I HATE my prius

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.

Suggestion: Buy a Hummer, man! Or, take some driving lessons :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(derk @ Jan 20 2007, 09:50 PM) [snapback]378530[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 07:07 PM) [snapback]378384[/snapback]</div>

I've been driving through heavy snow for two years now. How many times have I gotten stuck? Once, and it's because I high-centered the car on a mound of snow made by a road grader. I have snow tires, and otherwise, no problems.

The problem's not with the car, it's with the horrible traction offered by the OEM tires. Also, a tip: give the car a tiny bit of throttle and it may be enough to get it moving forward without spinning the tires. The electric motors generate so much initial torque they tend to spin the tires. I get lots of traction control activity, even with snow tires, but I always get where I need to go.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jan 20 2007, 10:43 PM) [snapback]378501[/snapback]</div>

Tideland Prius, thank you for posting this, this is the first I had heard that the software could be modified to reduce the traction control activity. I seldom see snow but I definitely am going to have that done. Could I ask for one clarification: is this done automatically as part of the steering recall? I ignored the recall because I didn't judge it worth doing. But if I get scaled down traction control as part of the recall fix, I'll have the recall work done.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chogan @ Jan 21 2007, 08:50 AM) [snapback]378630[/snapback]</div>

I'm kind of curious about this too. Is there some magic words to use with the service dept., such as please upgrade my ECU software to version 3.1.2 or somesuch? Thanks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 20 2007, 01:30 PM) [snapback]378356[/snapback]</div>

http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...st&p=378201

 

All of the Lexus's I have owned have had the same problem, however, all had the ability to shut off traction control (TRAC OFF) to allow wheel spin to get me moving. This is something that is missing in the Prius.

I always found it interesting that a 92 Saturn with Traction Control that I bought for a winter beater would prevent wheel spin for about 5 seconds and when the computer realized that the car wasn't moving at all and the traction control wasn't helping, it would shut it off temporarily and let the tires spin. This seemed the best of both worlds and was a technology available 15 years ago!

 

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

Oh it's doing what it was designed to do but it is not safe. There are two basic things I want my cars to do. When I step on the brake I want it to do its best to stop and when I step on the gas I want it to try to go. The ABS system does a great job with the former. However, if the ABS system worked like the traction control, as soon as any wheel slippage occurred when braking, the brakes would totally release and no matter how hard you pushed the brake pedal they would not reapply. Now that would be fun.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jan 20 2007, 10:43 PM) [snapback]378501[/snapback]</div>

I have an 06 and got stuck when I stopped on an uphill gravel driveway dropping my daughter off at a party. I floored the accelerator and held it down and the car did absolutely nothing. Everyone was so helpful. One person offered to give me the batteries from his CD player to help me up the hill. :angry: :blink: Luckily, I could back down to a level area and get a running start or I would have been faced with calling a tow truck for the first time in over 40 years of driving.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jburns @ Jan 21 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]378733[/snapback]</div>

That is funny! :lol:

 

I understand what you went through. We had a bit of snow here in the PNW on the west side of the Cascades and on the whole I did fairly well. The snow was just deep enough to touch the bottom. The low ground clearance and scoop built in to the front end is not a friend if the snow gets deep. Around here they use the "God Method" of snow removal. "God put it there, God will take it away". A lot of the cold weather places people post from they actually clear the roads. With a good set of snow tires they get around fairly well. I am driving the original OEM tires with 40k on them. One morning last week after it had gotten to about 36-37 during the day prior then went into the 20's that night, I backed my car into the turn around and their I sat no go. Now I have a long drive with a very slight incline going out. The turn around is also slightly up hill going out. I remembered that people had suggested low steady pressure on the gas and turning the wheel slowly, kind of like tacking a sail boat. I gradually moved forward a a snail pace but it kept getting faster and faster. I probably should have left Belle at home and took the Beast my old 1998 Ford Explorer but it was a challenge and despite icy roads I did fine until I got to work and slipped and fell walking into work! If I lived somewhere that had regular snow all winter I would get snow tires. I had a real sinking feeling when the car refused to move froward. I was visualizing the Prius sitting there until the thaw. It was all the information I gained here on PC that made the difference. Three cheers for PC.

 

Hello Everyone!! This is an unaceptable problem that we all have with our Prius'. Whether it be snow, ice or deep sand in my case, (Live in Florida) we should not have to deal with this.

I understand Toyota in wanting to protect the synergy drive system but not being able to move in certain condtions is even more important IMO.

I have come up with a solution to solve this problem but I will NOT post it here for obvious reasons. If you want to know my solution to this please PM me and I will tell you about my method of cirumventing this annoying "feature".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lazyleo @ Jan 21 2007, 01:41 AM) [snapback]378604[/snapback]</div>

I think you need to invest in some better tires. I drive very icy and steep streets on a daily basis. I am yet to get stuck. I am not trying to suggest that you don't know how to drive or anything like that, but if your car is having this much trouble, you:
a. NEED to invest in winter tires
b. need to take it Toyota, as there has got to be something wrong.

I am not exagerating when I say that I have had no issues getting going on the stock tires from a start on very steep inclines. The tires might slip, and the TRAC is engaged, but if I stay in it, the car will continue moving, albeit slowly. Honestly, I have been nothing but impressed with the winter driving performance of this car. I was quite skeptical, as I have always had large 4wd SUV's and PU's, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Clearly, from all the posts, difficulty with the traction control on slippery/loose surfaces is an issue, but I think your case is extreme. Best of luck.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jan 20 2007, 08:14 PM) [snapback]378409[/snapback]</div>

Or as we say in Kalispell Montana ... Tires.
When we are up there after October, we throw the studded set on. Front of the car has acted like a plow on occasion. Knowing the traction control can make the car go limp, why would anyone up north NOT be preparred?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(derk @ Jan 21 2007, 12:50 AM) [snapback]378530[/snapback]</div>

Sunny San Diego ... if the thread were goof ups on using sun block ... perhaps a "Sunny" authority would be in order. Perhaps a few months of cabin fever could soften up the harshness. We've only owned property in MT since the 90's ... but even so, we know how to NOT sound like the end all ~ beat all of authority.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chogan @ Jan 22 2007, 05:29 AM) [snapback]378934[/snapback]</div>

I've never had any trouble going on snow and ice either. As you say, it acts like it slips and grabs (or actually pulses), but doesn't stop altogether. I got my car in August of '05.

If I were Lazyleo, I'd definitely check to see if there were a reflash available for his car. And as you say, tires are an issue too.

Dave M.