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

Electric Motor (in trunk space) runs after shutdown

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by BGSD4149, Nov 19, 2016.

  1. BGSD4149

    BGSD4149 New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    2
    1
    0
    Location:
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Bought my Prius C one week ago! 1st off, love it! It drives quiet, is easy to park (I live downtown). This morning, I drove the car for 45 min & parked it in the garage. Around 3PM, I noticed an electric motor (Fan?) running underneath the trunk space . Is this normal? I verified the car was turned off (ignition-ish switch). Checked again around 4PM...the back-fan was turned off. This is the 3rd time this has happened.

    Also noticed every morning, when backing out, ICE turns on immediately upon backing out. Is this due to the Prius C's hybrid Synergy Drive configuration?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    congrats and welcome! it's just an emission check, no worries. it can be disconcerting though!:eek:

    the ice always starts within so many seconds of putting the car in ready, depending on outside temp. if it's warm enough, you can press the ev button and keep the engine off for a short while.
     
    BGSD4149 likes this.
  3. blackbelt

    blackbelt Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2016
    10
    12
    0
    Location:
    Saxonburg PA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    II
    What yo may be hearing is the cooling fan for the traction motor battery, which is located under the rear seat.
     
    BGSD4149 likes this.
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,557
    10,324
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    This is the 3rd time that you caught it in the act. It happens after every time you drive it.

    Somewhere in the Owners Manual should be a listing of the odd noises the car makes. This one is an evaporative emissions system check. It happens a certain number of hours after it was shut off, and lasts only a few minutes.
     
    BGSD4149 and Mendel Leisk like this.
  5. BGSD4149

    BGSD4149 New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    2
    1
    0
    Location:
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Aside from this minor issue...I love my new car :D
     
    bisco likes this.
  6. davidc83

    davidc83 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    113
    50
    0
    Location:
    Scottsburg, Indiana
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius c
    Model:
    Five
    Read the owner's manual. It specifically states the car makes noises after shutdown..

    XT830C ?
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,237
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Last question first: I would think so. My 2010 Prius ALWAYS starts the engine, within 15 seconds of startup, and runs for maybe 5 minutes minimum, before getting into any engine shut-down behaviours.

    The 2016 regular Prius are a different case, they purportedly will leave the engine off at start up, maybe dependent on ambient temps.

    Regarding the noises when the car's off, there are some things happening a while after the car's been shut down. This is from page 16 of the 2014 Prius c Owner's Manual (happen to have that year's pdf):

    upload_2016-12-2_7-53-26.png
     
  8. trentofdestiny

    trentofdestiny Master Finagler

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    1,104
    227
    0
    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    This


    iPhone ?
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,237
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    That'd actually be good, I suspect it can be slow-death for the hybrid battery: a hot car parked in a hot garage in summer. Would help if the hybrid battery vent fan could emergency-run for a minute or two. But I don't think it can.