Touring Sports Hybrid Picked Up- Some Problems

[Nicolai]

I have noticed myt ICE starting up when the car has been left stationary for some (sometimes short) time even though the Battery has a good charged (half or two thirds).

If this just to warm itself up? Today, I noticed the ventilation for the DC motor being on. Also only 20 degrees Celsius ambient temperature. I was surprised as I was under the impression that this happens seldom?

Sometimes when engaging gear, I hear a slight "clunk" from the car. Other times it is just the sound of the gear-lever moving. Should I be worried?

My tires are still bumpy will go back to Toyota dealer and try to be more persistent about them giving me new tires or the car a full check up.

[Red Yaris 54]

I have noticed myt ICE starting up when the car has been left stationary for some (sometimes short) time even though the battery has a good charged (half or two thirds).

If this just to warm itself up? Today, I noticed the ventilation for the DC motor being on. Also only 20 degrees Celsius ambient temperature. I was surprised as I was under the impression that this happens seldom?

Sometimes when engaging gear, I hear a slight "clunk" from the car. Other times it is just the sound of the gear-lever moving. Should I be worried?

My tires are still bumpy will go back to Toyota dealer and try to be more persistent about them giving me new tires or the car a full check up.

Nikolai.........I really cannot begin to understand just exactly what you are hoping to achieve

This topic now has over 50 posts, many of which offer you advice to enjoy your new car and not pick up so many rather minor problems.

Your request for replacement tyres may just find your dealer declining .........There are many other cars of the same model as yours that are owned by satisfied drivers

As every day goes by, you seem to come up with yet another "problem"

May I respectfully request that if you are not satisfied with your choice of car, that you attempt to formally reject it before you drive many more miles........This action may be too late the longer that you leave it......You must document your concerns fully in writing and address them to the Dealer Principal

Be prepared to face a degree of disappointment in your quest for replacement :)

[aCactus]

You hear a "clunk" when engaging gear - this is not possible as the gears are always engaged

[FROSTYBALLS]

Have you checked the wheels and tyres are the right shape?

[Nicolai]

Well, fact is that when I " put the car in" reverse, sometimes, I hear a dunk/clunk.

Any advice on the ICE?

[Devon Aygo]

Well, fact is that when I " put the car in" reverse, sometimes, I hear a dunk/clunk.

Any advice on the ICE?

The noise is most likely from the brakes/drivetrain as you shift drive force from forwards to backwards as for the ICE get used to it, the ECU decides when it wants the ICE based on massive amounts of information Toyota have spent years and billions of Yen researching the best way for your car to operate , information way above and beyond anything we could ever put into words or even obtain !

[timberwolf]

The ICE is not used to move the car in reverse, the reverse is always provided by the electric motor (I always forget whether it is MG1 or MG2 that is connected to the wheels). If the ICE is running then it is either warming up, reheating the cat, or being used to charge the HV Battery. If the ICE is running the electric motor has to work harder to reverse the car. None of these would cause clunks

The only "normal" clunk that I can think at the moment, is if you were in D with the car still moving forward and then you selected R to go into reverse - the Hybrid transmission does not like that type of shifting - you must come to a complete stop before moving from D to R.

[johalareewi]

The ICE is not used to move the car in reverse, the reverse is always provided by the electric motor (I always forget whether it is MG1 or MG2 that is connected to the wheels).

Both MG1 and MG2 are connected to the wheels all the time but you are right in that MG2 is used to drive the car in reverse. MG1 can only drive forwards like the ICE.

[timberwolf]

Sorry, what I meant was that MG2 always turns in a fixed ratio to the front wheels, if the wheels turn then so must MG2 and vicky verky, whereas MG1 and the ICE do not have a fixed relationship with the wheels.

I am not clear what you mean by "MG1 can only drive forwards", as it is a electric motor it can be driven in both directions, and according to the following web page it does so frequently?

http://eahart.com/prius/psd/

[Sagitar]

You hear a "clunk" when engaging gear - this is not possible as the gears are always engaged

But they are not always rotating in the same direction. If there is any slack at all in the complete drive train between the prime movers and the road wheels then reversing the direction in which the road wheels are rotated may well give rise to mechanical noise as the slack is eased in one direction and taken up in the other.

[kithmo]

This is probably a shot in the dark but the clunk could be loose wheel nuts, that would also explain wobbly wheels.

[Nicolai]

Thanks for the ICE explanation. Man, I can't help feeling that Toyota has sold me a friday afternoon model :-(

Wobbly wheels, quite significant wind noise from left door and squeaking dashboard which started in the lower right corner but has now spread across the whole dashboard and now perhaps loose wheel nuts????

Quite a list to complain about....

[Parts-King]

Rather than vent your spleen on here why not put some resources into contacting your dealer and working with them on your perceived problems?

The more people on here suggest what problems you "might" have, the more you "think" is wrong with your car. There was a (highly unlikely) suggestion you might have loose wheel nuts, instead of a whole load of "woe is me" why not pop into your dealer with a list of concerns?

