Coastal EV Modification Installation Idea

That would surely make the installation easier and cleaner. No question! The problem is, those connectors would need to be sourced and purchased (this could be a BIG problem, as we've seen for the 2006 EV switch), along with all the pins and sockets and wire, and then the labor to assemble them would need to be added... in the end the kit would easily be 2, 3, even 4x more expensive than it is now. Maybe not a show-stopper, but certainly something to consider.

Trailer lighting wire harnesses have done this for quit a while. By we're typically only dealing with five or six wires with those.

Where do I send the flowers?

 

I get the idea, that's how the enhancement kit goes in. It's a good idea, but the other thing to consider is how that would fit in the small area where the plug is. I don't really want to open that up yet again, but would there be enough room? Not only the room to accomidate the extra plug, but also the length of the wires of the original plug. Would they be able to stretch far enough?

OK, I've thought about it and seeing that as an extension cord, like was described, would work. I agree, the cost would go up. Plus, what if it's true that it was the plugs that caused the delay of the NAV kit? If that's true, you might wait a long time for your EV kit.

 

I'd rather wait and pay the extra money, but that's me. You see, the UPS guy stopped by today with my Coastal EV kit, and I dutifully removed the covers and my lower glove compartment as described in the instructions. The relevant plug was buried under the wires for the other plugs to the point where I couldn't see it. Then, when I got it moved out, I had no room to work. If I could, as I imagine this working, take out the original plug, plug it into the special plug for the mod, and then plug the modification's plug into the slot, I'd be done now. As it is, I am wondering if this is too difficult for me to be doing as a do-it-myself project (leaning toward yes) and thinking about how I might overcome that.

 

I would vote for this mod, even if it was more expensive. After spending hours installing the one I received (I'm reasonably competent, used to be an elec engr) I couldn't get mine to work. In and out with the connector 8 times or so, checking the wires over and over, the taps, the orange pin, etc. If I pushed it in any more, it would have come out of the back of the connector. They were very nice on the phone and we reviewed the common installation problems, and offered to promptly will send me another one.

I was very frustrated, and of course having the nicks in the tapped wires, the socket for the orange wire slightly buggered up from forcing it in so many times, removing it, reinserting it, etc.

My wife thinks I'm an idiot and can't believe I did this mod knowing that it potentially can invalidate the warranty, with permanent evidence on the wires and socket should they be inspected.

Having a fully occult system as described would be worth a few extra bucks in my opinion.

My reason for this is since my installation was going so poorly, I was worried that I would pull some other wire loose, who knows, and my car do something abnormal, requiring me to go to a Toyota dealer. They surely must know that hundred or thousands of Prius owners are installing these modifications. They will see my nicked purple and white wire with black stripe and my swelled entry into socket location 27.

 

I'm working on the assumption that the unit I received was not functional, having checked everything over so many times. Of course, the frustration level was tremendous. Having disassembled and reassembled my car so many times (Yes, gave up, put it back together, thought about it for awhile, took it back apart, checked everything another 3 times, etc., another iteration or two).

That thread by Windstrings encouraged me to purchase the product. If in fact I had a good unit (presuming the received one was bad), I would be done and happy. I'm hoping the replacement will work straight away.

Back to your original idea, though, I would pay extra for a fully reversable solution not requiring taps, etc. But then again, maybe the Prius black box or memory units record EV only operation history. That makes the stealth part of this idea irrevelant, but may improve the ease.

I hope the warranty thing doesn't ever affect anyone with this mod. Surely Toyota must have anticipated that leaving the software in the Prius as on the Japanese and Euro models, would surely and quickly be accessed by tech savy Prius owners. The software should have been disabled otherwise.

 

Hey, does anyone know what has happened to Coastal E Tech?? I have e-mailed them several times in the past weeks, with no reply Hope they didn't short-out on the high tension lead, while doing R&D on some new knarly product. Coastal: If you're out there, please answer your e-mails! I want to spend some money with you

 

I emailed them the other day about my nonfunctioning switch and they got back to me right away. Also I called them on their non 800 number a couple of times on Thursday and got them quickly (one time was busy, but got through 5 minutes later).

 

The plug idea is a good one, although, from my experience in sourcing electronic parts, that plug could be an issue. Also, I believe a lot of us have read the "another Prius died on the Highway" thread, where a wrongly inserted plug became a major issue. Since this plug directly controls the functioning of the vehicle, the replacement plug would have to be exactly the same, with the same ratings ,wire gauges, etc. Any deviation from the stock one could have dire consequences. The NAV plug is a different animal altogether...as if it does not work, or breaks, does not effect the actual drivability of the car.

