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

Battery blower and engine surging?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by GadgetMan2, May 25, 2007.

  1. GadgetMan2

    GadgetMan2 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2007
    55
    0
    0
    Today was a hot one up here in NH (80-90's). I went out for a drive and while wating for the wife to come out, I noticed a blower came on in the back seat in the battery vent. 1st time in a month I heard that, but then the engine started to surge up and down. Once I started to drive the surging stopped. Anyone have something similar happen?
     
    #1 GadgetMan2, May 25, 2007
  2. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2005
    1,460
    24
    1
    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GadgetMan2 @ May 25 2007, 09:20 PM) [snapback]450169[/snapback]</div>
    I think that, perhaps, the two things aren't related. The fan coming on in the back seat is not unexpected if it's a hot day and its trying to ventilate the battery. As for the engine surging, did you have the A/C on? If so, I suspect that the A/C might have run the battery down to the point where the engine was coming on and off in order to charge the battery. Does this square with your experiences?
     
    #2 Betelgeuse, May 26, 2007
  3. GadgetMan2

    GadgetMan2 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2007
    55
    0
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Betelgeuse @ May 26 2007, 12:37 AM) [snapback]450245[/snapback]</div>
    The blower in the back sounds reasanable, but the engine sure was really starange. If the ICE was trying to charge the battery, it woudl just run as usual. But it was starting and stopping the ICE over and over, like a surging. I shut it off and then back on and it seemed to stop, very strange.
     
    #3 GadgetMan2, May 26, 2007
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,075
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GadgetMan2 @ May 26 2007, 05:13 AM) [snapback]450310[/snapback]</div>
    What was the SOC? If you have a very high SOC, the Prius will spin the ICE without fuel to burn off excess energy in the battery. When it does this, it runs in fits and spells exactly as you describe.

    Tom
     
    #4 qbee42, May 26, 2007
  5. bc104

    bc104 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2007
    57
    2
    0
    Location:
    New York
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GadgetMan2 @ May 26 2007, 04:13 AM) [snapback]450310[/snapback]</div>
    The ICE in mine did the same in NY. The battery bars were 1-2 and I was in traffic. Anytime I took my foot off the accelerator pedal this occurred until I got moving. I believe this is normal.
     
    #5 bc104, May 26, 2007
  6. GadgetMan2

    GadgetMan2 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2007
    55
    0
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bc104 @ May 26 2007, 08:01 AM) [snapback]450331[/snapback]</div>
    Great. I was afraid there was something wrong. Thanks for the feedback, at least I now know it is normal under certain conditions.
     
    #6 GadgetMan2, May 26, 2007
  7. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,041
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Related note: since the battery and associated electronics draw their cooling air from the cabin, the battery ultimately depends on the A/C to maintain proper temperature. If you are not comfortable then the battery probably is not comfortable either, and its efficiency will be reduced. Further, keeping the windows closed at all times and using the A/C exclusively minimizes the amount of dust that gets into the battery compartment.
     
    #7 richard schumacher, May 30, 2007
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)