I still think you are a troll but each to their own eh?

Kingo

[Nicolai]

I will probably go to the dealer on monday. Just to make it clear: I NEVER! "change gear" when the car is still moving. I ALWAYS put it to a complete stop first.

[Peter Sale]

Try turning up the volume on the stereo, it cures a lot of problems that are observed in warmer weather.

Really though there is such a thing as self help - if you think the wheel nuts might be loose why not go and tighten them ?.

You could have checked the tyre pressures as most of us would but sit at your keyboard instead. Maybe it is time to park the mouse and get out of the house.

[cviclark]

What wheels are you on? Is it an Icon or Excel. In uk they only ship the Excel on 17" wheels with LP tyres and on the test drive I found the ride too hard. The Icon was fine (16") but although my dealer has accepted an order for an Excel on 16" wheels Toyota GB are being very difficult. The 17" wheels also give 6 MPG worse fuel consumption. My Prius Gen2 & gen 3 were fine on 15" but I was loaned on on 17" and it was a "bone shaker". I do not understand why Toyota think low profile tyres are needed or wanted on an estate cars but nobody with any technical ability who admits to actually driving a HSD Touring on 17" wheels has replied to my questions. If mine has the problems you describe they will get it straight back. I once had a Yaris with awful wind noise from the mirrors and a Lexus that chewed up Sport Lp tyres in 9,000 miles. I did not keep either long. When you say fuel consumption is good what are you comparing to? I am on my second Prius I do not expect the Tourer to be as economical or fast as the Prius ( its heavier) but if its less than 58 mpg in normal use I will be upset.

[FROSTYBALLS]

They have different trim levels in Denmark to the UK.

For the petrol and diesel versions, in place of Active, Icon, Sport and Excel, they have T1+, T2, T2+, T3, T3+ and T4.

For the hybrids, instead of Icon and Excel, they have H2, H2+ and H3.

Nicolai has the H2+ on 15 inch wheels according to an earlier topic - http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/150583-auris-hybrid-15-inch-tyres/ - !!

[cviclark]

I suspect this is another person complaining about Low Profile tires on poor roads. Honest John in the Telegraph has printed dozens of such complaints Mainly from BMW and Merc users. One even in todays Telegraph yet manufactures insist on supplying them. Years down the road when the advice is change to smaller wheels and deeper profile tires its an expensive lesson. It destroys trust in the car manufacturers,but must make the wheel and tire people a fortune. Most manufacturers give you a choice Toyota do not, you can go up at a cost ,but not down to a lower spec. My last two Prius models were chosen for the space saver and wheel size (15"). I would have had a Spirit if I could have had it with both.The 15" wheels are quiet, economical and comfortable Last year i nearly swapped for a Merc but no spare and silly wheels meant no sale. I have kept this one a year longer than I would have liked because I could not buy a car I liked with a space saver and decent wheels. Toyota are the losers but when customer services can not give a logical, technical reason why they make silly decisions they open themselves to ridicule.

[FROSTYBALLS]

No - according to a spreadsheet of Toyota OE tyres I have, the tyres fitted to 15 inch wheels on the 2013 Auris Hybrid are size 195/65R15 91H.

[Nicolai]

Frosty is right. 15 inch 195/65/R15.

[Nicolai]

Sounds plausible with the clunk relating to going from P to D or R. But I think it has also happened going from R to D and vice versa.

[johalareewi]

I am not clear what you mean by "MG1 can only drive forwards",

I meant that MG1 can only drive the car forwards. As you say, MG1 itself can drive in either direction.

[timberwolf]

I am not clear what you mean by "MG1 can only drive forwards",

I meant that MG1 can only drive the car forwards. As you say, MG1 itself can drive in either direction.

I've always thought of MG1 as a control mechanism to allow the car to vary the speed, and not as motor to drive the car forward.

I don't know if this is just a limitation of the simulator models (I've posted a link to a more detailed simulator - it requires Java to be installed), but I don't know what to look for in the model? On both the simulator models, MG1 appears to be a control mechanism rather than a drive motor?

http://www.wind.sannet.ne.jp/m_matsu/prius/ThsSimu/index_i18n.html

[johalareewi]

I've always thought of MG1 as a control mechanism to allow the car to vary the speed, and not as motor to drive the car forward.

I don't know if this is just a limitation of the simulator models (I've posted a link to a more detailed simulator - it requires Java to be installed), but I don't know what to look for in the model? On both the simulator models, MG1 appears to be a control mechanism rather than a drive motor?

You could be right. The simulators are great but there was a lot of stuff posted on Prius Chat when the gen3 came out. MG1's primary role isn't to drive the car but it seems that it can and sometimes does. Found this thread which is useful.

http://priuschat.com/threads/two-mg1-questions.117253/

[timberwolf]

Ah, "heretical mode". No, I hadn't come across it before, and after reading the "What's going on as I drive?" article, it is not what I would have expected.