Sudden Unintended Acceleration Events – Prius Gen 3, 2011 Model In Uk

[barrycoll]

How much HV Battery power does the car use when stuck in queuing traffic, and the Drive setting is needing to be restrained by the foot or parking brake?

If the HV has 3 -4 bars, I am happy to put it in N for short periods..........so am I saving much HV by doing this????

[Joseph D]

How much HV battery power does the car use when stuck in queuing traffic, and the Drive setting is needing to be restrained by the foot or parking brake?

If the HV has 3 -4 bars, I am happy to put it in N for short periods..........so am I saving much HV by doing this????

It is an interesting question. As long as you are pressing hard enough on the foot brake to deactivate the creep, not much in the scheme of things. There would be a further small saving if you put on the foot operated parking brake in lieu of the foot brake in that you would not have your brake lights on. I think for all intents and purposes it is academic.

Providing (as you say) your Battery has plenty of blue/green bars, I don't see that it does any harm to do as you do. It's up to you - do you notice that you benefit with any energy savings? (Genuinely interested BTW, not being sarcastic.:) )

[PeteB]

... As long as you are pressing hard enough on the foot brake to deactivate the creep, not much in the scheme of things. There would be a further small saving if you put on the foot operated parking brake in lieu of the foot brake in that you would not have your brake lights on...

I believe only using the parking brake would be much worse, as it doesn't disable the attempt to creep - unless things have changed with recent models - the rear of the car would dip down as the power trying to make it creep fought against the rear wheel brakes.

Interestingly, in the Multimode transmission Yaris and Aygo we've had in the past, the parking brake does disable the creep!

[Joseph D]

... I believe only using the parking brake would be much worse, ...

I meant that if you put the car in N (i. e. what Pete does) and put on the foot operated parking brake in lieu of the foot brake. :) :)

[PeteB]

... I believe only using the parking brake would be much worse, ...

I meant that if you put the car in N (i. e. what Pete does) and put on the foot operated parking brake in lieu of the foot brake. :) :)

Yup - with you there! Just what I used to do in Gen 1 Prius with is large lever 'gearstick'.

In Gen 2/3 I tend to just use the "P" button when stopped on the level (after at least 2 cars are stopped behind me and I no longer want the brake lights showing and the chances of getting rear-ended have diminished).

[Dutchguy]

Is putting the car in N at speed not equivalent to towing it but with the ignition on? or is there a difference?

[Joseph D]

... In Gen 2/3 I tend to just use the "P" button when stopped on the level (after at least 2 cars are stopped behind me and I no longer want the brake lights showing and the chances of getting rear-ended have diminished).

Operationally the only difference is that you need to press the foot brake to select D from P whereas you don't to select D from N. I'm not making any comment whether one is better than the other, just noting that it works that way.

[Joseph D]

Is putting the car in N at speed not equivalent to towing it but with the ignition on? or is there a difference?

The owner's manual advises "that the car should be towed (using the tow eyelet and rope/chain) only in an emergency if a towing service is not available. Further it states that towing in this manner may be done only on hard-surface roads for a short distance and at slow speeds. The wheels, axles, drive train, steering and brakes must all be in good condition. Before towing, release the parking brake and put the hybrid transaxle in "N". The hybrid system must be in "IG-ON" mode."

I'll go out on a limb here and say no, it is not equivalent.

I'm not 100% sure what your question is, as you must have the car in "IG-ON" mode to tow it (note "IG-ON" mode is different to "READY" mode). One of the key things to note is the caution to tow at slow speeds. These would be much below the ~40 mph that would cause issues/damage with the MG's.

Does that answer your question?

[Dutchguy]

@Joseph

I was just wondering, if towing is not advised at high speeds, is selecting N coming off the motorway (to occasionally clean the brake discs) safe or will it damage MG1/2? There must be a difference between the Ig-on mode and the ready mode in that respect?

