Does the iForce Max Hybrid system change from engine to battery less often during specific weather or feature conditions?

[MikeD]

I took my OFP Hybrid in for service not too long ago. First service at 8000km and I am noticing that the hybrid system doesn't kick on as often as it used to when I was driving around in the summer time. ...

Does this happen with colder weather, ie under 10C? ...

Would love to know if you've experienced this or not.

Thanks.

Going back to the original question since I've observed something now that its been cold in VA...
In the recent cold, and mostly local driving plus one off-road excursion (mostly in 4HI) my last tank was 15.5 MPGs - not good:>) The impact of cold on short trips is that the hybrid does not kick in (and engine shut off) until things get real warm - maybe 10 miles or so? And this has a real impact on milage on short trips. (My <2 mile commute was getting 12.5 MPG when warm and is at <10.5 MPG without hybrid taking over).
My pre-cold snap results are in the milage thread:
real world hybrid milage-md - summary
details

I suspect that the power required for heater & the seat & steering wheel heater have some impact as well - but its clear to me that hybrid impact on MPGs is less in the cold for short trips.

Sponsored

 

[mjssss]

I wish there was a way to change the hybrid logic… IMO, it should be charge on every brake, and help accelerate all the time, down to some battery percentage. I think there’s a lot of energy not being harnessed

 

[subsector2239]

Going back to the original question since I've observed something now that its been cold in VA...
In the recent cold, and mostly local driving plus one off-road excursion (mostly in 4HI) my last tank was 15.5 MPGs - not good:>) The impact of cold on short trips is that the hybrid does not kick in (and engine shut off) until things get real warm - maybe 10 miles or so? And this has a real impact on milage on short trips. (My <2 mile commute was getting 12.5 MPG when warm and is at <10.5 MPG without hybrid taking over).
My pre-cold snap results are in the milage thread:
real world hybrid milage-md - summary
details

I suspect that the power required for heater & the seat & steering wheel heater have some impact as well - but its clear to me that hybrid impact on MPGs is less in the cold for short trips.

I spoke to Toyota and there is a learning period when you first get the vehicle that adapts to driving habbits, and of course the weather takes a toll. The tech said that I could bring the vehicle in and they can "reset" it learning component and it would start utilizing the battery more, but at some point would settle and go back to what it is now. That's how I understood it.

 

[mjssss]

lol, so I learn oh how the hybrid works while it learns on me… dang

 

[moosepwr]

I wish there was a way to change the hybrid logic… IMO, it should be charge on every brake, and help accelerate all the time, down to some battery percentage. I think there’s a lot of energy not being harnessed

I'm realizing the hybrid battery is only for a little extra oomph getting going and for powering stuff you plug into the 120V socket.

 

[mjssss]

I'm realizing the hybrid battery is only for a little extra oomph getting going and for powering stuff you plug into the 120V socket.

True but still seems to sit idle a large fraction of the time.

 

[Archer]

I've noticed a difference also since the temp dropped, in mileage and how often it goes into battery mode.

I'm also curious how using the 120v during camping trips in the winter are going to effect it. If you run a heater all night or an electric blanket, how often is it going to start to charge the battery?


.

 

[RAD4RNR]

From the research I did prior to buying my TRD ORP IForce 4 Runner the Hybrid system is only to add more power to the vehicle and not to help with MPG.

 

[Gumpus]

I've noticed a difference also since the temp dropped, in mileage and how often it goes into battery mode.

I'm also curious how using the 120v during camping trips in the winter are going to effect it. If you run a heater all night or an electric blanket, how often is it going to start to charge the battery?


.

Well you've got a 1.87 kW/hrs battery so at best it can put out 1870 watts for an hour, so if you're greedy and use a 1500W space heater you're gonna hear the engine but I think you'll do very well with an electric blanket.

 

[Gumpus]

I recently bought a Civic Hybrid and it also uses a fairly small battery (1.1kW/hr vs 1.87 on 4R) and even though I haven't owned it long we went from warm weather to snowstorms in November and I noticed a pretty dramatic difference in how often the engine starts.

 

[Nodak]

I took my OFP Hybrid in for service not too long ago. First service at 8000km and I am noticing that the hybrid system doesn't kick on as often as it used to when I was driving around in the summer time. Normally the battery would kick on at a stop light, or while in drivethru's, but it seems like the engine is running a lot longer without going into battery. Even when approaching stop signs or stop lights, the regenerative braking usually puts the vehicle into hybrid battery mode when slowing down, and you can hear the whining of the charge when slowing down. It rarely does this anymore.

Does this happen with colder weather, ie under 10C? I know if features like AC or Heating can force the car engine to kick back on to charge the battery, but the battery indicator used to go up and down very frequently before, where now it stays charged around 80% with minimal switch over. I tried turning things off (heat, fans, etc) to test, but am not seeing any change or results when doing so.

I know there are a bunch of variables to dictate whether the system comes on or not. The amount of throttle given, the speed, the length of cruising the vehicle, during regenerative braking etc. I am just 100% sure the hybrid system is coming on less frequently now, and not sure if it was a coincidence due to the service I had from dealership (Service Level 1) at 8k.

Is this something I should approach the dealership with this info? Could they have programmed it this way or tuned it in a way that would affect the frequency of it kicking in?

In the manual (Page 70) states:

Conditions in which the gasoline engine may not stop

- When the “TOW HAUL” switch is on
- When the “MTS” switch is on
- Vehicles with part-time 4WD: When the front-wheel drive control switch is in “4H” or “4L”
- When the front-wheel drive control switch is in “4H” or “4L”
- Vehicles with full-time 4WD: When the front-wheel drive control switch is in “H4L” or “L4L”
- When braking (regenerative braking)
- When the hood is opened during "READY” indicator is illuminated
- When repeatedly accelerating/decelerating rapidly
- When repeatedly operating the hybrid system for a long time
- When driving down a long slope

I'm still under the impression that the system is not switching as much as it used to.

Would love to know if you've experienced this or not.

Thanks.

also i have notice in cold starts (below freezing) in ND, when i leave the garage the hybrid battery meter jumps around a lot during the first 30 seconds then goes back to being not used.


also if you put it into manual shift mode (+/-), it turns off auto start stop

Sponsored