Engine Noise and Responsiveness

Hi Holycow99,

I think you answered your own question. Being in a warmer climate, the AC will run down the battery when sitting. The car does not like charging the battery, unless its moving. What the highway acceleration test within a couple miles from sitting with the AC on ?

The car gives priority to battery life. Which means it is programmed to try to hold the battery mid charge. If the battery is down into the purple bars on the SOC (State of Charge) indicator (which is on the "energy" screen), it will run the engine pretty hard, if you need acceleration at the same time. As you were just driving the car for the first time, you might not have even been in this screen on the display, let alone noticed the SOC indicator.

In normal driving in hot muggy weather, its usually not a problem as the car is always moving, and it keeps the battery at mid point. In stop and go traffic, the battery gets down, but, hey, there is no need to accelerate very much either. Only the odd situation of a sitting in a dealer lot waiting for the next test driver, or at a rest stop on the highway with the AC on and stationary is where this is noticable. Parking in the shade is always a good thing, no mater which car you drive, of course.

 

It may also feel to you as though the clutch is slipping. This is perfectly normal: there is no clutch, and the engine RPMs are not a direct function of the road speed. It's just the engine running as needed to supply the power required at each moment.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(holycow99 @ Oct 15 2007, 09:40 PM) [snapback]526148[/snapback]</div>

Keep your eye on the SOC (State of Charge) of the battery. When I first picked up my Prius, it was mid-August, and the car had only been driven enough to get it to the gas station. They had just pulled it off of the truck, prepped it and gassed it up. They then let it cool with the A/C on. By the time I got in to drive it away, it was showing two purple bars. In fact, it took me a couple of weeks before the purple bars really went away. I don't think I've seen them now for a long time.

Some of this comes from learning to drive better, of course. At the same time, I think newer cars that have been sitting out will not be prepared to give prime HSD performance. Not to worry -- it will! I still haven't had a tank under 50 MPG (according to the MFD), while my calculated mileage is now above 53 for the lifetime of my car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Oct 16 2007, 12:09 AM) [snapback]526183[/snapback]</div>

Yikes! Couple of weeks to get the purple bars go away? Thats not right. I've had the purple bars a few times and the batt charges right back up to 3 0r 4 blue's within a 15 minute drive. Only see the purple bars now if I do something stupid like let the car sit with the air on for 20 minutes. In fact the longer I own the car..... now been about 2 months its become really easy now to achieve all green bars.Usually takes about a 25 minute drive even with the air on.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Drifty'sDad @ Oct 16 2007, 12:11 AM) [snapback]526209[/snapback]</div>

Yikes, indeed!! Now I see the reason for your reaction. What I meant to say is that the purple bars continuously or regularly reappeared. I would have three or four blue bars (no more) that periodically reverted to the one or two purple bars. I didn't see any green bars for at least five or six weeks after I bought the car. Now, I don't see the purple bars at all, and I regularly see five or six green bars come up. I don't know why the progression exists. Perhaps it has to do with the design of the car. Of course, it could just be due to my learning curve in driving the Prius.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Drifty'sDad @ Oct 16 2007, 12:11 AM) [snapback]526209[/snapback]</div>

I must be *really* stupid...'cause I set the HVAC, and let the car sit for hours!

The Prius is actually one of the most comfortable road-tripping, "sleep in it" cars I've ever owned.

Set the HVAC, lock the doors, climb in back, and slip under the covers; the car will efficiently cycle the ICE and take care of itself all night long.

Biggest concern is hitting your head on the dome light when you get up in the morning!


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Two purple bars indicates a SOC in the neighborhood of 40%. All green bars, about 80%...it's not like the battery is at zero when you're seeing the purple bars.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Oct 16 2007, 08:36 PM) [snapback]526254[/snapback]</div>

Too right, you use the car however suits you. The best tent you ever had? Absolutely!!

Something I would love to find for Prius, it was called a hatch hutch back in the 70s, a tent like thing that goes over the open hatch to create a comfortable sleeper you can sit up in. If it was made double walled with a thin layer of insulation all the better.

Here is a small picture of a Holden Torana with a hatch hutch

Sorry this is off topic very badly. Oops.

 

There's no practical reason to pay attention to or worry about the pretty colored bars. Unless the car needs repair it keeps itself charged appropriately when "Ready" and in D, B, or P. If it sits this way for any length of time the display will stay at two purple bars until the car eventually runs out of fuel (don't let *that* happen, obviously).

 

I can see why some people are intimidated by our Pri; sure, the cars are not perfect, (I'm not either), but they ARE so darn intelligent in so many ways.

Like the smart kid in school who was hassled by bullies...then turns out to be their boss later in life.

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Yes, absolutely, the car will take care of itself all night long. In fact, I was initially surprised at how little time the ICE spent running (it wasn't freezing cold outside, though).

What I *really* want now is motorized curtains, like in the back window of a Maybach!!


Seriously, I was briefly considering the purchase of a Westphaila Eurovan from poptopheaven.com...but, honestly, the way the HVAC is so well integrated in the Prius makes just about anything else seem a bit primitive in comparison.

You know, I was in Napa, CA recently; it was funny how all the expensive limos and luxury sedans and wine-tour vans in the parking lot next to my Prius became leather-lined ovens unless their engines were running constantly (to power the HVAC)...meanwhile, I was sitting there, with the A/C on, parked in 100 degree heat, and the engine was cycling on and off briefly every few minutes.

I could see the heat *pouring* off of those other vehicles (especially the black ones!)...some of the cars eventually shut off their engines and had to open the windows --nothing like returning to a sweaty driver and baking hot limo to really enhance the luxury experience-- but not my little Prius!! When my passenger returned, we were off.

FYI, average mileage, with [ahem] spirited driving, non-LRR tires, a fully loaded car, and extended periods of idling with the A/C on in very hot weather: 40.8 mpg!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Oct 16 2007, 04:03 PM) [snapback]526532[/snapback]</div>

Yep. The A/C compressors in old-fashioned cars are optimized for the engine turning at driving RPMs. At idle they don't work nearly so well.