Exhaust Heat Recovery optional?

That would be a criminal thing to remove from Prius I, but I bet it would save some money...

 

Maybe they will not include it in the Prius I ($21,000).

 

Could be a possibility, but there's no way I'd consider a 2010 Prius without one. On short trips, your fuel economy is going to suck! But who knows, maybe it just brings down the short trip fuel economy to Gen-II levels in which case, a lot of people might consider it to save a thousand bucks.

 

Can you show us the documentation you are referring to, Rick?
Seems strange to offer such a stripped version anywhere.

 

Sorry to dig this one back up from the grave. I am curious too after seeing the same language in the manual. Does anyone know? Is this by model, or by region (North vs South), etc?

 

I know for sure that my 2012 Prius'v" level 2 has exhaust heat recovery, because they completed a recall on the system, last month.

It's quite easy to tell if you have it. Just look under the car, and you will see a complicated stainless steel device behind the regular catalythic converter. It has a control valve and a smaller 3/4 inch diameter rubber "heater" type hose connected to it with a two eared hose clamp.

I've seen pictures of underbodies of Prius models in Japan. They don't have this feature.

 

Cool thanks! Not that it is super useful right now where I am at. 105*F. But should help come winter time when I needed the cabin heated.

 

I can't see why any currently made Prius in the US would not have the exhaust heat recovery system. It is more likely than not, part of the pollution control system and certification for the estimated mileage for the car.

Recovery of the exhaust heat helps the ICE warm up faster and keeps it warm, even when the ICE is not running to keep the emission prorducts low. It's obvious that a cold engine produces more polluting products than an fully warmed up one.

 

I may be confused, but I thought it heated the engine to get better emissions, not the cabin.

 

You maybe right. But the HVAC takes heat from the cooling system to heat the cabin. Having this system is adding another source of heat to the cooling system, rather than blowing it out of the tail pipe.

 

In Japan, all Gen3 Prius (lift back) come with Exhaust Heat Recovery system.
It is optional for the Prius α (Prius v) and Aqua (Prius c) in Japan.

Ken@Japan

 

I'll have to look, but my friend with a Prius C thinks his doesn't have it.
Pearl S has it of course.

A bit of confusion of reasons to have it , so just remember, the faster the engine warms up, the better your mileage will be. -Side benefit- is more heat in the cabin, faster more efficient defrost etc. This may be more important than mileage here, but I haven't experienced winter with Pearl S yet. DON'T RUSH IT!!

 

Does anyone here have or know where I can get a diagram of how the system works? I'm thinking like a Toyota Parts website. I know some coolant passes through part of the exhaust, I'm just trying to visualize it. Is there a valve or does the coolant always run through there?

Looking forward to testing out the system when I get my Gen3 Prius. My Gen2 Prius takes a while to warm up in the winter when it's -35 LOL

 

I believe the EHRS is similar in principle to the coolant thermostat, which stays closed when the coolant is cold, then it opens when the coolant is warm enough so it flows to the radiator. The valve is initially open on the EHRS so the coolant can flow by the exhaust for heating purposes, then the valve closes once it's warm enough. See the diagram below:

Exhaust Heat Recovery System