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S-Flow Back Seat AC?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by 1stPriusLA, Oct 17, 2016.

  1. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Perhaps it's just doing what you wanted, rather than what you thought IT thought you meant! ;):whistle:
     
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  2. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    How did you know I spilled my coffee yesterday? All over my "fine white china." :( The girl didn't put the lid on tight.

    That's why I always put a coat of wax on my china.
     
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  3. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Lol, sympathetically. :ROFLMAO:
    BTW, in cockney rhyming slang, a China is your buddy - mate (China plate, get it?).
    So was that a bikini wax you put on your buddy?
     
  4. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Interesting - on S-Mode, mine only blows from the 2 vents on the driver's side, unless there's someone in the passenger's seat.

    Possibly the sensor in your passenger seat is faulty, I'd assume the same sensor which reminds you the passenger hasn't done up a seatbelt. Does it remind you if the passenger hasn't done up her belt?
     
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  5. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Yes, the seatbelt sensor is fine. I see the icon on the dashboard display.

    I am OK with air coming out of all four upper vents. I think it cools the car better. I won't be using the S flow button, I just wanted to test it out today.
     
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  6. Colin Jones

    Colin Jones Member

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    I think its a bit more clever than that. If the temperature in the car is way off it will use both sides until it gets to temperature that it then wants to maintain where driver side only will kick in - even if nobody is in the passenger seat.
     
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  7. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Colin, are you talking about the AC "auto" mode?

    Anyway, I just think it's another Toyota gimmick. I got four nice vents on the dashboard, and I want air coming out of ALL four vents. :D

    (so I am actually glad that my S-flow is not working.)
     
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  8. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Ahh - clever - I had wondered at times if it was working right, but usually by the time I check it out, it's "righted" itself, but that makes sense that the AUTO mode is sorting that out. Unfortunately, you can't see which mode it's in till you press the S-Mode button and it displays what it's up to. Going for a longer run on Saturday, so I'll experiment.
     
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  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Works for those with dual-zone auto climate control. US/Canada get single zone :(.

    You can check via the MID. Use the right D-pad to cycle through the menus until you get to "Climate"

    You may have to scroll down (or up) to the next page. I think that one shows S-Flow.

    upload_2016-10-20_22-20-3.png
     
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  10. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    I noticed that S-Flow takes a while to engage and it will record also if doors other than the driver's have been opened. Moreover as Colin said, it might use vents in different ways as just "driver only" depending on the inside and outside temperatures and desired temperatures.
    About Toyota making it complicated, I think the OP should go into a BMW or any other car. Toyota in comparison is children play. Everything is quite intuitive.
    I'd say, activate S-Flow and simply let it do its job. ;)
     
  11. Kuluz4Dayz

    Kuluz4Dayz Junior Member

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    S-Flow is more noticeable while driving / car in motion. I’ve noticed that with S-Flow activated to Front Priority with the driver and a passenger in the front seats the AC will blow to the front vents when set to face.

    I’ve noticed when the passenger leaves the car you will hear the passenger vent (closest to the passenger door) close and it automatically goes to Driver Priority. Sometimes air will still blow out from the passenger vent closest to the passenger door when it’s on fan and AC is off.

    With Driver Priority on and you’re driving without a passenger in front and you reach over to the passenger vent (closest to the passenger door), the vent will be closed.

    When you stop and pick up a passenger the vent will automatically open. Listen carefully and you’ll hear the airflow pressure and vents opening.
     
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  12. namuramc

    namuramc New Member

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    Hi everyone, hope don't mind if I resurface an old thread. Just got my hybrid recently and was actually checking out the S-flow mode. I was wondering if S-flow usage has any impact on the hybrid battery temperature as the rear air conditioning vents are deactivated (no air flow) when there is no one in the rear seats?

    Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this. Thanks everyone! :)
     
  13. Doug McC

    Doug McC Senior Member

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    We’ve actually tested the air flow in the different modes over different conditions (AFTER READING THE MANUAL, which seems to be an unusual skill ), and lo and behold it actually works as the manual says in the 2022 nightshade XLE. So, yes air flow will be restricted to the rear floor area, resulting in less air flow directed at the traction battery air inlet! BUT WAIT!!!! OMG, maybe that’s why those uninformed design engineers at Toyota (who CLEARLY have no idea what they are doing) installed a fan in the duct work for the cooling system of the traction battery.
     
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Prius has a fan so it will draw in air as needed.

    Plus, S-Flow for the rear only works with the heater as there are only heater ducts for the rear seats (under the front seats). There are no A/C vents in the rear in any Prius so it's a moot point in the summer. It just cycles between Driver only and Front Seats.
     
  15. Doug McC

    Doug McC Senior Member

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    Interesting: thenToyota needs to rewrite the OM for the 2022 US models starting on page 430 through 443 and perhaps we should take ours back to the dealership to have that airflow coming from underneath the front seats in to the rear seat area “corrected”. I wonder if that would be covered under the warranty;).
     
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