[Joseph D]

@Joseph

I was just wondering, if towing is not advised at high speeds, is selecting N coming off the motorway (to occasionally clean the brake discs) safe or will it damage MG1/2? There must be a difference between the Ig-on mode and the ready mode in that respect?

I don't think so, except for the car is not self drivable in IG-ON, which would be why you are towing it. As far as coasting occasionally in N to clean the discs, as long as it is done under 40 mph, you will not do any damage. Higher speeds will cause damage.

[timberwolf]

In Neutral "gear", the motor/generators are open-circuit, and therefore MG1 and MG2 can not be controlled by the car's computers (ECUs), but the two motor/generator and petrol engine are always permanently connected together mechanically in the Hybrid Transaxle.

MG1 has an upper rpm limit. When the computers are in control, they will apply power to MG1 to slow the spin rate down if it gets too high. It follows that if MG1 is slowed down then the petrol engine will have to spin - I'm assuming MG2 (connected to the wheels) is the input at this time.

Clear as mud? :)

Try one of the many explanations on the internet for the Hybrid Transaxle and Power Split Device (although I never understood why they didn't call it a combining device?)

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

[Grumpy Cabbie]

If your hybrid breaks down DO NOT let them tow it. Get it flatbedded away. Saying that, when my inverter blew last year, the AA man (or was it RAC?) wouldn't even think of towing it. He knew that hybrids are 'weird' and that other than the obvious things that could be wrong like flat Battery or out of fuel, he would immediately flat bed them to the nearest dealer. End of.

I do wonder how many of these one man band recovery agents know this though? If any of you have ever taken your keyless car to a tyre garage to have them struggle to 1, start the car, 2 engage reverse (they don't press the brake), 3, work out how the hand brake works etc. You know that experience of hybrids is limited out there.

Am I wrong but has it always been the case that automatics should never be towed with the driving wheels on the ground? Surely that same thing would apply to an automatic hybrid?

[Dutchguy]

I'm thinking to better not switch to N to clean the brakes unless at low speeds. The dealer suggested to just brake a little firmer.

[Joseph D]

If your hybrid breaks down DO NOT let them tow it. Get it flatbedded away. Saying that, when my inverter blew last year, the AA man (or was it RAC?) wouldn't even think of towing it. He knew that hybrids are 'weird' and that other than the obvious things that could be wrong like flat battery or out of fuel, he would immediately flat bed them to the nearest dealer. End of.

I do wonder how many of these one man band recovery agents know this though? If any of you have ever taken your keyless car to a tyre garage to have them struggle to 1, start the car, 2 engage reverse (they don't press the brake), 3, work out how the hand brake works etc. You know that experience of hybrids is limited out there.

Am I wrong but has it always been the case that automatics should never be towed with the driving wheels on the ground? Surely that same thing would apply to an automatic hybrid?

Whilst I agree whole-heartedly that the flat bed will more often than not be the preferred option, there are some caveats.

As long as you can get into "IG-ON" mode and release the parking pawl (i. e. can select "N") to allow the car to be dragged onto the flat-bed OR the car can be lifted by a hydraulic arm onto the flat-bed, then flat bed is the best option.

However, if either of these options are not available, then you have no option but to lift the front wheels off the ground and tow on the back wheels only. NEVER raise the rear wheels and tow with the front wheels on the ground. EVER.

All of this information is covered in the owners manual, and do not, I say again do not, rely on the tow operator to know this. Unless they have had experience with a totally dead HSD, the just will not know. So it is up to the owner to know their car.

[kithmo]

I

Am I wrong but has it always been the case that automatics should never be towed with the driving wheels on the ground? Surely that same thing would apply to an automatic hybrid?

Before all these fancy electronically controlled auto boxes, it used to be no more than 30 miles at 30 mph for a standard slush box and many of the torque converter boxes (slush) are still the same. From what Joseph D and his quote from the manual says, it sounds like the HSD has very similar towing circumstances to this.

