Grill Shutter Operation

True, but Toyota erred on the conservative side. They did not want the shutters to get stuck shut.

 

After viewing the video, it seemed to me that even though the shutter did not close tight shut, they did not stay wide open either.

 

Maybe someone will find a way to tap in and create an accessory switch that lets you manually control the shutter

 

It would void the warranty and you would need to fool the sensors or you will get errors.

 

Electric defrosting shutters? Now, there's a thought.

 

A 4 Celsius start today and the vent doors closed at start up but were open once I had arrived and switched off, perhaps the vent doors opened when I switched off and not on route. Too early to say if this feature limits the drop off in mpg in the same way blocking the vents on the Gen 2 did.

 

The trick is to somehow monitor the grill as you're tearing along the highway. Can't imagine hanging over the front of the hood would be much of a laugh.

 

Best get your passenger to do it

 

No chance! She's too scared her bonnet would blow off.

 

Maybe a GoPro with the right angle brackets could work!

I was amazed this morning with it being 6 oC that my engine cut of in same place as usual and that’s around 2 minutes of less than 30mph driving

 

Better hers than the car's
Isn't precise UK English fun??

 

I guess some will just have to use what the rest of us do, pipe insulation stuffed into the grill, away from the magic shutters, of course. Pearl S has had hers in place for a month now. Lower grill only. When both grills need to be blocked I take the FJ Cruiser. It has a 20th century gasoline furnace under the hood. Mileage be dammed!

 

Delta T is Difference in Temperature. 89 degrees outside, 69 inside. Delta T is -20 inside.

 

I think they would (but I don't KNOW) open the shutters first as the cars motion is already there and free (more or less), and operate the fans if that proved insufficient to keep our babies cool.

 

I just watched the OP video, and it explains much, but doesn't give details beyond a 'as needed' when the AC is on.
That is why made the radiator fan running statement, because the radiator behind the grill isn't actually it, but the AC condenser. Even when the engine isn't hot, you need airflow over the condenser for the AC to work. It likely isn't true in current models, but the second radiator fan used to turn on with the AC compressor.

 

Interesting video, although I question how closing a baffle that far up in the grill work would improve aerodynamic flow and/or improve fuel economy.

 

I don't think it's meant to improve aerodynamics. It accelerates initial warm-up, and help keep engine temp at optimum, avoid excess cooling.

 

I've got this posted on another thread, but just in case, here's a link to a WeberAuto YouTube video (great videos for the geek in us), shows a complete breakdown of a 2017 Eco cooling system including the mechanics of the shutters.

 

The temperatures have only recently fallen but so has my mpg. I was hoping to see some effect from the shutters but with this initial data there is nothing obvious. All results are from a 14 mile route, the north bound journey is made in the morning and cooler and has a slight elevation gain over the return so there will be a bias in the data and so far I don't have enough points to make the split.

 

Have noticed also that my mpg is reducing slightly, but, being retired the is regular commute for me. So far it seems like <5mpg difference. Remembering my last winter, I think it came to between 10-15 mpg difference in the summer months. Hardly a bodyblow to my fuel bill.