HV question

My engine starts up while traveling in EV mode, also. When it is really disconcerting is when it starts up while stopped at a light. This happens with the climate control system in the Off position. What someone in another thread has said is that you need to have the climate control temperature set on the Lowest setting in the warm part of the year to keep the engine from coming on. Usually when it runs, it is for less than a mile just to get the coolant temp up if you need the engine later. I have also read the the engine needs to run every couple hundred miles of straight EV running. This may be just to run some fuel through the fuel system.

 

my engine never starts in ev mode. make sure your temp is set to low and you don't press the gas pedal too hard. if your battery is full and you go down a large hill, the engine may start to burn off the extra charge. what do you mean by 'i turned off the engine and turned it back on'?

 

thank you. turn the fan on and make sure the temp says 'low'. you can run the a/c (it's electric) but not the heat. other than that it should only be the downhill with a full battery.

 

No, the fan if set to high will start the engine, also if you get the car into the PWR band that will start the engine. If you have used all electric for a few day's, after 124 miles the car will start the engine for a short period of time.

 

The area where it says PWR

 

If the goal is to avoid the engine starting up, then what matters is if the climate control calls for heat. The set temperature can be a few degrees above the outside temperature before this happens. I don't think there is an exact threshold, as the system varies when heating/cooling are used based on temperature, sunlight, and humidity to determine the settings that feel most comfortable for the occupants. Turning the fan off turns off the climate control, so it ensures there is no heat, but then you also have no climate control at all.

On the Hybrid Synergy Indicator, the small bar to the very right that is labeled PWR. In EV mode if you get up to this band, the engine kicks in.

 

Yes and yes.

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If your climate control is off, it sounds like on these steep downhill descents, you're regenerating electricity back into the battery to the point where it can not accept anymore charge and starts up the engine to prevent additional regeneration.

I ran into the same situation before figuring out what was happening. Now, I try to brake later, utilizing the friction brakes more (rather than regenerating). You can also put it in Neutral, although that may be against the law, unsafe, etc etc. anyhow, since then, I haven't run into the engine starting at the start of my commute down the hill.

 

i'm saying to turn the fan on to see what the temp setting is, decrease it all the way down to 'low', if it isn't already, then turn the fan off. if a/c is off and 'auto' is off, the a/c won't come on and the engine won't come on for heating reasons. if the temp is above 'low', it might cause the engine to start even if everything else is off.

 

Mine does the same thing when I first get going from home. I have about a mile drive down a small hill. Even with the AC on full blast the engine will come on when I'm just about to the bottom of the hill. I believe the reason is as tracksyde points out. The battery cannot take anymore charge and to prevent more regeneration the engine kicks on. The engine stays on for a brief period and when the battery falls below full charge the ICE turns off.