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7 Posts
I finally got my (salsa) Prius last week, and I love it. I have noticed something a little odd though. I know that the gas milage is not nearly as good for the first 5 minutes or so, but what I've noticed makes me wonder how much the "accepted" reason of a cold engine is the cause.
There is a fairly large hill on my way home, and when I have driven for a distance before getting home and let my foot off the gas at the top of the hill, the car picks up about 10mph (all the while at maxed out fuel efficiency) from roughly 38 to 48. Then I can take it easy on the gas for the next straight and flat section.
However, if I am coming home from the store which is relatively close to the hill, I barely pick up any speed (maybe from 38 to 40 mph), and I end up engaging the ICE at the bottom.
It also seems harder to get into stealth when driving on flats in the first few minutes. If I use the same amount of pedal pressure that I normally would for stealth, the car slows down. In order to keep the speed up, I have to depress the pedal further, and thus engage the ICE.
Why would there be more rolling resistance when the car is cold?? It acts like it's in mode or the emergency brake is slightly engaged.
Any ideas?
There is a fairly large hill on my way home, and when I have driven for a distance before getting home and let my foot off the gas at the top of the hill, the car picks up about 10mph (all the while at maxed out fuel efficiency) from roughly 38 to 48. Then I can take it easy on the gas for the next straight and flat section.
However, if I am coming home from the store which is relatively close to the hill, I barely pick up any speed (maybe from 38 to 40 mph), and I end up engaging the ICE at the bottom.
It also seems harder to get into stealth when driving on flats in the first few minutes. If I use the same amount of pedal pressure that I normally would for stealth, the car slows down. In order to keep the speed up, I have to depress the pedal further, and thus engage the ICE.
Why would there be more rolling resistance when the car is cold?? It acts like it's in mode or the emergency brake is slightly engaged.
Any ideas?