question in the gen3 area.
     
    #7 DaneH5, Oct 5, 2014
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  8. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    The only full battery I have ever seen so far is in a Toyota publication. It must be photo shopped for that. I have never seen mine go to full bars even when regen hundreds of KWs. I asked that question in the gen3 area.
     
    #8 DaneH5, Oct 5, 2014
  9. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    Double post
     
    #9 DaneH5, Oct 5, 2014
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Photoshop not needed, just an extra long down hill.
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Oct 5, 2014
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  11. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    None of them in Florida
     
    #11 DaneH5, Oct 5, 2014
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  12. Makaru

    Makaru Junior Member

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    I saw full battery quite a few times on a recent vacation in the Appalachians It happens going down long continuous inclines in the mountains.
     
    #12 Makaru, Oct 5, 2014
  13. lynxville

    lynxville New Member

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    I have seen all the bars also, but not often.
     
    #13 lynxville, Oct 8, 2014
  14. nsfbr

    nsfbr Member

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    Full bars does not equal a fully charged battery. Nor do zero bars mean an empty one. I'm not sure of the current gen car, but my old Gen 2 was well known to go from 40% to 80% spanning zero to full bars. From what I've seen using EngineLink, that is probably the same today on the v.
     
    #14 nsfbr, Oct 27, 2014
  15. jefe

    jefe Member

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    I have only had all bars on a few occasions; 1) when going down a long, long mountain road and 2) when my hybrid battery was failing and the state of charged fluctuated up and down like crazy.
     
    #15 jefe, Oct 30, 2014
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