KentuckyKen
Well-Known Member
Can you give more details?
State of charge
Any hills, downhills, braking
Temp
A/c or heat on
How many occurrences and how close together
Does it seem to happen in the same conditions
How many miles and months of driving
Poll: Unexpected ICE Turn-ons with full battery?
- Thread starter M.M.
- Start date
- Replies 79
- Views 11K
State of charge
Any hills, downhills, braking
Temp
A/c or heat on
How many occurrences and how close together
Does it seem to happen in the same conditions
How many miles and months of driving
It’s fully charged, in the morning temp ~60F, I have small uphill when I start at home, but generally flat area, no AC or heat on, it happened last 3 days, noticed only on fully charged state, in both Econ and sports mode, with without regen, the power band turns white, it’ behaves as if battery not available for power delivery, but after driving > 10 miles, it’s behaving normal
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
I just had opportunity to do this. Empty battery (ICE had already come on), switched to just HV mode (not HV charge), drove about 4 miles up a fairly steep hill, ICE never revved up noticeably. (Car recharged to about 4.5 miles of EV range on the way down, for reference.)
Only thing I can think of is that the speed limit on this road is low (25-30mph), so even though the hill is very steep the actual amount of power going to the wheels isn't equivalent to a steep grade at highway speeds. I was usually seeing the needle on the power gauge at around vertical.
Updating...
My ICE starting on regular basis in the morning with full charge, but does become normal after 10-15 miles driven. My EV range also dropped recently to 55 miles from 60s, I am not sure if anyone has similar trend.
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
My ICE starting on regular basis in the morning with full charge, but does become normal after 10-15 miles driven. My EV range also dropped recently to 55 miles from 60s, I am not sure if anyone has similar trend.
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
I have been experiencing the same issue. Wasn't sure what was going on. Today I paid attention.
At start up showed 53 mile EV Range. Temp 73F. EV & ECO mode on.
Pulled out of the driveway and within .25 miles in the neighborhood the ICE came on. Blue line changed to white.
The first 5-6 miles at 60 mph the EV stayed off. Did not show any regen unless going downhill.
At about the 6-7 mile mark the EV Range had dropped to 46 Miles. At this point the EV came on and off. Still white line.
At 8 mile mark it switched to all EV and stayed that way for the rest of the trip. Blue line came back on.
My hypothesis - Since this never seemed to happen when the starting EV Range was 48 mile or below I am assuming that this happens only when the EV starting miles is above 48 miles.
I will be making exactly the same trip later this afternoon.
At start up showed 53 mile EV Range. Temp 73F. EV & ECO mode on.
Pulled out of the driveway and within .25 miles in the neighborhood the ICE came on. Blue line changed to white.
The first 5-6 miles at 60 mph the EV stayed off. Did not show any regen unless going downhill.
At about the 6-7 mile mark the EV Range had dropped to 46 Miles. At this point the EV came on and off. Still white line.
At 8 mile mark it switched to all EV and stayed that way for the rest of the trip. Blue line came back on.
My hypothesis - Since this never seemed to happen when the starting EV Range was 48 mile or below I am assuming that this happens only when the EV starting miles is above 48 miles.
I will be making exactly the same trip later this afternoon.
bobcubsfan
Active Member
I just opened a ticket with Honda. I suggest all who are having the ICE issue do the same. Here is what I wrote:
Our Clarity Hybrid has a behavior where the internal combustion engine (ICE) comes online when it should not.
The vehicle is in ECON mode. EV shows in the instrument panel.
The battery is full. Ambient temperature is nominal between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The behavior is random. Sometimes when the car has been driven less than a mile, the ICE will come online at a stop sign after a full stop. Other times it will not do this under the same conditions.
That is not the way an EV vehicle is supposed to operate. It should stay in EV mode all the time. Since the Clarity has an ICE (internal combustion engine), it should come online only when the battery is low. Perhaps 10% would be normal.
In the first month we had the vehicle it did not do this very often. Now, it happens regularly.
The dealer said there is nothing to be done. I am not the only Clarity Hybrid owner that this is happening to. See the forum at https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?forums/clarity.53/
We really think the car, in general, is much better than the Nissan Leafs we had the last 7 years but its behavior is unacceptable. So, here is my proposal:
Either the problem has to be fixed, or I will invoke the State of California Lemon Law. That means the vehicle has to be replaced or our down payment and lease payments have to be refunded.
