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Cannot use EV mode - 2008 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by jblackwell, May 12, 2008.

  1. jblackwell

    jblackwell Junior Member

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    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    So I installed a Coastal EV mod over the weekend and am having issues getting the car in EV mode. I have gotten it in a couple of times; however, most of the time (especially when I want to show a friend how cool it is) it NEVER goes in. Any ideas? Battery has been a minimum of 4 bars prior to attempts every time.

    Thanks!

    John
     
  2. gt4fore

    gt4fore Junior Member

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    Make sure the pin is properly inserted in the connector, you can check the front of the connector and make sure the pin you inserted looks the same as the other pins.


    According to the directions, EV mode is only available:

    1) The car is powered on and the stalk is immediately pulled.
    2) The stalk is pulled after the engine has completed it's warm up cycle.
    3) The speed of the car is below 34 mph.
    4) The battery is showing greater than 3 bars.

    I have an 08 and EV mode works perfectly.

    Good Luck,

    -GT


     
  3. jblackwell

    jblackwell Junior Member

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    Three
    I'm fairly certain it's installed properly, it just isn't working properly... I keep getting the message on the display that reads "Cannot use EV mode currently"

    No clue...
     
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

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    If you're seeing a message that you can't use EV mode then the mod is properly installed and is working properly. It's just that you're trying to use it during a time EV mode can't use.

    More than likely it's that you're in stage 1 or stage 2 and EV mode won't work. It's possible that the battery or inverter temps are too high...but unlikely at this time of year.

    Best test to see if it's working is to put your car in READY then immediately attempt to engage EV...BEFORE the ICE starts. If you're able to get in then you know for sure it's working ok.
    Also, when you engage you must be sure your foot is completely off of the accelerator pedal...even a small amount of pressure can cause EV not to engage.
     
  5. jblackwell

    jblackwell Junior Member

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    Potentially the temp.... I'm in AZ and it was 90* today...
     
  6. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Yes, if the battery temp is too hot or too cold, EV will be
    disabled. Batteries like the same temps we do, and the ECU
    knows that.
    .
    _H*
     
  7. Doc Willie

    Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander

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    I have NEVER been able to get my car in EV mode (using Coastal switch) once the engine is running.
     
  8. Jon1976

    Jon1976 Junior Member

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    I just got the EV mod today and installed it. It seems to work great. I did notice it will use up the battery quite fast but I can see the advantage of using it to start off. I didn't have any problems installing it but could have used smaller arms and hands. After watching the video and looking at the directions I knew what to look for and expect.

    Jon
     
  9. dwdean

    dwdean Member

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    I'm guessing that this means that the Prius is alot like the Honda Quaalude, ere I mean Prelude that owned once upon a time? Meaning it was assembled by people with very small hands, all of whom seem to have at least one spare set of hands and the uncanny ability to bend at impossible angles and/or manipulate small parts that they can't see...;)
     
  10. oms2burn

    oms2burn New Member

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    I installed mine early this year (Christmas present) and it works fine. If I am not mistaken, it will not engage when the A/C is cranking (keep me honest gang). Maybe that is before the ICE turns on. It is kind of reassuring that it tells you it can't go to EV mode; makes it feel more built in. I also have had issues with EV after doing a cruise (not a common need, I'm sure and it almost makes sense that the stalk would not work for both).
     
  11. eclipse3g

    eclipse3g Junior Member

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    Mine was working fine when I installed it a couple of weeks ago, but today when I tried it I got the same message. It's been warm here high 90's for the last few days. The advice about the outside temp and/or is the A/C on could be why its not engaging. I'll check it tomorrow morning when things are cool and see if it works then.
     
  12. tmanson

    tmanson Geetar-playin' Traveler

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    I put mine in today and it seems to be working fine. What are the criteria for satisfying S1? Time, Temp, both? How long does it usually take? Is the S1 criteria reset each time the car is turned off?

    Tom
     
  13. eclipse3g

    eclipse3g Junior Member

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    Used it today and all was fine.....:), even was going into EV mode with the A/C on..
     
  14. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    Time and temperature both seem to affect S1, though it's impossible to quantify the effects of either. After an overnight cold-soak, S1 will last a little over a minute. I haven't timed it precisely, but there doesn't seem to be much difference between cold and warm mornings. There is no exact ICE temperature at which it terminates; I've seen it cut off at 70-something in the winter and last until well over 100F in the summer.

    On the other hand, a pre-heat with an engine block heater will substantially shorten it, sometimes to as little as 30 seconds first thing in the morning.

    For some unknown reason, S1 does reset whenever the car is powered off, requiring at least an abbreviated S1 run-on period. A brief power-off period results in only a brief S1, maybe a few seconds. No one can explain Toyota's logic behind it. It is for this reason that I usually leave the car powered up when I park it for a short period, generally <10 minutes, for things like convenience store stops. (I lock it with the mechanical key if security is a concern.) The minimal power drain on the battery is likely less than the power consumed for that totally unnecessary (IMHO) ICE-on period.
     
  15. tmanson

    tmanson Geetar-playin' Traveler

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    Thanks for that detailed response Jim. Exactly what I was after. Something someone else had said led me to believe that it was on the order of 10 minutes or more.

    Thanks again,
    Tom
     
  16. chrisspaulding

    chrisspaulding sexy, high tech, fun

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    I installed mine this weekend!
    So cool.
    It was hard to tell if I had it working right. Tight job.
    But when I got the "can't go into AV mode" alert I I knew it was a success.
    Then, just needed to learn best ways to use it and when I can/can't.
    That darn battery goes quick, but I'm getting the hang of it. :rockon:
     
  17. DLOPRETTA

    DLOPRETTA New Member

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    Yea, i have the same issue, i just installed the EV Mod Button from Coastal Tech (CC switch). I wasn't sure i installed it correctly, i also get the Triple Beep with no switching in the Energy Screen. Although the ONE time i got it to engage EV mode, i thought i heard only one beep, and i was able to continuously drive it around the block at speeds up to roughly 30, until the SOC was at 2 bars, at which point the triple beep indicated low SOC and the EV Mode shut off. But, i can't seem to show my wife the EV Mode, every time i think i may have it engaged, at roughly 10% throttle input the ICE kicks in, as well as my Disappointment. So i would like to know how you Veterens do it, how do you get it to engage almost 100% of the time. When, where, hot/cold, dry/wet, warmed up, cold..... If i installed it incorrectly, the triple beep would not be active. Right? I mean i do not know. Let me know what you think.
     
  18. vertex

    vertex Active Member

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    There are a lot of variables that effect the availability of EV mode. I do not know all of them, but from what I have observed using it, the SOC, coolant temperature have an effect from a cold start. You must activate EV within 6 seconds of the ready light going on. Once the car warms up, you can also activate EV mode if SOC is high enough.