So far there are a lot of threads regarding how you should maintain the battery for longevity. Since we would be driving using the battery mostly, what should we do to help keep the ICE lasting as long as the battery? How often to empty the gas tank to keep from oxidation?
The vehicle's system does this automatically. Gasoline may be an issue for some who are close to 100% EV, but I'm still going to trust the vehicle's system. If in doubt about keeping fuel in the system too long, run the car in HV mode for a few weeks until you use all your gasoline.
The car will run the ICE for a System Check in order to keep the engine lubed and ready to start when called on so you don’t need exercise it. Since I’ve gone as long as 5 months without using HV, I’ve put Stabil in the gas tank. If you have some HV use every month or so you don’t have to worry about the Stabil. I’m an edge case since all my driving is local and under 50 m per day. I’m pumping gas more often for my lawn mower than my car!
I feel a lot of questions raised only because we're new to EV or PHEV and afraid of breaking it. It's like computer phobia 30 years, some people were afraid of using computer because they worried about breaking something (not what you might find on internet that they afraid the computer would control you). I first knew that when I was a kid and got into computer at that time and read that from computer magazines. Honda has years of study and experiences by themselves or from others. They know how the engine works, they know how the battery works, they know how they should be charged and maintained. I seriously doubt we need to do anything extra. The car is not that fragile, do whatever you're told in the manual and will be fine. And just enjoy the drive.
ICE hasn't turned on in over a week. When I got the car, that weekend I drove a lot and tested HV and even HV Charge. HV range had stayed exactly at the same (319 miles) and only had 2 chevrons missing. This morning with 3/4 EV charge, after about 3 miles driving, I did push the pedal a little bit more than usual at a yellow light (didn't floor it), and ICE kicked in. It stayed on for less than 10 minutes and then shut off. I lost one chevron and range went down to 315 miles.
How is this for "automatic." The ICE came on 8 times in a 12-mile drive. Normal engine check? Eight times?
I don't do anything. I trust that Honda took this into consideration when they built the car and programmed a routine maintenance start of the engine.
Bob - you have had far too many problems than almost any other owner - time for a serious sit down with the owner of your dealership about lemon laws...
The manual does say it will turn on and off. I still haven’t heard anything from you that seems out of the ordinary.
I don't believe our engine has started up in more than 3 months (at least there's no gauge-evidence of gas usage). It's spooky, but I can't bring myself to floor the accelerator just to make sure the engine wasn't stolen to power someone's lawnmower. However, Bob's situation is definitely out of the ordinary. I doubt it could be the basis for a lemon-law action because it does what the manual says is normal.
Yesterday in a 12-mile drive, ICE came on 8 times. Time on varied from a few seconds to a few minutes.
