I have noticed, and this seems new and not a change in my driving habits, but when driving the prius c, and I am on rolling country roads, I like to loose speed as I go up hills if no cars are behind me, but here is the problem that has become noticeable. If I am driving 50 or 55 and I keep the gas applied lightly where the meter is just above the eco mid line so the engine is on at these speeds, but I am slowly loosing speed as I go through the low 50 and most of the 40 MPH speeds there is a very noticeable shutter and you can feel it in the steering but its also throughout the car that you can feel it but it will slowly go away as you get down into the 30's, if you completely let off the gas it does go away and if you do a moderate acceleration to start gaining speed it goes away. Its almost as if the device that engages the motor into the drive train is not designed to be loosing speed when engaged... has anyone else noticed this. Is it something I should have Toyota look at?
i find that too, I think its just the ICE not revving enough and kinda struggling/not making enough power. Its like a car in the wrong gear and engine is bogging down. When I get that, I just give it a little more gas and away she goes. It doesn't worry me.
I'm also aware of it. Most of the time the ICE is running at a higher, efficient load and those times where it isn't just don't feel quite right.
Hi Guys. Any of you in Canada (or other cold places) notice this is worse in the winter vs the summer months?
Does Anyone fell this similar feeling on low speed acceleration or deceleration? Around 16mph to 20mp? I just started to notice this
After just over 2 years in moderate to high heat (up to 108 f in the California high desert last fall) and as low as -15C last winter, I have yet to experience this phenomenon.
When using the brakes lightly you may be expeiencing the pulsations from the brake rotor(s); check ypour pads to see if they are pretty equally worn and the rotors forwarped condition or spots of brake pad material 'glued' to the rotor. Usually thats a sign of brakes being 'on' and stppee for a length of time.
Just got a 2013 prius c. Ops description is exactly what I am experiencing. Same speeds too. Easier to reproduce on a very slight down grade. I know its an old thread, but its the only of its kind I could find. Any of you had long term problems resulting from this? Did you just decide to live with it and things are still fine? Thanks!
If your talking about the "shudder" as if it can't decide whether or not to shut off the engine an go full electric right around that "line" on the ECO screen - yeah I know that shudder. I've not read any other threads where people have had any issues however. I'm guessing most are like me and either apply more gas pedal, or let off enough to go full electric to get that shudder to go away. I do admit to worrying about it at times...
Yep, right around the end of the eco line. sometimes under, sometimes past. If under usually its at higher speeds where it cant go into golfcart mode. Highway too if im losing speed at a specific rate. And sometimes, sometimes at a certain speed on the perfect down grade the cruise can do it too. Thats more annoying. I guess I could compare it to shifting a manual into too high of a gear where now the engine is forced to run below idle rpm.
I hate to say this, but I've been told it's "normal" operation. Used to work at the dealership where I bought the car for many years. Have went to lunch with a couple of my friends there (Tech & sales guy) and pointed this out to them. Both said it was normal, and to do exactly what I have been doing - either apply/let up on the pedal. Still hate that it does this though & as I said earlier I do worry about it at times. I don't try to let it just continue shuddering in fear that it will do something. So I apply/let off the gas pedal, but darn that's a pain as well, because I don't need to go faster, or slower.
