1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

I have no idea what normal is - please help

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Charlie34609, Aug 30, 2017.

  1. Kramah313

    Kramah313 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2015
    408
    322
    0
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Not that you need more confirmation, and I do have a gen 3 so it may be different, but without the A/C running the car usually consumes around 1-3 amps of current at idle from the battery. The AC alone when it's cranking full bore can consume upwards of 10 amps. That is a significant increase in the current used and can drain the battery proportionally. Sounds OK to me. Congrats on your purchase!
     
  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,518
    14,128
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yeah, it does draw some juice. But it's worth it to keep the battery cool ... not to mention the carbon based life forms occupying the cabin. ;)
     
    Charlie34609, RCO and Kramah313 like this.
  3. Kramah313

    Kramah313 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2015
    408
    322
    0
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Absolutely. I never turn it off to save gas. I live in Dallas, i would lose 10 lbs in sweat if I tried to drive with it off!
     
    Charlie34609, RCO and jerrymildred like this.
  4. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,518
    14,128
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    And your car would really stink!! So would mine. LOL!
     
    RCO and Kramah313 like this.
  5. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2009
    2,945
    2,737
    0
    Location:
    OK
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    I fully expect to see you listed in the 800 miles on one tank of gas club soon. ;)
     
    Charlie34609, jerrymildred and RCO like this.
  6. mercat68

    mercat68 Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2016
    304
    216
    1
    Location:
    Mount Airy, MD
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Welcome, Charlie! I, too, have an '07 that crossed 200K a couple months ago. It's going to my daughters to share, now that I have the Prime. Just wanted to concur with previous posters - everything you describe is completely normal. Green is good; yes, you'll see big, temporary drops in mpg from time to time depending on conditions (like when I turn out of my street and immediately head up a steep hill); and the battery can discharge pretty quickly (e.g., sitting in stop-and-go on a hot day with the A/C blasting).
     
  7. Charlie34609

    Charlie34609 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2017
    20
    21
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks, Mercat!
     
  8. William Redoubt

    William Redoubt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2016
    1,215
    1,165
    1
    Location:
    Coronado Island, California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I concur with this response. The AC, by the way, is electric powered and draws very little power.

    It sounds like you have a great car with a nearly new battery. You might want to have someone go over the brake and suspension. Consider changing the trans fluid with Toyota brand, and of course check the engine oil and both coolant levels at every fill up. I would do the oil now, and then follow a 5,000 mile change routine. I use Mobil 1 0W20.
     
    Charlie34609 likes this.
  9. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2004
    2,077
    296
    0
    Location:
    York,Pa.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Did you mean to say the A/C draws a lot of power?
     
  10. Moving Right Along

    Moving Right Along Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2016
    690
    541
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    From my experience with a 2009 Prius, the car will give single-digit MPG numbers when you're just starting and going slow or accelerating uphill from a stop or in traffic jams.

    There's a difference between the battery level hitting 7 bars (when it turns green) and 8 bars (green and full). My car likes to live between 6-7 bars most of the time, so I see it turn green every day, but I rarely see it getting to a full 8 bars. That generally happens only after I've gone down a hill and my battery level was at 7 bars beforehand. If you live in a hilly area, then you're more likely to hit full 8 bars more often.

    Air conditioning drains the battery level incredibly fast. It can go from 6 bars down to 2 bars in a couple minutes if the car's not moving or in a traffic jam. When it hits 2 bars, the engine will come on and charge the battery up to 3-4 bars. This is all normal.

    Signs of a weak or dying battery are: when the battery level drops overnight (6 bars when you parked, 1-2 bars when you start the car in the morning) and when the battery level cycles between 1 bar and 8 bars.

    If your car had a new battery from Toyota installed 40,000 miles ago, then the battery you're on will probably last another 100,000 miles or more. And since the car has regular service records, you've got a better than average chance that the rest of the car could make it that far as well.
     
    Charlie34609, RCO and mercat68 like this.
  11. William Redoubt

    William Redoubt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2016
    1,215
    1,165
    1
    Location:
    Coronado Island, California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    No. Not much at all. It can run most of an hour on 1 or 2 "bars" of the battery when the engine is off. It sees very efficient in my Gen 4.
     
    RCO likes this.
  12. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2004
    2,077
    296
    0
    Location:
    York,Pa.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The Gen 4 must be totally different. My 2012 will start the gas engine when it hits 2 bars. On a hot 80 degree day even with a pretty full charge after the A/c runs for 5-10 mins. the gas engine will start. Pretty much the same as all my other Pri.
     
