So, I'm driving along, yacking on the bluetooth phone connection, and I get to my destination. I want to put the car into ACC mode, which shuts off the engine, but leaves on the Electronics, so I can keep chatting, but the car is off. If I hit the button on my 2011 Prius, it shuts the car off, then I have to press the button again to turn it on. BUT when I'm done, and want to get out, I press it again, and the electronics all turn on, including the headlights, and have to press it yet again to shut it off. Am I doing this wrong, or is that how it will have to be? Seems like an awful lot of button pushing to do. Appreciate the info.
You are doing it right. If you want to talk on the phone when you get to your destination just leave the car in Ready. The engine will stay off unless you have a lot of other accessories that drain the HV battery then the engine will come on to charge the battery. The sequence of pushing the Power button without the brake pedal is similar to a key ignition. The first press is ACC mode and lets you listen to radio, use Nav and bluetooth. The second press is IGN-ON and lets you run everything else, headlights, windows, etc. without the engine on. The third press goes back to OFF.
If the car is running and you stop and want to keep the accessories on, just put it in park, the engine is not running while the car is stopped anyway. But if you want the acc mode anyhow, stop the car, hit the power button with the brake on, car shuts down. Then without pressing the brake, hit the power button, now you should be in acc mode (the power button will change color to a reddish tint.)
This is not true under all circumstances. If the hybrid battery is low (2 bars) and you have big energy drains on (a/c and headlights), the ICE will quickly start up and run to charge the HV battery back up. I've noticed a ratio of 1-2 minute ICE run/charge to a 8-10 minutes HV drain (a/c only; no headlights) when "idling" for long periods of time. Some folks even sleep/camp doing this.
