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I HATE my prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by lazyleo, Jan 20, 2007.

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  1. lazyleo

    lazyleo New Member

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    Well, it's snow time here in Wichita. I pull up in my driveway to get in the garage, stop my prius and get out to knock off all the snow around the wheels to keep from dragging it all in the garage. I get back in my prius, and am stuck. LITERALLY STUCK! Is this a rant? Yes. I'm 4 ft from my own garage and find myself digging my own way out of my driveway. The stupid idiotic synergy drive REFUSES to even once spin the tires, I have absolutely no traction. I rock the car back and forth but after a while that ceases to work either. The car refuses to budge. I open the door while I'm flooring it, and the stinkin wheels aren't even moving! They move maybe 2 inches then the darn anti skid thing kicks in and it rocks back to a stop. This is more nerve racking than anything. It's still snowing. I can't go forward or backward in my own driveway. I'm going to have to go baby the damn car to get it to move 4 ft into the garage. I'm sorry, but right now, if I could, I'd take that stupid prius and run it into the lake. Screw the mileage. I want a car that can go over a 3 inch pack of SNOW. not ICE. SNOW without crapping out on me.
     
    #1 lazyleo, Jan 20, 2007
  2. duanelaugh

    duanelaugh New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 04:30 PM) [snapback]378356[/snapback]</div>
    Hmmmmm are you upset? Move to Florida.
     
    #2 duanelaugh, Jan 20, 2007
  3. rfred

    rfred New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Duane @ Jan 20 2007, 04:27 PM) [snapback]378369[/snapback]</div>
    You better hope he doesn't!
     
    #3 rfred, Jan 20, 2007
  4. IndyDoug

    IndyDoug New Member

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    Are you angry at the Prius or the fact that you could not get into the garage because of the snow?
     
    #4 IndyDoug, Jan 20, 2007
  5. johnnymg

    johnnymg New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 01:30 PM) [snapback]378356[/snapback]</div>
    That does sound aweful. Sounds like a real saftey issue.

    Other than ranting here why don't you file a complaint with an organization that might have some clout with Toyota: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

    Good luck
    JohnG
     
    #5 johnnymg, Jan 20, 2007
  6. MegansPrius

    MegansPrius GoogleMeister, AKA bongokitty

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 05:30 PM) [snapback]378356[/snapback]</div>
    If you're still using the OEM tires, they've probably worn down and could use a change. Most people on here who reported snow traction problems fixed it with a change of tires.
     
    #6 MegansPrius, Jan 20, 2007
  7. lazyleo

    lazyleo New Member

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    Well, I won't be moving. I came on here and browsed a few threads finding out this isn't an uncommon problem. I finally went back outside and spent half an hour digging and digging down till I hit pavement. Then the car moved a few inches and stopped. I don't mean stopped completely, but rather the power driving the wheels was just cut. If this had happened out in a parking lot or something, I'd be forced to call a tow truck. Yeah, it was a rant, but at the same time, this kind of performance should be completely unacceptable. Why Toyota would create something like this is beyond me. Did they even try testing the car in the snow? Why couldn't they make a switch in the car to run only on the engine for times when you needed power to get out of situations like that, or another situation, say mud for example?
     
    #7 lazyleo, Jan 20, 2007
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Have you had the firmware updated? For 2006, Toyota changed the parameters for the traction control, and it is less intrusive. It can still be a pain, but it's much better. I understand these changes were applied to the 2004 and 2005 models through a firmware upgrade, but I don't know the details. I drive in snow all the time, this being northern Michigan, and I find the Prius does quite well. I just drove out of our driveway in 8 inches of snow without any problems. We live on a pretty steep hill, and the snow was thick and greasy today. I spun my way up the hill with the traction control light flashing the whole way. I did switch to better tires; the OEM ones are bad in snow.

    Tom

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 06:07 PM) [snapback]378384[/snapback]</div>
    The Hybrid Synergy Drive never runs just on engine - it can't run on just the engine. There are several good threads here explaining how it works.

