[aa7ae]

New 2006, Package #8 with about 1200 miles on it so far.

I drove down a hill and came to stop at a traffic light to turn left. While at the stop light, my engine shut off, then it started, then shut off, then it started. It kept doing that in rapid succession several times. The only thing I could think of was to shift into neutral to stop it, which seemed to work.

Has anyone else experienced this strange oddity?

I believe I had headlights on, full auto a/c set at 72 degrees.

 

[john1701a]

The engine isn't actually starting and stopping. The electric motor is simply bleeding off the excess electricity (to ensure long battery-pack life) by comsuming it via spinning up the engine repeatly.

Use "B" to reduce the amount of electricity that is sent to the battery-pack driving down extremely long hills like that.

 

[aa7ae]

The engine isn't actually starting and stopping. The electric motor is simply bleeding off the excess electricity (to ensure long battery-pack life) by comsuming it via spinning up the engine repeatly.

Use "B" to reduce the amount of electricity that is sent to the battery-pack driving down extremely long hills like that.

Oh really? the battery can get excess electricity? I would have thought the computer wouldn't charge the battery after a certain point.

Normally when I drive down a long downhill grade of a few miles, once the battery goes to full, it seems to change to engine compression and my speed actually starts to go up a few MPH.

 

[john1701a]

The "excess" is that beyond what will provide maximum life. So it still isn't full. And you wouldn't even know it was even at that state if kept on driving.

Of course, that MPH comment may contribute your driving sensation. After 110,000 miles now, I simply don't pay attention to whatever the heck my foot is doing with the pedal. It's like riding a bike. You just enjoy the variety from the contours of the road and don't have to worry about how to actually do that. So the speedometer reading remains near constant for me.

 

[hyperion]

What the posts are all indicating is that what you are observing is all "normal" in the Prius. So you drive it like any other car and enjoy the fuel savings. If you had "an engine run light" or a tachometer you would be amazed to find when the ICE was running and when it is not. The MFD only paints a very small picture.

 

[itsnice2be]

My Engine Got Confused!

I also have an 06 with a little over a 1000 miles and my Prius did exactly the same thing this morning at a traffic light at the bottom of a 1/2 mile hill. After I pulled out and could pull over at a safe place, I checked the energy monitor and the battery showed all the green bars up to the very top. That was the first time that all the green bars showed. After reading the other posts, I guess that it is nothing to worry about. However, I hope that it does not happen again on a regular basis.

 

[firepa63]

Re: My Engine Got Confused!

I also have an 06 with a little over a 1000 miles and my Prius did exactly the same thing this morning at a traffic light at the bottom of a 1/2 mile hill. After I pulled out and could pull over at a safe place, I checked the energy monitor and the battery showed all the green bars up to the very top. That was the first time that all the green bars showed. After reading the other posts, I guess that it is nothing to worry about. However, I hope that it does not happen again on a regular basis.

It will happen again periodically. It is nothing to worry about. It has happened to most of us.

 

[hyperion]

You have to realize that the cars operation (all) is controlled by computers. There is nothing you can do to change anything indicated on the MFD and it was not put in the car for you to do so. Please accept this in a "light vein" but the MFD is more of a tool to sell the car and more of a toy than an operating instrument. With it you can select radio frequencies and control the temperature in the car but it was never meant to be a subsitute for the lack of installed instruments.
The Prius, sort of takes care of itself or you will see a warning idiot light on the dashboard. Very few have ever been indicated as being observed here, and most of the ones recorded have been corrected by a simple shutdown and restart of the car. (consider it "re-booting")

 

[RG]

Re: My Engine Got Confused!

I also have an 06 with a little over a 1000 miles and my Prius did exactly the same thing this morning at a traffic light at the bottom of a 1/2 mile hill. After I pulled out and could pull over at a safe place, I checked the energy monitor and the battery showed all the green bars up to the very top. That was the first time that all the green bars showed. After reading the other posts, I guess that it is nothing to worry about. However, I hope that it does not happen again on a regular basis.

It will happen again periodically. It is nothing to worry about. It has happened to most of us.

Agreed. The car is doing exactly what it was designed to do. You should not worry, Infact, you should be pleased.

 

[redwein]

I have read about this here from time to time but have never experienced it. My commute involves a several mile down hill with a 6%grade and it gets up to a full SOC well before the bottom. I don't do anything to keep it from charging further so I assume it is still charging. At the stop at the bottom, the engine shuts off and stays off, always.

Has anybody else not experienced what the original poster described?

 

[itsnice2be]

Thank you for putting my mind at ease. I really love the car and didn't want to think it had a problem the first month I owned it. I will worry no more.

 

[wayneswhirld]

My car does the same thing periodically after going downhill. As to Redwein not experiencing it after going downhill, I would suggest perhaps outdoor temperature could be a factor as at least I'm from a colder climate and so is aa7ae.

 

[itsnice2be]

"My car does the same thing periodically after going downhill. As to Redwein not experiencing it after going downhill, I would suggest perhaps outdoor temperature could be a factor as at least I'm from a colder climate and so is aa7ae."

The outdoor temperature was 36 degrees which would show that the outdoor temperature could be a factor.

 

[drash]

The outdoor temperature was 36 degrees which would show that the outdoor temperature could be a factor.

The car will turn on and off to maintain whatever you set the cabin temperature for in that weather. I need to drive more than 8 miles in that type of temperature to make the engine shut off and stay off. The higher the set cabin temperature the more the engine will stay on to maintain it.

 

[mammothcave]

My 05 prius does the same engine cycling thing every day. While stopped at a traffic light facing down hill (pretty steep) the engine will start and stop repeatedly in several short intervals until I take my foot off the brake and resume driving. I have come to expect it to occur on this street, but it is still troubling and never happens under any other situations, just when stopped on a slope (actually I only notice it happening on this one particular street!) Any ideas what is up?

 

[hyperion]

It is normal to hybrid operation. You are no longer driving an old fashioned car.