A/C while Prime charging?

Have you tried using Entune to turn in AC on while charging? Assuming your trim level has the feature.

 

As far as I know, it will not let you use the “remote climate” feature without the doors being locked, the windows up, and the car being “off,” rather than in “ready” or “accessory” modes. I don’t often use the “hold A/C” button in the key FOB, but best I can recall, I think it has the same requirements.

Now of course, here’s the question for O’Toyta: Using the Remote-Climate app to turn on A/C, if it’s not locked or the window le are not up, it says, “no can do, boss” (not a exact quote — haha). Why doesn’t it instead say, “would you like me to lock raise the windows and lock the doors for you?”

Presumably part of the reason is that the window motors are locked out when the car is off, rather than in accessory mode, but they should at least offer to lock the doors for you!

 

I thought the Remote climate app feature was a part of PRIME Remote App that was specific to 2017-2019 PRIME Advanced trim, and none of 2020 model PRIME has the PRIME Remote App. And IIRC, there was a thread on this topic for the 2017-2019 PRIME (may not be specifically on Advanced trim), about using AC while the traction battery is being charged. My recollection was that you can not keep the AC on for longer than the system allows (around 10 min with remote AC by a fob, or 20 min on ON mode). The conclusion was that since you can not keep the car in READY mode while being charged, there is no way to keep the AC on longer. However, in theory, you could keep repeating this 10 min cycle with remote climate or 20 min on ON mode.

That being said, I would now use ON mode to run AC while charging. I have found the traction battery charging does not charge the 12v battery much. The prolonged ON mode may strain the 12v battery. OTOH, I don't know the effect of using remote climate repeatedly has on the 12v battery health. I would think very similar effect as using AC during ON mode.

 

Just to clarify, "Remote Climate" is also the term used for the fob operated functions Toyota calls "Remote Air Conditioning System" which is available on all trims of PRIME including 2020. OTOH, PRIME Remote App was exclusive to 2017-2019 PRIME Advanced model. It is similar to current Remote Connect functionality Toyota offers to many of their line-ups, but 2020 PRIME is not the model supporting the Remote Connect functionality.

 

Maybe it was depleting the 12v battery. Among other things.

 

If that is universal problem, I think fob based remote climate would also be discontinued on newer PRIME. It is clear that Toyota deigned the remote climate to be used to prep the cabin temperature while the car is being charged. A shingle 10 min cycle of climate prep to run A/C would probably have minimal effect on the 12v battery. The question is what effect it would have on the 12v battery after repeated use. Toyota may have prepared for this situation since the manual states that the Remote Air Conditioning System stops automatically if the 12v battery becomes low.