    Tom
     
    #8 qbee42, Jan 20, 2007
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 01:30 PM) [snapback]378356[/snapback]</div>
    2 words - winter tyres.
     
    #9 Tideland Prius, Jan 20, 2007
  10. Squint

    Squint New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jan 20 2007, 05:14 PM) [snapback]378409[/snapback]</div>
    I have to agree. It's a tire traction issue.

    I got a set of alloy rims and put Bridgestone Blizzak REVO 1 tires on them. I also got a torque wrench and swapped the wheels myself.
     
    #10 Squint, Jan 20, 2007
  11. lordmakemeworthy

    lordmakemeworthy New Member

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    hate is a pretty strong word, i think.

    i luv my prius 2006, had it over 1 year, even as much as more than my old 1966 BMW R69s motorcycle.
     
    #11 lordmakemeworthy, Jan 20, 2007
  12. Ken Cooper

    Ken Cooper New Member

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    Not much sympathy here. I presume most of these folks haven't had this happen to them yet. It's a very frustrating experience. The Prius does this for self protection. When I experienced it, my only thoughts centered around how stupid I was trading my Audi in for this %$*&^ Prius.

    Here's a link to some folks who will definitely empathise:

    http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=28573&hl=
     
    #12 Ken Cooper, Jan 20, 2007
  13. jburns

    jburns Senior Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Squint @ Jan 20 2007, 07:58 PM) [snapback]378426[/snapback]</div>
    It's more than a tire issue. It a design issue that impacts safety. I slipped on a bit of gravel as I pulled out onto a busy urban four lane and the power went to zero. Exciting for a moment. Eventually someone will get killed and then we will see what happens.
     
    #13 jburns, Jan 20, 2007
  14. johnnymg

    johnnymg New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jburns @ Jan 20 2007, 06:17 PM) [snapback]378461[/snapback]</div>
    Agreed.................. : http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
     
    #14 johnnymg, Jan 20, 2007
  15. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    Snow tires?

    It sounds like the car is doing exactly what it was designed to do, operate safely in snow/ice conditions.

    Did you shovel your driveway? Do you have an automatic garage door opener? Do you have Snow Tires? I'd do those three things before I blamed the car.
     
    #15 Godiva, Jan 20, 2007
  16. member

    member New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 02:30 PM) [snapback]378356[/snapback]</div>
    It's not the synergy drive, it's the TRAC control. It's happened to me too. Seems to be particularly susceptible to the kind of snow slurry you had too. I have good snows on (Mich X-ice) which helps tremendously, but doesn't solve the traction control problem. I guess if you're in an environment where you see this condition a lot, and cannot put on studded snows, then Prius isn't a good choice.
     
    #16 member, Jan 20, 2007
  17. lazyleo

    lazyleo New Member

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    Well, I finally got my car to move. I kept poking my head out the window, leaning out to see the front wheel TRYING to turn, it's really something. To push the gas pedal down all the way and the wheel doesn't even spin! It just moved the car a few inches and conked out. My battery was on 2 bars and the damn engine STILL wouldn't start up. Even when it finally did, it didn't help. Turning the wheels didn't help much, but finally, the wheels took off like a jet and I found myself in front of my house in a car going sideways, on a flat driveway nonetheless, trying to get the thing inside. After I got it in, I went out and looked at all the tire tracks I had made trying to get into the garage. Now that I think about it I should have taken a picture and posted it, it was something. New snow has fallen though so a pic is out, and now I'm afraid to even try going to work. I'm not even going to bring up the amount of cussing I did outside at the car. Or thinking about my neighbors standing in their house across the street, probably drinking a cup of hot coffee saying "hey dear, come check this guy out... ha ha ha"... *sigh*...

