Official Toyota Prius PHEV thread

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Thanks LB, after all it's not like this thread is a hotbed of posts :? the last posts were back in April and as I noted then, 2 years before that :shock:
 
BrockWI said:
I was so hoping the 2020 prime would have both the 3 back seats AND a larger battery, I got have of my wish :)

For me it was 1/4th of what I wanted........I also was somewhat insistent on the 3rd seat, even if it only got used a couple of times by small kids but I'm only giving Toyota 1/2 credit for the 1/2 sized battery ;) .......well and I also couldn't stand owning a car that looks like the new non prime Prius, so thats a plus. I've heard the design of the new Prius compared to an angry insect and I can't say I disagree, WTF where the old codgers at Toyota thinking when they gave it a green light :roll:
 
If they had put the Prime drivetrain and battery (and heated steering wheel, and heat pump) in the Gen III PIP body, that would have been a hit - at least with those of us who love the 'haul anything' aspect of that body.

I tried the seat thing, BTW, and it should work. Now if only they had allowed for it to really fold flat...
 
The Prime's basic range/mpg specs are a good match for my requirements, so I'd be happy with the current-sized battery. While I don't care either way about the fifth seat, what isn't acceptable for me is the loss of cargo space behind the rear seats compared to a normal Prius (or the AWD, which I looked at along with a RAV4 hybrid at the dealer).

While I find the looks of the Prime acceptable, I too would prefer the Gen 3 body for general utility. Unfortunately, the Prime would still be out for me as it still has the driving dynamics of a Prius, and while they improved those for the 4th Gen, it's only from abysmal to mediocre. What would best match my needs is a compact AWD CUV with a Voltec powertrain and 1/2 - 2/3rds of the Volt 2's battery pack. That doesn't look like it's going to happen unless Buick does it, so the only remaining affordable PHEV hope is a RAV4 PHEV, and it's unknown if they'll offer that with AWD.
 
I finally added an aftermarket steering wheel heater to our PIP. It was this one:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MV4QVWE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


It is easier to install on a Prius than on most cars and trucks, because the Prius Gen III steering wheel is 14 and 1/8" in diameter, instead of the usual 14.5" or larger. It was still a bit of an effort to get it on, but I warmed it first and it was on in less than 5 minutes. I followed the advice of a previous reviewer and installed it with the socket pigtail (which can be tucked into the cover when not in use) in the 5 o clock position, and outboard (toward the driver) so that when the wheel is turned the cord doesn't tend to wrap around the steering wheel. It takes a little getting used to, but it works pretty well. Much less convenient than an OEM hardwired unit, but also much better than none, believe me. The cover is thick, soft foam. You may have to squeeze it slightly to feel the heat, because of the thick foam.
 
^^^ interesting. Of course my first thought would be the cord getting tangled around something or the wires eventually breaking from near-constant movement, but maybe these concerns are unfounded. I'd sure like to add a heated steering wheel to our '07 Prius, we added heated seats all around(front and rears) from almost day 1(aftermarket shop) as to get heated seats(and only the front seats) Toyota would have forced us to purchase the top of the line model(many thousands of dollars more, including options we didn't really want) so overall we've been very happy with the after-market hi/low heated seats but after having a heated steering wheel, it's almost a must for any new car purchase.
Keep us informed on how the steering wheel heater works Leftie, I for one might be interested in purchasing one at some point if yours works out well.
 
^^ manufacturer recommends against use while driving. You can view that as lawyer CYA but it does reflect a real problem with the cord wrapping around the steering wheel column. Owner reviews say the same.
 
