It's HOT, will it harm my car?

The battery hates being hot, so be gentle going down hills. Use B mode for hills over 500 feet tall, run A/C for the battery (and for you)

 

don't use eco mode, have the glass tinted as dark as legally allowed, keep the a/c on high/recirc, use window shades if you have to park in the sun. make sure the battery vent is clear.
it's not great for it, or you either. none of us was designed to live in the desert, at least in summer.
all the best!

 

Eco is normally a good thing, but it uses lower A/C settings. For hot days I run Normal, not Eco. (I am a wimp)

 

You are the one who just posted the idea that different tires caused a BIG drop in gas mileage.......right ??
And then you post THIS ??

You need to re-think your tire theory.

And it sounds to me like you need a good overall inspection of ALL the systems on your car........paying particular attention to the HV battery cooling AND the 12 V battery (it doesn't like heat either).

In extreme heat like that, a slightly heavier oil might be advisable......but not absolutely necessary.

 

No good reason to do that.......unless you like to pretend that you are a race car driver.

 

Sustained high heat is horrible for battery life and will shorten them; both the HV and 12v batteries. Some plug-in's use wall power and the vehicles a/c system to keep the batteries cool; a very, very nice feature.

 

PWR mode won't harm anything. It just re-maps the accelerator pedal, in effect making you a little more aggressive in driving. As already posted, don't use "eco" mode, it turns down the A/C cooling. You don't need that! Avoid high speed, avoid the sun whenever possible when parking (probably never). The heat is less a problem for the engine and more for the batteries. Avoid EV mode.
I leave the side windows down slightly (1/2" or so) to let at least -some- of that heat out when parked. It's easier to do if you have the "vent shades" on them. Nobody can see they are down and if it rains it won't get in.

 

Interesting post....never considered extreme heat (weather) issues for my Prius.

1) Yes, batteries hate heat.
2) Coolant system, yes make sure the coolant is fresh, I don't think there will be any issues there.
3) Exterior finish, no issues IMO, as long as the car is washed and waxed.
(Noting water spots, tree sap et al can "burn" etch into the paint if left on the surface especially in the sun)
4) Interior components, yes heat, amplified through glass, could be an issue, so "crack" a window when parked.

So...
Yes popping the hood can be a good idea.
Yes opening a side window can be a good idea.
Yes car cover or windshield sunshade can be a good idea
Yes coolant/ antifreeze and car exterior wax maintenance can be a good idea.
But...
As for cooling the batteries....here I don't have any proven/ solid ideas.
Summit Racing sells 12v size battery wraps (heat protectors) yet I don't think these will accomplish any benefit in a Prius, noting the 12v may be above the muffler/ exhaust and some under body heat protecting insulation could be placed in that area as heat rises.
The "master battery" has a fan mentioned in many other posts that can be cleaned yet other than that cleaning I have no idea how to reduce heat in this area.

Again interesting post.

Co-member, please post other ideas to continue this thread....yes batteries hate heat.
OP, please post your conclusion.
PS, no to the OP, I don't think you are paranoid (the hood lift is a proven idea).

 

but there aren't any batteries under the hood...

 

Details, details !!!

 

Toyota fixed that issue on the Gen 4.

 

There may be no batteries under the hood ....yet there is that engine heat which could affect the hood paint, engine bay rubber components, glues, plastics and other bay items.
Heat effects many components of a vehicle....hence that market for windshield sunshades and car covers for example.
None the less, again, batteries dislike heat.
I still stand by my thinking the OP is not paranoid.

 

We have an uninsulated garage, west facing doors, and in summer I'm concerned too, about a driven car with battery temp already elevated, parked in the garage, doors shut. It gets very hot in there and the hybrid battery fan on a shutdown car will not run-on, exhaust air for a few more minutes.

 

Preparing for my trip through Arizona and New Mexico by getting the best and darkest solar-reflecting window tint I could find. (But I'm sure the Highway Patrol won't like it).

Also bought two "Heat Shields" from the Priuschat shop, and I will put those in the front and rear windows when parked.

I was never concerned with heat in the past… Until I bought a Prius! Now you guys are making me paranoid. Never had any heat-related problems with other vehicles I owned. But this Prius brings new worries. I hope these hybrid cars are not overly fragile. I would like to hear more comments from owners who have lived in Phoenix their entire life.

The temperature is "only" 90° where I am at now. And even with the dark window tint and heat shields, the interior gets damn hot inside when parked all day on the street. I don't mind having to replace the 12 V battery every three years, but I sure hope that expensive hybrid battery under the backseat gives me at least 8 years of reliable service. It has a warranty for eight years, or 10 years, depending on what state you live in. So I guess I won't concern myself with it too much.

 

90 degrees is no big deal seasonally. it's when you get it a lot and more, and especially if you have to park in the sun all day.

 

Keep it waxed to protect the paint. Aside from that, don't stress it. Cars are designed to operate in hot climates. The car will be fine