    Anyways, some people here have brought up the safety issue of this problem. And it's a very valid point. Now that that has been brought up, I thought I should mention something that I found happening to me more than once today in the snow. There were at least 3 instances where I found myself at an intersection making a right hand turn in front of oncoming traffic, of which was a good distance away. However upon pulling out the wheels would hit a patch of snow slush and lose all power, and I was asking myself, do I stop? or keep going? So, I kept at it, and started out onto the street and hit a bit of ice in the middle of the lane and I'd lose all power again. I actually panicked thinking the car wasn't going to keep going, or I didn't have enough momentum to get over the little hump of ice in the middle of the road. I wondered if the cars coming at me would notice I was slowing down and if they'd be able to stop or not. If the wheels had kept going, then along with the momentum already the car would have made it easy. But when it dropped all power and I was in the middle of an icy road looking at people coming at me with my prius coughing to drive, I was just beginning to see the seriousness of the problem.

    The little episode in my driveway was only one of 2 major problems I had today with the car. Another at work I had parked on a slight incline and found myself going into work and pulling out placemats to put under the wheels to back out with. With a little help from people pushing, rubber floor mats, and more patience I got out. This problem was more than just mildly aggravating. I went downtown to run a few errands and found myself almost getting stuck in the same manner as I did at home here. If it had happened downtown like it did in my driveway, I'd have been royally screwed.
     
    #17 lazyleo, Jan 20, 2007
  18. Bohous

    Bohous New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jan 20 2007, 09:54 PM) [snapback]378475[/snapback]</div>

    All due respect but that's easy for you to say out there in San Diego. For one thing, you can't exactly shovel your driveway when it starts to snow and you are at work. I ran into this same issue with less than an inch of snow, which under normal circumstances would never warrant breaking out a shovel. I have since upgraded my tires and we have not had another snow but after that single experience in Maine I can honestly say that traction control is a problem in these conditions. IMO, TC is effective while traveling on icy roads at a constant rate of speed but at a slow speed or from a dead stop if the tires start to spin the least bit you are screwed. If not for being close to family to help us push that night we would have been stranded. I had to let my wife drive the car with our 1yr old in the back so I could help push. Once we got her moving I told her to just keep driving to the end of the rural road we were on till she got to the busier, plowed road about 1/2 mile away which meant I was walking and she is now sitting on the side of the road in icy conditions with cars driving by while waiting for me to catch up.
    Now it appears that I might be taking a job in Maine and, depending on the effectiveness of the new tires, I am holding my breath knowing I will be encountering those conditions more regularly I feel I might be forced to sell the Prius for something safer.
    Let me just say that I certainly hope Toyota does in fact read these boards and is taking notes and measures.
     
    #18 Bohous, Jan 20, 2007
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Seriously though. If you had the ECU update before the steering wheel recall, it should've fixed it.

    Mine was acting exactly as you've described when I first got the car. zip zero zelch. Once the power was cut, that was it. I had to shift to reverse to get some power then back to drive.

    This winter, the computer actually let me spin the wheels. It was as if TRAC was scaled back (and by quite a margin, I'd say).
     
    #19 Tideland Prius, Jan 20, 2007
  20. member

    member New Member

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    In a related matter... I drive up and down two windy canyons daily, and in the winter and spring we can get black ice from daytime melt and evening freezes. When you hit this stuff on a curve with no guard rail and 100' to fall, it really gets your attention.

    Each time I've hit black ice in the canyon with VSC, it has detected and corrected perfectly before I could even get my foot off the pedal. Very happy to have made the investment.

    When I drive up a steep hill with snowpack, TRAC balances the power between the wheels perfectly as advertised.

    The only time I got stuck was in my driveway (HAH!) because I was trying to drive uphill in 5" of dense snow.

    I knew to get snows on the Prius immediately after picking it up from the dealer since I researched the Prius partly on this very web board before the buy. I did not see anything about the oversensitivity of TRAC tho, which I can't argue, is a complete drag.

    If you use good snows or studded snows or even cable chains, there is no reason this car won't work for people in snowy areas. True, if you have a lot of snow a lot of the time, then you should be in a Subaru. But in Colorado, we typically don't see impassable roads a large percentage of time, so a Prius with the right tires is a perfectly suitable car for Colorado.
     
    #20 member, Jan 20, 2007
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