SageBrush said:
^^ manufacturer recommends against use while driving. You can view that as lawyer CYA but it does reflect a real problem with the cord wrapping around the steering wheel column. Owner reviews say the same.
Your probably right on the CYA factor but personally if I couldn't use it while driving I'd really not be interested. Think of how many people(including me) with the Leaf complain how quickly the steering wheel gets cold when the thermostat cuts power while driving. It's not like the steering wheel can really get warm and store the heat, I'd guess within a minute or two after cutting power the steering wheel is noticeably cool, which again would be a deal-breaker for me. All the more reason to wait for Leftie's assessment and yes I did read quite a few of the reviews, some were good but a lot mentioned the cord thing, which was my biggest concern....
 
jjeff said:
SageBrush said:
^^ manufacturer recommends against use while driving. You can view that as lawyer CYA but it does reflect a real problem with the cord wrapping around the steering wheel column. Owner reviews say the same.
Your probably right on the CYA factor but personally if I couldn't use it while driving I'd really not be interested. Think of how many people(including me) with the Leaf complain how quickly the steering wheel gets cold when the thermostat cuts power while driving. It's not like the steering wheel can really get warm and store the heat, I'd guess within a minute or two after cutting power the steering wheel is noticeably cool, which again would be a deal-breaker for me. All the more reason to wait for Leftie's assessment and yes I did read quite a few of the reviews, some were good but a lot mentioned the cord thing, which was my biggest concern....

I like cool steering wheels but do not like them freezing. So a pre-heat sounds pretty good to me. An EV that can be started remotely could work out quite well, except that the manufacturer says that the heater should be disconnected when not in use -- presumably to avoid draining the 12v battery.

I thought about this in regards to my Tesla and decided to simply pre-heat the cabin to 65F or so with shore electricity on truly cold days since I want to warm up the battery a little anyways. End of drama.
 
SageBrush said:
^^ manufacturer recommends against use while driving. You can view that as lawyer CYA but it does reflect a real problem with the cord wrapping around the steering wheel column. Owner reviews say the same.

I also read the reviews before buying. If you install it as suggested by one reviewer, with the socket pigtail in the 5 O'clock/front position, the cord doesn't try to wrap around the wheel - it flaps around in front of it. I straightened the cord before using it, and I mentally kept my eye on it while driving. I can see it wrapping around the wheel if installed with the pigtail on the back of the cover, and/or with it on the side of the wheel opposite the power port (lighter socket). I agree that this is NOT an accessory for poor or inattentive drivers. And yes, the warning is legal CYA - valid legal CYA.

I'll keep you updated, jjeff. I drive that car about once every two to three weeks on average in Winter. Maybe once a week, now. Maybe I'll ask my HM about installing the simple electric heat system I developed a few years ago...
 
I'm going to cross-post this here from the Priuschat site. I'm looking for help.

2013 PIP Base. This is my housemate's car. She drives it gently, and I drive it when needed - also gently. It first seemed a bit rough in the 42-47MPH range earlier this year. We assumed that it was old gas, ran it down to one fuel bar, and refilled it with fresh mid-grade or premium - I forget which. It made no difference. She just had the car in for the 30K service last month, and had them clean the fuel injectors as well, at my suggestion. Again, no difference. With the arrival of the current frigid weather, it also began, according to her, to "Ice Lock" - that banging sound on cold startup as ice chunks in the motor break apart. I advised her to always let the engine warm up fully on a trip before shutting it off. She uses EV mode only for local errands, but also uses Hybrid mode once or twice a week for longer trips. Today she started it to run an important errand, and got a rough, noisy startup (I don't know if it was ice lock or just ran roughly) AND the check engine light came on and stayed on. It remains on, and the car is definitely running rough for about 20 seconds on ICE startup. She says that last week she may or may not have found some non-viscous liquid with an oily sheen, under it. (She had to move the car for snow plowing and doesn't know if the liquid came from this car or from somewhere else.) This car has never run at all rough before this year, and had only ice locked a couple of times since new. It gets serviced one a year (we don't drive a lot of miles since retiring) and is always parked outdoors. Ideas? It got new Toyo Celsius tires last year.
 
Other question: how do I go about using my OBDII reader with the PIP? Which compatible app is best, and where is that port on the 2013 PIP? (Brand of dongle in Signature.)


EDIT: Ok, I installed Torque Pro. Hopefully it will play nice with my dongle later today. I now also know how to remove the mass airflow sensor, although I have no intention of doing it. (I may, possibly, take enough off to look into it for the famous oil Swamp.) That leaves the location of the ODBII port...
 