I wouldn't like mine to be towed any more than necessary to put it in a safe position, if it's broken down, i.e. towed off the motorway or a busy road to await a flatbed or front lift.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Serious question here?

Does anyone actually bother reading the manual that comes free with their car? Most of the answers to this thread are in there.

[Parts-King]

Serious question here?

Does anyone actually bother reading the manual that comes free with their car? Most of the answers to this thread are in there.

Very rarely in my experience....................

[Guest]

Serious question here?

Does anyone actually bother reading the manual that comes free with their car? Most of the answers to this thread are in there.

Speaking for myself, half the stuff in the manual is either in gobbledygook, or you are shuffling between 4 pages trying to work out a chronological order of what you need. For example, yesterday I needed to pair a phone to the car. I had both books but no mention of the word pair. Sifting through 8 pages and trying to get into the right menu etc., etc., it might have been easier to ask advice from someone who is used to doing the particular task. I did it in the end and of course, it was easy after the event. I could go out and pair another one in 30 seconds now, but in 2 years time when I change my phone? Possibly I'm just not very bright and just struggle with manuals.

[kithmo]

Get a .pdf version and use the search function to save shuffling. Manuals are available to view/download on the Toyota portal.

[wass]

Serious question here?

Does anyone actually bother reading the manual that comes free with their car? Most of the answers to this thread are in there.

Speaking for myself, half the stuff in the manual is either in gobbledygook, or you are shuffling between 4 pages trying to work out a chronological order of what you need. For example, yesterday I needed to pair a phone to the car. I had both books but no mention of the word pair. Sifting through 8 pages and trying to get into the right menu etc., etc., it might have been easier to ask advice from someone who is used to doing the particular task. I did it in the end and of course, it was easy after the event. I could go out and pair another one in 30 seconds now, but in 2 years time when I change my phone? Possibly I'm just not very bright and just struggle with manuals.

Mostly, I find that manuals are easy to read when one is interested in the item covered by the manual. In my case, car manuals are simple, I pad manuals are a waste of time. Consequently my wife has the I pad, I have the cars.

A lot of folks pay a lot of money for their cars whilst they dont have a clue what to do with them. A lot of people pay for the latest I pad and yet cant operate them effectively, I guess its just the fashion Badge

[Ancient Nerd]

Get a .pdf version and use the search function to save shuffling. Manuals are available to view/download on the Toyota portal.

I would love to get a copy. However, all I can find is a download of the quick guide and a pay for link to the repair manual.

Is it somewhere I've missed? The US or japan website? A searchable pdf on my phone would be a great improvement, and would free some useful space in the glove compartment.

[timberwolf]

Serious question here?

Does anyone actually bother reading the manual that comes free with their car? Most of the answers to this thread are in there.

Speaking for myself, half the stuff in the manual is either in gobbledygook, or you are shuffling between 4 pages trying to work out a chronological order of what you need. For example, yesterday I needed to pair a phone to the car. I had both books but no mention of the word pair. Sifting through 8 pages and trying to get into the right menu etc., etc., it might have been easier to ask advice from someone who is used to doing the particular task. I did it in the end and of course, it was easy after the event. I could go out and pair another one in 30 seconds now, but in 2 years time when I change my phone? Possibly I'm just not very bright and just struggle with manuals.

Mostly, I find that manuals are easy to read when one is interested in the item covered by the manual. In my case, car manuals are simple, I pad manuals are a waste of time. Consequently my wife has the I pad, I have the cars.

A lot of folks pay a lot of money for their cars whilst they dont have a clue what to do with them. A lot of people pay for the latest I pad and yet cant operate them effectively, I guess its just the fashion Badge

My owners manual wasn't free, it was included in the price of the car.

Why would anyone ever need to use an iPad effectively, they are an entertainment device used to play games, watch movies, or surf the internet?

The basic controls of most cars are fairly standard, and most people seem to manage fine to use their car for its primary purpose without ever needing to refer to an owners manual.