Remote Climate Control

[Steven B]

Since I just realized that both the key fob and the app will activate the climate control with a low battery, I am revisiting this topic. When I months ago read that the remote climate control could be activated as long as the battery state of charge was over 50%, I didn't realize that specific answer was in the FAQs for the Clarity Electric. The FAQs for the Clarity PHEV also has a similar question, but does not identify a specific battery state of charge limit.

------From the FAQs for each model on automobiles.honda.com-------
Can I preset the cabin temperature of the Clarity Electric with my smartphone before I get into the car?

Yes, you can pre-condition the climate control system in the Clarity Electric via the HondaLink App. To help avoid reducing your battery charge, you can preset the cabin temperature while the car is plugged into a charging station. You can also pre-condition the cabin without being plugged in, as long as the battery state of charge is above 50%.

Can I preset the cabin temperature of the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid using my smartphone before I get into the car?

Yes, you can pre-condition the climate control system in the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid via the HondaLink® App. To avoid using up your battery charge, it helps to preset the cabin temperature while the car is plugged into a charging station.
-----------------------------

I thought I had validated the 50% number when activation had failed for me once back then, but maybe it was just one of those general app communication errors. Or maybe the Cooling has no lower limit, but the heating does?? I've today successfully activated the remote climate cooling individually with the key fob and with the app with battery SOC of 25%.

 

[KentuckyKen]

I can’t find it, but someone posted a diagram showing the ambient and interior temp ranges that the system uses and if it’s not within both parameters, the precondition doesn’t occur. This may explain why sometimes people don’t get it to work when there are no communication problems.
Also, when Level One charging, I think preconditioning only works after the charging is complete. Mine seemed to do that the one time I tried it.

 

[Steven B]

Honda said if it was plugged into L1, it would not work, but as you state, if charge is complete but still plugged in, you can turn on preconditioning and you can then also activate charging again. Or at least I was able to demonstrate that back in the colder months.

 

[AnthonyW]

Steven, I thought I posted this somewhere in the Honda Service Express Bulletins for 2018 Clarity PHEV a while back but I don't see it so I am posting/attaching again. It looks like you have a multitude of variables (and some of those variables have sub variables) that determine if the preconditioning turns on or not. Funny how the note on the level 1 charger variable is so vague not defined:

Conditions for Air Conditioning with Telematics
NOTE: If you are using the 120V (level 1) charge, you may not be able to turn on the climate
control system remotely while the charger connector and the charge cable are plugged in.
The air conditioning can be adjusted by the telematics if all the following conditions are met.
All the doors are closed
The hood is closed
The brake pedal is not pressed
The 240 V charge cable (level 2) is connected to the vehicle (Departure time scheduling only)
The battery module state-of-charge (SOC) for is 11%* or more (The outside temperature is
about 68°F (20°C))

*: The lower limit of the SOC changes depending on outside temperature. The lower limit of
the SOC becomes higher as the outside becomes lower.
The climate control unit determines that the air temperature inside the vehicle is not in the
comfortable air temperature zone
Conditions for Immediately Stopping Air Conditioning with Telematics
The air conditioning cannot be started by the telematics or it is immediately stopped if any one of
the following conditions is met.
The driver's door is open
The hood is open
The brake pedal is pressed
30 minutes after starting the air conditioning
5 minutes after disconnecting the 240 V charge cable (level 2) from the vehicle (Departure
time scheduling only)
The battery module state-of-charge (SOC) for is 11%* or less (The outside temperature is
about 68°F (20°C))

*: The lower limit of the SOC changes depending on outside temperature. The lower limit of
the SOC becomes higher as the outside becomes lower.
Other factors (cancel command in the vehicle)
Conditions for Target Interior Temperature Control
The climate control unit determines the target interior temperature (comfortable air temperature
zone) by measuring both the current interior and exterior temperatures. Once the target interior
temperature is calculated, the climate control turns on the air conditioning to either heat or cool
the interior.
The air conditioning cools the interior if the exterior temperature is above 77°F (25°C). The
air conditioning also cools the interior if the interior temperature is 86°F (30°C) or more while
the exterior temperature is above 50°F (10°C).
The air conditioning heats the interior if the exterior temperature is 50°F (10°C) or less. The
air conditioning also heats the interior if the interior temperature is 59°F (15°C) or less while
the exterior temperature is 77°F (25°C) or less.

 

[Steven B]

Related question, whenever Honda uses the term 'Telematics' I infer that means App-based communication. Or does Telematics also mean key-fob based communication? I would reasonably expect all the above conditions would apply if the brains were receiving the command from the key fob as well.

 

[jdonalds]

I've used the climate remote a couple of times. But other times, when it is over 100 degrees F outside, when I didn't turn the climate system on remotely the car cools very quickly. It's the fastest acting AC I've ever had. Within less than a minute cold air is coming out of the vents.

 

[KentuckyKen]

Related question, whenever Honda uses the term 'Telematics' I infer that means App-based communication. Or does Telematics also mean key-fob based communication? I would reasonably expect all the above conditions would apply if the brains were receiving the command from the key fob as well.

I believe that the TCU and signal strength indicator you see at shutoff refers to the Telematics Control Unit. This is the black box that “listens in” on all the data going through the CanBus and can send commands through it . It potentially can read all the info the car and it’s sensors are generating but each mfg decides which data it reads and how it deals with it. The TCU communicates with the Honda Link App through cellular packet data transmissions to Honda’s server. Honda currently pays for this bandwidth and gives it to us free. So for HL to work both your phone and car must be able to connect to Honda’s server. (Key fob has limited range but the HL app can work anywhere in the US as long as both car and phone can connect to Hond’s server.) This cost is why HL does not update in real time (ex: in 15% SOC increments noticed by another poster). If it did it would cost Honda a lot more.
I have not been able to find any Honda source that says if the key fob communicates through the TCU or not but it’s a reasonable assumption that it does.
The $64 question is what data is the TCU reporting to Honda and how long will we get it for free.

 

[fotomoto]

Bringing back from the dead, trying for clarification here and hoping there's a solution to my issue.

Conditions for Air Conditioning with Telematics
NOTE: If you are using the 120V (level 1) charge, you may not be able to turn on the climate
control system remotely while the charger connector and the charge cable are plugged in.
The air conditioning can be adjusted by the telematics if all the following conditions are met.
All the doors are closed
The hood is closed
The brake pedal is not pressed
The 240 V charge cable (level 2) is connected to the vehicle (Departure time scheduling only)
The battery module state-of-charge (SOC) for is 11%* or more (The outside temperature is
about 68°F (20°C))

Regarding the bold font above, does this mean that a climate schedule set in hondalink will only activate with the car plugged in? I know I can remote start via FOB or hondalink but am looking for an automatic workaround when unplugged with a nearly full battery. Thx.