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How do I get into stage 4?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by mysticeyes, Aug 28, 2017.

  1. mysticeyes

    mysticeyes Junior Member

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    Hello, everyone. I'm learning how to drive my first Prius here. It's a 2015 Prius Three with 55k miles on the odometer the day I bought it. I finally did my second fill up, and the results on my own first tankful was 475.9 miles on 8.251 gallons, so 57.7 mpg (vs. 60.9 on the trip display). I've read up on the stages of operation, etc. My question is, what is the best way to induce the car into stage 4? It worked for me the other day - got "idle check" by coasting with the car in the 25-45 mph range; I think that happened as soon as the temperature got into the acceptable range. However, today I tried coasting a couple of times once the engine warmed up, but it never got out of stage 3, though according to the display the fuel economy was still good, 62.3 mpg. Oh yeah, I also turned the car off and on again at the first stoplight, still no stage 4. So am I missing something here?
     
    #1 mysticeyes, Aug 28, 2017
  2. Maarten28

    Maarten28 Active Member

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    I don't think about it at all. After a few minutes it will be in stage 4, whatever I do. Only when it's really cold outside it will take a little longer.
    Powercycling the car should not be necessaty to get the gen3 Prius in stage 4, feathering the throttle would make it go into stage 4 a bit sooner. But are you concerned that it is not getting into stage 4?
     
    #2 Maarten28, Aug 30, 2017
  3. mysticeyes

    mysticeyes Junior Member

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    It can get into stage 4, I've seen that before. It's just that the last time I drove it, over 45 miles, it didn't get out of stage 3, even though mpg was still over 60. This being my second car, I only drive it once or twice per week (700 miles in my first two months of ownership), so I'm still learning about it.
     
    #3 mysticeyes, Aug 30, 2017
  4. drysider

    drysider Active Member

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    If this is warm-up stages you are referring, there isn't really any user involvement in the process. The firmware determines the stages as they advance. I do not think you can go back into stage 3. How do you know you are going from 4 back to 3? You refer to "idle check" which I am not familiar with. If this is an engine off glide, then it is not available above about 43mph, but does not put the car in stage 3 warm-up.
     
    #4 drysider, Aug 30, 2017
  5. mysticeyes

    mysticeyes Junior Member

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    drysider, I didn't say I ever went back to stage 3 from 4. I was wondering about a sure fire way to get from stage 3 into 4. "Idle check" is when you're in stage 3 and, by lifting off the throttle for a few seconds while going of 25-45 mph, induce the system to enter stage 4. I've seen it work in my car, and have seen the Hybrid Assistant app flash "idle check" during the procedure. However, in one instance, I went for a long drive and it never got past stage 3, although the gas mileage was still good. See this thread: Gen3 warming up stages | PriusChat
     
    #5 mysticeyes, Aug 30, 2017
  6. Maarten28

    Maarten28 Active Member

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    How do you know that you're in stage 3 and not stage 4? As far as I can tell, the only indication is that EV mode is not allowed faster than 25mph (40 km/h). I have to say that I occasionally see odd behaviour of the HSD (like after 10 miles I'm at a traffic light and EV mode is not possible or the ICE won't shut off) but I attribute that to other factors, like the phase of the moon or whether Mercury is in retrograde.
     
    #6 Maarten28, Aug 31, 2017
  7. drysider

    drysider Active Member

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    I have never wondered what stage I am in since I cannot do anything about it. There are several reasons why the engine doesn't shut off including battery charge state and coolant temperature. I have always used the glide availability as an indicator of warm-up completion. And the firmware does do unusual things from time to time.
     
    #7 drysider, Aug 31, 2017
  8. mysticeyes

    mysticeyes Junior Member

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    "How do you know that you're in stage 3 and not stage 4?"

    I have Hybrid Assistant running and can tell what stage it's in :)
     
    #8 mysticeyes, Sep 1, 2017
  9. Maarten28

    Maarten28 Active Member

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    I surimesed that and installed it myself too. I had a drive of 30 minutes where it took 25 minutes for the app to tell me I'm in stage 4. I'm sorry but I don't believe that. Especially since there is no way of knowing for sure what stage you're in (there is no indictor in the OBDII for that), any app will have to program some logic for itself to determine what stage you're in.
    During that 30 minute drive I had several occasions where I was driving in excess of 25 mph and running electric. From what I read, that will not occur in stage 3.
     
    #9 Maarten28, Sep 4, 2017
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