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

Prius starts in what mode?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Oskar, Aug 18, 2014.

  1. Oskar

    Oskar Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2014
    249
    96
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Just bought a 2014 Prius and I've noticed that when I get in the car to start it everything turns on, but before I back out it goes in gas mode and stays there until I stop again about a minute later when I turn onto a main street. I thought the car always started using the electric motor until you reached the speed where the gas kicks in. Still trying to figure this thing out!

    Great car, by the way.
     
  2. snoctor

    snoctor Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2009
    126
    27
    0
    Location:
    Davis, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    The gas engine has to reach operating temp before the car will run in EV mode so the engine will run a bit till it warms up and then you can drive in EV mode.... and of course the battery has to have enough charge.
     
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,871
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    hybridbear likes this.
  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    To avoid confusion I'd hesitate to refer to the gas engine running as a "Mode".

    There's "Regular" ECO, POWER and EV...those are Prius driving modes.

    The gas engine running upon starting, as stated above, is an action of the vehicle getting itself up to temperature.

    People tend to forget that The Prius Hybrid system is designed to keep exhaust emissions low as well as provide great gas mileage. The engine needs to be up to temp, for this to happen.

    What "Mode" does it start in?

    If no button is pressed....regular.
    If ECO is pressed ECO.

    Power and EV are on demand choices. EV needs certain parameters met, including the engine being warmed up.

    Your Prius is acting normal.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,156
    50,059
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    if you want one that starts in ev mode, get a pip.(y)
     
  6. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Just out of curiosity...does the PiP not also aggressively try to warm up the engine?

    As Toyota's recent advertising was headlining....it's STILL a Hybrid.

    My "regular" Prius behavior is that it will initially start up in electric, but if the engine is cold, as soon as I put any real demand for torque or speed on the vehicle, the engine will fire up.

    I've never considered this flawed behavior.
     
    WilDavis likes this.
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,156
    50,059
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    pip has 14 reasons for starting the engine, but none of them occur regularly. it always starts in ev and stays there unless you switch to hv mode, unless one of the other triggers (which you can find in pip faq sticky) occurs. for me, it's usually the 'every 124 miles to keep gas fresh' trigger.
     
  8. hybridbear

    hybridbear Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2013
    267
    69
    0
    Location:
    Minneapolis
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    The Prius is flawed because it forces the ICE to turn on after a few seconds in S1a instead of waiting until the ICE is needed to supply power/torque and then using the ICE to propel the car without S1a.
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,156
    50,059
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    you don't want it cold when you hammer it in an emergency.
     
  10. hybridbear

    hybridbear Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2013
    267
    69
    0
    Location:
    Minneapolis
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Which is why S1a is a problem. It means that the ICE doesn't get warm very quickly.
     
  11. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2009
    5,131
    1,340
    0
    Location:
    Wilmington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Prius' original priority was low emissions. It warms up the ICE and the catalytic converter for low emissions.
     
    JimboPalmer and The Electric Me like this.
  12. drysider

    drysider Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2008
    823
    332
    1
    Location:
    Liberty Lake WA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I am wondering how you get through warm-up stage S1a without warming the engine up? It is pretty clear that Toyota has engineered the warm-up to fit the Synergy system. All hybrids have a similar procedure. Running on the battery won't warm up the engine.
     
  13. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I still don't consider it a flaw.

    I mean we all "like" gas savings and electric driving....but like I said, The Prius is also designed to provide low exhaust emissions.
    Original design kept in mind using The Prius extensively in crowded "Smog Filled" large cities.

    My experience is my Gen 3 Prius with heat reclamation system, warms up pretty quickly. Quicker in Summer, Slower in Winter. But the engine warming itself up? I've never considered a flaw.

    Again, I'm NOT driving a PiP...but I try not to get stressed if My Prius starts the engine. I look at the big picture efficiency. As long as I'm getting that 50 mpg range? Then The Prius can do whatever it wants...

    Turn the ICE on....Turn it off...make me listen to AM talk radio....
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,156
    50,059
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
  15. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2009
    3,028
    2,369
    0
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Wait. If you press EV just after you power on, and there is enough battery power, the car does not have to be "warmed up" and it will stay in EV and not turn on the ICE. Now when you drive you have to stay below 10 mph or else this will trigger the ICE to come on.

    Mike
     
    Greg75 likes this.
  16. Oskar

    Oskar Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2014
    249
    96
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Wow, thanks for the responses here. Got a real education on the workings of this car. Most appreciated!
     
  17. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,767
    5,251
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    There's no reason to. It's a tradeoff. Engineering is filled with them. Placing a high priority on clean emissions makes it even more so.

    The plug-in model has more battery-power available. So even without changing the design, it is able to wait. When you request power beyond the 38 kW draw limit, it fires up the engine but continues the taking advantage of that electricity. The result is a warm-up process that's both more efficient and more effective.
     
  18. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    No Coffee..Ignore.
     
  19. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
     
  20. lester williams

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2014
    227
    68
    0
    Location:
    mississippi
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I have not ever pushed any of my ''mode'' buttons, assumed that ''eco'' is the default setting as it lights up ''eco'' after a short bit.. Do I need to push the ''eco'' button after starting off EACH time,, or does it do this by default???