  13. William Redoubt

    William Redoubt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2016
    1,215
    1,165
    1
    Location:
    Coronado Island, California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I have been sitting in the evening sun in Arizona, just north of Yuma. It's 109 F outside. 71 F inside the car. The car is in the Ready mode. The AC is on Auto. The car ICE starts about every 20 minutes and runs for less than 2 minutes. It's a Gen 4. I am monitoring the AC power consumption using OBDII on an iPhone. It's 0.4 kW. Watching the Energy Monitor, the battery is at 2 bars when the ICE starts, and gains a single bar and then the ICE shuts off. This is real time. I sometimes camp in the car in hot weather. For an 8 hour sleep, the car uses less than a gallon of gas. I have calculated it a couple of times and recall that on a hot night it consumed 0.86 gallons.
     
    Charlie34609, RCO and jerrymildred like this.
  14. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,184
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Agreed, but I think this discussion is with regard to Gen 3 Prii, or earlier.
     
  15. Charlie34609

    Charlie34609 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2017
    20
    21
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Thank you, William. The breaking and suspension are amazingly sound, although I have an appointment to have everything inspected. It's just that I'm really amazed by how solid the car is, given the miles. I've had the car at Toyota already and the service history shows that all fluids have been changed on time and by the dealer. They have replaced the trans fluid not long ago and coolant was flushed not long ago. it's all documented, which is nice. I'm keeping the tradition and having it serviced only by Toyota.
     
    #35 Charlie34609, Sep 6, 2017
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2017
    RCO likes this.
  16. Charlie34609

    Charlie34609 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2017
    20
    21
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Thanks, Moving - I very much appreciate your reply - everyone here has been amazing! It really helps to have some anecdotal information from those in the know. Experience is something I sorely lack with these cars.

    I've relaxed a great deal since finding friends here who have helped me understand normal. The car behaves very well in every regard. With that anxiety passed, my OCD-riddled brain has latched on to the next issue, which is likely imagined. I'm considering posting the question here, but as a preview, this is my new concern:

    The ICE sounds like a lawnmower and I don't know if that's normal. I've actually considered the best descriptive to use to explain it and I find that "lawnmower" fits best. It's not that it's loud, it's more the "sort" of sound it makes that is of interest to me. It's like a well-tuned sputter. This occurs on acceleration, especially hard acceleration. I also noticed it today, perhaps unrelated, but it seemed a bit louder after the HV battery had drained down (I sat in my car for lunch). I've been online to research the matter, and I've read and listened to many, many examples of engine noise, but none seem to relate. It's not a knocking, it doesn't seem to be an octane ping, though I could be wrong. It's uniform, it's not a sputter, it sounds to me like it could be an exhaust leak - or - it could be normal. In your experience, does the genII have a noisy engine? It's key to note that I haven't had a 4-cyl in a long time, so my expectations may be the issue here.

    I've checked the oil of course - the oil is clean and full - car doesn't seem to burn oil. The performance seems quite good, acceleration is good, it's running fine, I'm getting about 49mpg, sometimes more. I have a hard time thinking it's valves, given the performance, but it's got some miles on it, so naturally that would be a concern.

    If you or any of our Prius family has any input on this, I would be very grateful. Thanks!! ---charlie
     
    RCO likes this.
  17. Moving Right Along

    Moving Right Along Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2016
    690
    541
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The loud engine complaint is fairly common for cars with small 4-cylinder engines, since they need to rev higher to get the same amount of acceleration. When you need to go faster in a Prius, it's going to be noisy. My car also doesn't like the cold, so when I was getting on a highway in January during -10 F temperatures, it really got loud. Cold also dramatically lowers fuel efficiency. For example, my last 10 fill-up average is a bit over 48 MPG according to Fuelly, but when it gets cold, that can go down to 40 MPG or below. Since you're in Florida, though, it probably won't affect you that much.
     
    Charlie34609 likes this.
  18. Charlie34609

    Charlie34609 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2017
    20
    21
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks, Moving. I appreciate your feedback!
     
  19. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2009
    2,945
    2,737
    0
    Location:
    OK
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    OK, welcome to your introduction to a vehicle with a continuously variable transmission (CVT)

    In your other vehicles, as your engine rpm increased, so did your vehicle speed, then you shifted to the next gear, and it did the dance all over again with each gear. You would (should) have also noticed the engine volume going up and down with each gear and speed.

    The Prius is different. It has no "gears" to shift through. As you press the gas pedal, the engine comes alive and revs up and stays revved up as your CVT changes ratio to add vehicle speed. That makes new folks say the engine roars. The other side is the car is so quiet, it is very easy to hear what your old vehicle covered up with it's normal noise in general.

    It's normal, just drive it.
     
    RCO and Charlie34609 like this.
  20. Charlie34609

    Charlie34609 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2017
    20
    21
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Thanks, Mark. That makes sense.
     
    RCO and Mark57 like this.