Hi all- I know the B gear is helpful when going downhill to use instead of the brake. What about on flat terrain to help slow the car? Does this wear anything down faster? Are there any advantages to using it besides saving brake pads? Dies is regenreate the battery faster? Thanks! -S
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PsyPrius @ Sep 18 2006, 07:38 PM) [snapback]321475[/snapback]</div> Define flat. Define hills. Place a general idea of your location. If you want to regenerate the battery use the break peddle lightly until the battery is at near all green then switch to B. Unless you live around really big hills you will never need B. I live on the left coast near the Cascade and Rocky Mountains and have only used B 3-4 times. It takes a steep long hill. For most drivers keep it in D and use the "brakes" genitally and early. Remember this is not your normal car. Unless there is a huge down hill in front of you, you can "ride the brakes" all the way down and fill up your battery. I do this regularly when I go into downtown Olympia. It is on a tidal flats and fill. I fill the battery and cruse the downtown in stealth mode, terrorizing the pedestrians and bicyclists, by seeking up on them!! Any bit of light pressure on the breaks recharges the battery for the next one.
In short, NO! using "B" is not recommended. Indeed, it is for extended downhills, but I live in the mountains and I never ever use B. The regen brakes will not "Overcharge" the brakes, so unless you live in super mountainous terrain, you should never need to use B. I recommend you just forget its even there. Its sort of like the "L" in your regular vehicle. You don't really need it.
My wife used "B" whenever she would need to use the brakes if she just needed to slow down a bit. I got her to stop and just use the brakes. Her MPG went up from 48 ish to around 54 ish. It has only been a month she has stopped using it so we will see (she had done that for a whole year and a half before I noticed).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas @ Sep 18 2006, 10:50 PM) [snapback]321485[/snapback]</div> Sounds kinky.
PsyPrius, it's better not to use B on the flat. Using B saves brake pads but wastes gas. Did you buy a Prius to waste gas?
I have a similar question which might justify it's own thread but I'll just pile it on here... What about using B in snow or icy conditions? With traditional AT cars I often use a lower gear when I want to lay off my brakes, even on a mild grade but I'm not sure if B has the same effect.
2004 Owner's Manual - pp 136-137 Likely near the same page numbers in the '05 and '06 manuals. Whaddayouknow... The answer is in the Owner's Manual Section 2-6 Operation of Instruments and Controls. Lots of helpful information in the Owner's Manual - even illustrations.
Brilliantly illustrated. In fact, that first picture looks like the perfect candidate for P&G as well as taking advantage of the rolling hills. You shouldn't need the engine until you reach that last hill at the far end where that car is.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bohous @ Sep 19 2006, 10:03 AM) [snapback]321686[/snapback]</div> Using a lower gear (or B) is just like applying the brakes, but in a more dangerous fashion since it only works on the drive wheels. Gentle, controlled use of the brake pedal is best in *most* conditions. But to answer the similarity question: probably yes.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Sep 19 2006, 08:12 AM) [snapback]321554[/snapback]</div> probably just kin to Stephen Colbert
Last week as I was driving to work at 0 dark:30 am, something didn't feel or sound right with Trixie. The engine had a definite drag to it and there was no gliding. I was afraid my parking brake had jammed somehow or something worse was happening. I didn't show any warning lights or icons on the dash though. When I could manage to pull over, I did and completely shut down Trixie and started back up again. Everything was fine. It didn't occur to me until then, that I might have been in B mode and didn't even realize it. After searching here for an answer and talking to a couple other Prius owners, I'm pretty sure that's what it was. I'm just glad it wasn't something else.
Use B whenever you want to. Use it fight boredom, to slow down the car or to relax. It's your car. B)
Ok, I just bought my prius a week ago, and during the test drive, the salesman had us go up a very long hill, then come back down, and we used the B gear the whole way down (it completely charged the battery rather quickly). He said, "It runs the electric motor in reverse to generate electricity and to help slow the car." It made sense, and I didn't know any better at the time. Now that I'm reading all these posts, everyone is saying it uses the ICE to slow the car. Which is it?
"B" will increase the amount of regeneration (which will decrease your speed) from MG2 at first until the battery state of charge is full or the battery heats up too much. At that point when the battery cannot take more charge the ICE will be spun by MG1 to use up the extra regeneration that MG2 is producing as well as draw off some charge from the battery. Wayne
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jbullard @ Jun 1 2007, 10:03 AM) [snapback]453317[/snapback]</div> Some salesreps have said that the B is for running the Prius on battery alone.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 18 2006, 09:16 PM) [snapback]321493[/snapback]</div> I could be wrong, but I don't believe "B" applies the brake lights. You don't want to get rear-ended by someone not paying attention.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chris Ewert @ Jun 1 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]453339[/snapback]</div> That is correct, but your brake lights don't come on when you shift to low gear in a conventional car either, which is what "B" simulates most. Wayne
