Maintenance mode

What does that do and what is the sequence?

 

I've never heard of the "gas pedal shifter and brake sequence", I used to use the info button and headlights on/off 3 times on the Gen 3 and Prius+, but it doesn't work on the Gen 4.

 

I just step on the gas one time and it will start up. Runs long enough to check for leaks.

 

I've never had a problem with the ICE starting up on its own after putting the car in normal READY mode following an oil change to check for leaks, etc. After a few seconds, it just always starts up. I would think an easier procedure than "maintenance mode" would be to ask for cabin heat if the ICE doesn't start on its own after a few seconds.

 

Never felt a need to run the engine after an oil change. Cargo cult.

 

Why would disengaging the traction control damage the transaxle? Many cars have a button that disengages the traction control at any time the driver desires.

 

Because the transaxle has powerful electric motors that develop large torque right away, and if a wheel breaks traction they can spin up to rotor-destroying speeds faster than you can react.

The first-generation Prius had a "traction control" that was only there to protect the motors, and didn't do anything else that helped you with traction.

Starting with Gen 2, the traction control can do the rest of the more useful things like applying the brake individually on the slipping wheel, so it is more deserving of the name "traction control". And the later generations have also continued to up the safe maximum motor rpm. But one function of the control is still to make sure the rotor magnets stay inside the case.

In Gen 3 (maybe it started in Gen 2? not sure), there are two modes, distinguished by different numbers of go-pedal presses in the chicken dance. They separated out the run-engine-constantly and the disable-traction-control mode.

The run-engine-constantly mode can be needed for some kinds of emission test. The TRAC-disable mode can be needed for speedo or dyno tests.

The run-engine-constantly mode can be needed for some procedures that require you to get the engine all the way up to thermostat-open temperature or to fan-triggering temperature. I've used it for bleeding the cooling system after a coolant change. Haven't used it myself just for an oil change.

There's a confusion in this thread back at post #4, somebody was confusing this maintenance mode (which runs the engine constantly) with a different thing entirely, getting the multifunction display to show some diag information.