Motor starting while in Park

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Geor99

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I've brought this up before without ever getting an answer that everyone on the forum thought was feasible.

Today, I got in the car and turned it on. Before driving off the phone rang, so I sat in park to talk.

Within 3 minutes the motor cranked on. I attached a pic.

Any theories???
 

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If it is the case that you mostly or always drive all electric and perhaps hardly ever use the engine then we do know the car is designed to occassionally force the ICE to run. i.e. to keep it from sitting idle for too long a period. If that fits your situation, then nothing to worry about and I'd disregard the rest of my message here.

Also and with the thought that maybe it's helpful to confirm this isn't normal; I've had my Clarity for almost 1 year now. This has never happened to me.
(and I don't mean it like 'too bad for you.' I simply mean this may be anomalous behavior that others may not of seen).
I do use the gas engine at regular intervals, at least once every 2 months, but sometimes more often (i.e. this summer, I've done more long trips).

Since it seems somewhat innocuous I'm not sure what I would do. I would likely take to my dealer, and have them at least document, and pull any codes. i.e. Should the issue worsen or come with other anomalous issues down the road.
 
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Geor99 said:
I've brought this up before without ever getting an answer that everyone on the forum thought was feasible.

Today, I got in the car and turned it on. Before driving off the phone rang, so I sat in park to talk.

Within 3 minutes the motor cranked on. I attached a pic.

Any theories???
Click to expand...
Every once in a while the ICE has to run to lub the barrings, piston rings, Etc. It is just how it is programmed.
 
stacey burke said:
Every once in a while the ICE has to run to lub the barrings, piston rings, Etc. It is just how it is programmed.
Click to expand...
I average 1-2 miles per day when the ev runs to 0. On my way to work, I'm generally a couple of miles short of ev. I get home with 10 to spare- must be an elevation thing.
 
+1 on the occasional System Start to keep the ICE lubed and read to run at a moments notice. Also we need to know how much charge you had in the battery to puzzle this out. And the temp setting on your ac and the ambient temp along with whether the car was parked in the sun and was very hot.
 
KentuckyKen said:
+1 on the occasional System Start to keep the ICE lubed and read to run at a moments notice. Also we need to know how much charge you had in the battery to puzzle this out. And the temp setting on your ac and the ambient temp along with whether the car was parked in the sun and was very hot.
Click to expand...
Check out the picture that I posted. It has all of your answers including showing it parked in the sun.
 
Sounds like it is not an engine maintenance start.

Does anyone know if the the engine runs when the battery gets too hot? To take the load off the battery. Mine seems to limit charging when it is parked in the sun.
 
Geor99 said:
Check out the picture that I posted. It has all of your answers including showing it parked in the sun.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I missed that. I think I see what’s going on now.
Climate control set at maximum low temperature plus car in the sun = “The climate control system is in heavy use” which page 13 of the manual says is one of the 5 circumstances that may cause the engine to turn on or not turn off if already on.
So I’d call that normal behavior.
 
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Geor99 said:
I get home with 10 to spare- must be an elevation thing.
Click to expand...
Also, and a little off-topic- I happen to live on a hill (and it's steep with about 800-1000 ft elevation gain in short order). Coming down the hill, my car frequently starts the gas engine at the base of the hill to dissipate the extra energy. Another known reason ICE may start.

I can avoid the gas engine starting going down my hill if I both run the heater, and use the break (not paddles) to slow.
 
I have used a similar process, but on this occasion it started with a battery with 15 ev miles while in park.
 
Hello Guys,

It happened again today, when the car was cold and it was only 75F outside. This causes me to now doubt the theory that the car is performing some sort of cooling operation.

I attached another pic.
 

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Geor99 said:
Hello Guys,

It happened again today, when the car was cold and it was only 75F outside. This causes me to now doubt the theory that the car is performing some sort of cooling operation.

I attached another pic.
Click to expand...
I don't think I have ever turned on my car and seen 2.2 miles EV range. Or at least it's rare. If my car gets down to about 3 miles or less when I shut it off, the next time I turn it on it usually says 0 EV range and will be in HV mode (although ICE usually doesn't come right on like yours does). Not saying that has anything to do with your problem since I know you have seen the engine come on with higher EV range, but I'm just wondering if my car (or driving habits) are less common that my car always seems to set to 0 if my EV range is very low when I shut it off.
 
Geor99 said:
Hello Guys,

It happened again today, when the car was cold and it was only 75F outside. This causes me to now doubt the theory that the car is performing some sort of cooling operation.

I attached another pic.
Click to expand...

What is the "i" notification referring to?
 
2002 said:
If my car gets down to about 3 miles or less when I shut it off, the next time I turn it on it usually says 0 EV range and will be in HV mode (although ICE usually doesn't come right on like yours does).
Click to expand...
Partial ditto. When I shut off with 2 EV miles left, our Clarity comes back on with 0 EV miles--but then the ICE starts up right away in my case.
 
insightman said:
Partial ditto. When I shut off with 2 EV miles left, our Clarity comes back on with 0 EV miles--but then the ICE starts up right away in my case.
Click to expand...
When I shut the car off with anything less than 3-4 miles EV left, my Clarity comes back on with 0 EV miles but the blue line on the EV ranges is up to 12:00 and I can usually get to the free charger which is 3 miles away without using any gas. It seems like the EV range translates into some free electric juice even though the ICE was engaged.
 
insightman said:
Partial ditto. When I shut off with 2 EV miles left, our Clarity comes back on with 0 EV miles--but then the ICE starts up right away in my case.
Click to expand...
Another ditto but with aggravation.
I was in the rare instance for me of just barely having enough charge to get home (and you know how I hate to run the ICE outside of the the seldom required but needed and appreciated System Checks). I’m watching the EV range and I had 3+ miles and 3 bars so I decided to go <1 mile and get some junk food. All was well until I turned off the car waiting for my order. When I turned it back on the EV range was 0 and the ICE comes on. Grrrrr!!!
I learned my lesson on that. Evidently, turning off the car causes some kind of internal reset on the algorithm or history or something when you’re close to the edge.
At least I’ve managed to go 12,000+ miles on 17 gal of gas so I’m not complaining. (Yeah, I don’t take many out of town trips)
 
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