KentuckyKen
Well-Known Member
Just a possible explanation: Spinning the engine with the engine generator/starter uses electricity (energy). This can in effect dump some juice. A spinning ICE will sound just like a running ICE even if it is off (no fuel injectors turned on). Ford uses this on Fusion and Cmax Energy's to dump excess juice. In fact in Ford Hybrid school the techs had to diagnose a fault based on a diagnostic trouble shooting chart. The first question was " does the engine start?". Well that was the bug. The injectors were disabled but the engine was in essence running/(pumping air) but just spinning. Sounded the same. Just a thought.
Except, my hour meter incremented (inductively coupled to a spark plug coil) and the exhaust manifold was hot. Both observations lead me to believe that the engine was running not just rotating.
Of course it could have been a System Check, but it happened more than once immediately after a full charge with a significant braking event.
So I don’t think it was a coincidence and it seems that my Clarity sometimes starts and runs the engine to somehow attenuate the regen power that the full battery can’t handle.
We desperately need more information from Honda or more observations from owners.