Here is the update I just posted at PriusChat:

We just had a "friendly" (not really) chat with the dealership's tech - one of them, anyway. According to her, they have consulted with Toyota, and have been instructed to essentially do a compression test and inspect the valve springs - for $480. She claims that either a valve spring or two is bad (???) or "the whole engine needs to be replaced." I cannot, for the life of me, envision a scenario in which broken valve springs cause a problem only with cold starts and idling, or a scenario in which this behavior necessitates that the whole engine be replaced. There was no more mention of the ECU, despite the fact that an ECU reset eliminated the symptoms for a while. I know how ICEs work. Is the Prius 's simulated Atkinson cycle engine so different that what this tech is saying can be true? Does anyone here know of an existing issue like this? Does anyone know of a good shop in the Albany NY area that specializes in Priuses? I have no confidence in this dealership...


Can anyone here envision a way in which these techs (and Toyota) know what they are talking about?
 
The PIP has been sitting parked, getting used only for very occasional errands. It's been run two or three times but is mainly driven in EV mode. A 2019 leaf S, of all cars, has suddenly interested my housemate, and we are interested in finding out if there is any interest here in buying the Prius, and for how much. Read back in this thread for the issue with the ICE. The car has very low mileage (30k) and isn't rusty. It's a bit dingy inside from not being cleaned often enough, but I know of no permanent stains or rips in the interior. The exterior has some damage from being hit by a deer, and there is a crack in the front bumper cover. The battery capacity, despite being babied over the years, is at about 66% of new, with a Summer EV range of 10 miles. The KBB price for the car in "Fair" condition is $6-8k as a trade-in and $8-10k in a private sale. We would definitely take $8k for the car, and might consider a little less. We can't transport the car, but would cooperate in having it shipped. It is drive-able as-is, although I wouldn't want to try driving it many hundreds of miles, even though I was able to detect no exhaust residue in the coolant using a test kit. It's the Base version, 'Sea Mist Pearl' or something like that - basically a very pale green. The interior is dark grey. I'll try to link an old photo, and if there is interest I can take some current ones. This car is a great little hauler, with a large, no-liftover cargo area that we will miss greatly. The car's 'lifetime' fuel economy average is something like 72MPG. Everything works, AFAIK. I just added a hardwired 12 volt battery maintainer lead in the rear, to make it easy to keep the little battery topped off. I think it will need a new 12 volt battery before Winter, though, as it's still on the original. It has four like-new Toyo Celsius 4 season Winter tires, and IIRC the brake pads were done last year.

Apparently the Base is rare in this color, so just mentally delete the fog lights from this web photo:

2013-Toyota-Prius%20Plug-in%20Hybrid-FrontSide_TOPRIUSP131_640x480.jpg
 
As I posted in another thread:
https://cleanvehiclerebate.org/eng/faqs/how-often-do-cvrp-program-requirements-change-0 says
Vehicle Eligibility

Effective April 6, 2021, the AER requirement for eligible Light-Duty Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) will be increased to 30 miles EPA (45 miles UDDS). All applications received on or after April 6, 2021 will only be eligible for a rebate if the vehicle is on the updated eligible vehicle list at the time of application. The following vehicles are NO LONGER ELIGIBLE beginning April 6, 2021:

• Ford Fusion Energi
• Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid
• Hyundai Ioniq PHEV
• Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid
• Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
• Toyota Prius Prime
I'm guessing that CA sales of the above will plummet.
 
I can certainly see raising it, but 30 miles seems to have been designed to take out several specific vehicles that still provide enough AER for many to commute as an EV. Also, they need to look at fuel economy when battery depleted.
 
LeftieBiker said:
I can certainly see raising it, but 30 miles seems to have been designed to take out several specific vehicles that still provide enough AER for many to commute as an EV. Also, they need to look at fuel economy when battery depleted.


Agreed. Rather than raising the required AER:and eliminating cars like the Prime and Niro PHEVs they should have lowered the price cap from its current $60k to no more than $40k and preferably a lot less. That would cause the auto companies to concentrate on price reductions.
 
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