You can open a ticket here:
https://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations
Our Clarity Hybrid has a behavior where the internal combustion engine (ICE) comes online when it should not.
The vehicle is in ECON mode. EV shows in the instrument panel.
The battery is full. Ambient temperature is nominal between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The behavior is random. Sometimes when the car has been driven less than a mile, the ICE will come online at a stop sign after a full stop. Other times it will not do this under the same conditions.
That is not the way an EV vehicle is supposed to operate. It should stay in EV mode all the time. Since the Clarity has an ICE (internal combustion engine), it should come online only when the battery is low. Perhaps 10% would be normal.
In the first month we had the vehicle it did not do this very often. Now, it happens regularly.
The dealer said there is nothing to be done. I am not the only Clarity Hybrid owner that this is happening to. See the forum at https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?forums/clarity.53/
We really think the car, in general, is much better than the Nissan Leafs we had the last 7 years but its behavior is unacceptable. So, here is my proposal:
Either the problem has to be fixed, or I will invoke the State of California Lemon Law. That means the vehicle has to be replaced or our down payment and lease payments have to be refunded.
You can open a ticket here:
https://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations
bobcubsfan
Active Member
Once again, ICE came on. Here is a possible new wrinkle. I pulled over and came to a stop. ICE was clearly charging the battery. There was a green animated flow line from the ICE to the battery. So much for the theory that the battery was too full so ICE came on the help with breaking. ICE came on at .3 miles and stayed on for a mile of driving.
KentuckyKen
Well-Known Member
Bob, all I can offer you at this point is either Lemon Law or exorcism. Your car just ain’t acting like everyone else’s.
Seriously though, try to get your dealer to bump this up to the regional level or beyond. We’re rooting for you.
Logged 1000 miles on my Clarity. The ICE engine has never come on for me, unless I select HV mode, or my battery was at 2 bars (empty). The ICE engine is so quiet that I don't even notice it being on. I know it is on just from the dashboard displays. I've done about 975 miles in EV mode. The gas tank still reads full, on the original tank.
bobcubsfan
Active Member
Thanks, Ken. Honda corporate said a dealer had to "find something wrong" to get something done. I will try again to make it happen.
bobcubsfan
Active Member
Got a call from Honda yesterday. They will look into the issue. I have another theory. Is it possible that a signal is being sent to the ICE that the battery needs charging and hence is attempting to do so? When ICE came on a couple of days ago, and I came to a full stop, ICE was charging the battery.
I park in a 5 level garage and charge there.
When I unplug and descend the ramps, the engine never starts.
May have missed it, but its very quiet inside the parking garage.
I'll check closely next time.
I do notice that regen is not available with a full battery.
The braking feels completely different with friction only down all the ramps.
I usually go the next 20 miles on EV and then switch to HV for the next 100 highway miles of the trip, then back to EV for the local roads.
When I unplug and descend the ramps, the engine never starts.
May have missed it, but its very quiet inside the parking garage.
I'll check closely next time.
I do notice that regen is not available with a full battery.
The braking feels completely different with friction only down all the ramps.
I usually go the next 20 miles on EV and then switch to HV for the next 100 highway miles of the trip, then back to EV for the local roads.
KentuckyKen
Well-Known Member
That sounds completely normal and is exactly what a lot of us have experienced and reported.
bobcubsfan
Active Member
Again today. Full charge. Third stop, not first.
bobcubsfan
Active Member
The official word from Honda. My Clarity is working "as designed." It is normal for ICE to come online to charge the battery when it "feels like it." It is a hybrid not a pure EV. Gee, really? But is anyone else having this issue?
bobcubsfan
Active Member
I will try that. Did you have ICE come online before that?
KentuckyKen
Well-Known Member
Bob, try stressing that you know the ICE will come on but your complaint is that it comes on excessively often. I went 4 months and 3,000 miles in EV Econ and my ice only came on 4 times and each time was just a few minutes.
I suggest you document each time yours comes on to prove its excessive and not normal.
bobcubsfan
Active Member
I did. Honda does not care.