The current MOD was really easy to install...with many thanks to those before us who detailed the project. It took only about a half of an hour...and even if it took a bit longer, is well worth the amount of time/effort.

So cost is one issue, and functionality/liability is certainly another.

 

part of the problem is fitting that massive pin into the ecu. they really should use ecu-size pins. they're out there, we used them, we've got a ton of them actually.

sounds like there is quite a bit of demand for a plug-and-play device here. while it's hard to do, the install can be done. we haven't done the coastal mod, we installed a factory switch. but it sounds like there are similar procedural problems... this is why we deviated a bit from the previously published install instructions.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(05PriusDriver @ Apr 10 2006, 09:41 PM) [snapback]237835[/snapback]</div>

heck on that note

we're making a few extra factory EV switch wiring harnesses for people who want a plug and play thing. basically it's: disassemble the dash, plug 4 pins on one end of the harness into the EV housing, unscrew a screw, wrap 2 of the wires around it, screw it back in, scotch-lok to tap into an illumiation source, run long wire to the ECU, plug in, reinstall dash.

it's not a major operation or anything, but we can make 15 or so if anyone's interested.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(05PriusDriver @ Apr 10 2006, 06:41 PM) [snapback]237835[/snapback]</div>

I agree that it would not hurt to find out. However, you still have not addressed my one main concern. This is the reliability/liability of using another plug. Since this is being used in the main computer, and the car will not function without that plug correctly installed, a faulty plug would cause much more trouble then if the current mod fails. The car could stall, leading to an "out of control" situation.

Right now, if their Mod fails...no biggie...you just lose your EV mode. However, if even one of those plugs were to fail...it would only take one...and as far as I know, 100% quality control is impossible to deliver.

 

Continuing from upthread my discussion of why creating an easier to install version of this mod is a very good idea....

Having decided not to do the Coastal EV switch install myself, I took my car and their kit to a local shop that specializes in performance mods. They installed it according to the instructions and used a volt meter to confirm all of the connections. So I turned on the car to test it and proved it didn't work. They fiddled with the wires a bit more before giving up.

If this kit can foil guys who reprogram ECUs everyday, it is not ready for end users.

 

If your Coastal EV device didn't work, it may be the device. Here's my story.

Earlier in this thread I described the frustration of trying to get the unit to work. I must have spent bits of 6 hours with about 6 disassemblies, checking everything, and could never get the thing to work.

Coastal promptly sent me another one. While waiting, I left the unit in place. I could never get it to activate by depessing the stalk for 2, 3, 4, or more seconds.

Then something very weird happened. I got up to go to work the next day, started the car as usual, begain driving, and the engine wouldn't go on like usual, soon my battery decreased to two purple bars, and suddently, 3 quick beeps. I had been in EV mode, even though I didn't engage it. About 6 hours later, upon returning, the same exact story. Every time my car was parked for 6-8 hours or so, starting did the same thing, in EV mode even though I did not attempt to engage it. Suprisingly, after I parked and went to start again after 15 minutes or so, it would start normally, in regular, non-EV mode. Again, never able to engage manually in EV mode.

Well, the new one came. It took me less that 10 minutes to disassmble, place the device, check the unit, and reassemble my car. This time it works perfectly, exactly as described.

I had a bad unit, and it behaved very strangely.

Call coastal, there were very quick to sent out the replacement. They included a UPS sticker to return the original unit, which I will tomorrow.

I emailed coastal about this aberrant behavior, but hadn't heard back. They probably think I'm crazy. I thought I would go crazy trying to get the original unit to work. I'm glad it now does.

You may also have a defective unit.

 

Well, I've managed to read every thread about people's experiences with the Coastal EV mod on this board, and it seems far more likely that the connector pin on the end of the orange wire isn't deep enough than the unit is defective. Not that I would discount that possibility, it just seems too early to draw that conclusion based on what other people have said.

This leaves me in quite a conundrum. Like I said, I didn't perform the install, such as it is, myself. I just spent 15 minutes and sacrificed more blood to my car, and I was unable to get either the white bar or the orange wire to move. Which means even if I have a defective unit, I couldn't get the old one out to send in for a replacement.

Excuse me, I didn't mean to engage in a pity party, but like I said, I think my experience is illustrative of the market need for the enhanced device proposed in this thread.