Auris Hsd - Couple Of Questions

[Gav 18]

Hi all,

Just ordering a new Auris HDS and just wondering about a couple of things:

1. What type of CVT does it use?

2. What happens if/when the hybrid Battery dies? Does the car revert to running solely on the petrol engine?

Can anyone help?

Thanks.

[Doesn'tExist]

It's an electronic CVT and it actually only feels like a CVT in the traditional sense whilst mechanilically it looks nothing like a couple of cones with an electric band in between them...

You'll die before the Battery does, most likely ;-) Or seriously you'll have traded it in before then...

[DrCez]

Hi all,

Just ordering a new Auris HDS and just wondering about a couple of things:

1. What type of CVT does it use?

2. What happens if/when the hybrid battery dies? Does the car revert to running solely on the petrol engine?

Can anyone help?

Thanks.

There is a current thread over on Prius Chat that asks the CVT question, so if you want more details you could have a read through over there. The Auris HSD uses the same power train as the Gen 3 Prius so it is all relevent information; in summary the car is driven by a petrol engine and two electric motors linked by a planetary gear set (referred to as the power split device). It is like a CVT to drive but is actually quite different in terms of internal workings.

Toyota say the HV Battery should last as long as the car and historically Prius Gen 2 & Gen 3 batteries have proven to be very reliable: as an owner of a new vehicle I don't think it should be of great concern to you. I would speculate dead hybrid (HV) Battery = dead car because it is needed to spin up the petrol engine when starting off. I think I read a report from an owner who had a relatively new Battery replaced under warranty - they took the car in after getting some warning lights but nothing more serious and that seems like a more realistic, if still unlikely, scenario.

[Gav 18]

I think what I should have really asked is: is the CVT a Reeves drive, or a Toroidal, or a different type?

The second question, regarding Battery, was asked by a friend, and I think he was really asking if there was some kind of limp home mode?

Hopefully I'll have traded the car in before the Battery goes... (or I die!) From what I've read the HSD system is more reliable than a conventional petrol/diesel engine, so looking forward to that.

[Doesn'tExist]

Different type, as linked to above planetary...

I'm not certain it is more reliable, probably if it fail it will fail earlier in live and then you have the warranty since there are a number of non-moving parts compaired to traditional setups...

[Sagitar]

Different type, as linked to above planetary...

I'm not certain it is more reliable, probably if it fail it will fail earlier in live and then you have the warranty since there are a number of non-moving parts compaired to traditional setups...

The Prius drive train design pretty much guarantees that it will be more reliable than a standard CVT. CVTs usually depend upon a friction drive of some kind to transmit the power. Wear is an inevitable result of friction.

The Prius system uses permanently engaged and well lubricated helical gears that should have a very long life. They are not entirely friction free, but they do not depend upon friction to transmit the power.

Earlier versions of the Prius used a chain drive as part of the transmission, but the Gen 3 system has been refined and uses only helical gears.

You can see details of the transaxle here - no nasty friction devices.

[Ikelos]

The car that DrCez mentioned above, which had to have the new Battery fitted was mine, all sorts of warning lights were flashing, they got a new Battery down over night, I have read, and the toyota dealer said, that it was the only Battery ever to have gone wrong and be replaced, apart from accident damage.

[Ikelos]

just found the thread, this is what I wrote at the time..

just had the first warning message come up, on the right hand side of the display, image of a car with traction control on or off and a "!" underneath, and on the left side a image of an engine with a "!" underneath, and in the centre "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" the car has done 350 miles..................

I do not remember pressing any buttons, except coming out of Tesco's car park I pressed the EV and it said it was unavailable due to low Battery.

the topic was called "First Fault" and it is on page 15.

[Ancient Nerd]

You'll die before the battery does, most likely ;-) Or seriously you'll have traded it in before then...

And if you bought an early Gen III, you can pay to insure a traction Battery that Toyota say will last the life of the car. And for only 22% of the cost of a replacement Battery. :ffs: