ICE comes on anyway

Okay, looks like my test is on for tonight (didn't work out last night). Parked outside at 4:30pm, 36°F, plugged in with charge timer set for 6:30am tomorrow morning. The prediction is for the temperature to gradually decrease to 21°F by tomorrow at 7am. I plan to leave for work around 6:30am meaning it will be cold soaking in an average temperature of something close to 25°F for 14 hours before I do.

 

you folks are going the extra mile for pcpg!

 

Mixed results. It was 16°F on the car temperature sensor when I got in. I used heat the whole way, tried with and without cruise control, climbed a 12% grade at 40mph, accelerated from 0 to 55 up a 7% grade, engine never started. However, the cold really sapped my battery efficiency. I usually get to work with about 40% battery remaining (11 miles climbing 700 feet). This time I was on the final hill (6% grade, 55mph) and when the battery dropped to 16%, the engine started. Outside temperature read 19°F at the time.

Since I've never climbed that hill with that battery that far depleted, I don't know if that's unusual or not.

 

I'm wondering if your engine turned on because of the limited current draw going up the hill and/or passing someone when outside temperatures get too low. How high up was the "arc" on your HUD when the engine turned on?

 

I was able to replicate it again this morning. My goal was to confirm it is not turning on cruise control but setting, down-pat, that triggers the engine-ON event.

Preconditions:

• 41F (5 C) - cold soak
• 100% SOC - over night
• 44-45 mph - speed
• max accelerator - several times
• two stops

Tomorrow, I will test if we can get the engine-ON symptom with 70-80% SOC. The reason is I can park the car, after hours, at the local Toyota service center with 80% SOC so it can cold-soak over night. Then we can replicate the symptom with them driving the car.

My priority is to get a trouble ticket into Toyota that is escalated through their system. For good measure, file a problem report with the EPA/NHTSA documenting this fuel economy problem.

Bob Wilson

 

17 F this morning. Engine never started on my commute.

 

Mine came on the other day going downhill, no defrost, interior set to 70°, outside 50°, but battery showed 3 miles of range left so about 1% left.

 

I filmed it, so detail on the way...

1. Garaged with "Climate Prep" selected on the scheduled recharge.

2. Never. I only use cruise for cruising on the highway.

3. Nope. I drove away immediately.

 

there is a map update thread.

dealerships are not required to call about map updates, it is not a free service.
the idaho dealer is more proactive in marketing apparently.
read the other thread before updating, there is some question as to what is the latest version.

 

btw, I had the usual setting off 65 ECO with driver-priority.

 

sorry: 'navigation map version' posted by member; dennis_ma.

 

what is 'copy and paste'? i must be.