2007 with reduced engine response on cold start after sitting for 2 days

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by 08priusowner145, May 8, 2022.

  1. 08priusowner145

    08priusowner145 Junior Member

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    Someone I know has an 07 Prius with 191,000 miles on it. Whenever it's sat for more than a day, you can start it with no issue on a dead-cold start and back out of the driveway, but when you try to drive it up the hill she lives on, the engine has significantly reduced power up the hill. About 15 seconds into the climb, it finally responds, revs the engine high, and suddenly kicks in with power surging faster up the hill. There are no codes. This new happens when the vehicle has been driven within the last few hours and is only when it's very first started completely cold.

    Lately, she's only been driving it about .5 to one mile a day twice a day, so fuel economy over time is difficult to judge. The vehicle is only running long enough to get the catalytic converter hot (so the engine is on and not in EV mode at all) the whole time it has been running.
     
    #1 08priusowner145, May 8, 2022
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds like you're starting out in ev, then the engine kicks in and is going through the warm up cycle.

    you've got an old weak battery that isn't helping as much as it used to.

    the worst thing you can do is let these cars sit around, the cells start to go out of balance, and driving a mile is terrible for the engine.

    has she done any engine maintenance?
     
    #2 bisco, May 9, 2022
    edthefox5 likes this.
  3. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Driving two miles a day doesn’t even give the 12v battery time to recharge much less allow the HV battery to condition itself. If the plan is to no drive much in the long term, probably a good time to consider selling the car and getting a conventional IC vehicle. Current market for used Prius is good to sell.
     
    #3 Another, May 10, 2022
  4. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Start looking at the hybrid battery charge level.

    Probably in purple or even red in the am. No hybrid battery participation= no power.

    2 miles a day is guaranteed to keep the hybrid and 12 battery in constant undercharge. It will eventually kill the hybrid battery at that age. At the minimum it will excite rust on the battery connections.

    We saw hundreds of hybrid battery’s fail during covid no one drove much for months.
     
    #4 edthefox5, May 10, 2022
  5. 08priusowner145

    08priusowner145 Junior Member

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    Thank you, everyone. Although the readings on the hybrid battery seemed to always be good upon start-up, I suppose that could have been part of the issue. The engine seems to have developed a serious stumble since I posted but still no code. She took it as a sign and decided to trade it in for a different vehicle. Thank you all again. Take care.
     
    #5 08priusowner145, May 11, 2022
    edthefox5 likes this.
  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Wise move.
     
    #6 edthefox5, May 12, 2022
  7. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Did they give you $1200?
     
    #7 Another, May 13, 2022
  8. 08priusowner145

    08priusowner145 Junior Member

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    For the trade-in? She got $2000.00 for it.
     
    #8 08priusowner145, May 15, 2022
  9. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Good deal for the buyer
     
    #9 Another, May 16, 2022
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