So,
The last few weeks the car has been running fine
However, over the last few days I’ve noticed that the engine is kicking when there’s still around 20% hybrid charge left in the battery ?
I can start the car , drive off in hybrid mode, and it will use just electric but only for up to about 10 mph, but then the engine kicks in.
It’s like this all the time no matter if the engine is cold or warm or if features like A/C are off…
The weather has been warm.
When it does use electric in hybrid mode the engine still runs in the background fluctuating from 800rpm to 1400rpm, but it mostly runs with the engine alone at normal revs and knocks off the hybrid electric off even though there’s plenty of charge left to use ?
Even with a full charge it still opts to use engine over electric.
E Save is off !
Could this be lack of mileage again ?
I’ve read on other forums that other makes of cars do a very similar thing to make sure the engine is not sitting idle for too long.
It’s a safety thing to make sure the engine is turned over and run for the oil ect to circulate.
I think Toyota also do it so that fuel is used and not sat in the tank indefinity.
It would be great if the DS manual explained things like this, otherwise owners just assume something is not right !!
Sounds like an issue, cant give any advice though!
My car doesnt behave like that. It runs on electric (when in Hybrid or comfort) until it drains battery completely. Of course assisted with petrol when needed or above 77km/h.
This happened a few months ago, the dealership said the car isnt being used enough so the engine kicks in to get some lubrication moving around it and to carry out checks ?
I did read somewhere that some makes have a system that pushes ICE to run if the fuel hasnt been replaced enough, so you may have a good point .
I only do around 40 miles per week, over 4 days, each journey about 5 miles to work and 5 back home.
Yes, making those sort of trips would make the car think the petrol is starting to wax in the system.
Just like the other way, if you haven’t charged the battery for a while, then you’ll get a warning message to say plug it in…
So, go for a long drive, another thing to remember, it’s possible the more you don’t use replace the fuel in the tank, the more of a long drive you’ll need to take.
It’s a good day for a drive - enjoy.
If I’m honest, I think a lot of the issues I’m experiencing, such as the keyless entry & welcome lights only working intermittently and now the ICE kicking in almost straight away, could be down to the low mileage that I do.
I read an article yesterday about PHEV’s and how drive them, it basically said just trying to use battery power all the time is no good for the ICE.
That’s exactly why all manufacturers include routines into the drive train ECU’s.
The ECU starts the engine for a number of reasons, such as,
Stopping the fuel in the injectors from waxing and the petrol from ‘going off’,
Keeping all oil ways and bearings in the engine lubricated so if the engine is required it won’t get damaged,
To stop the radiator collant from going stagnant.
Keeping the 12volt batterie fully charged. The engine charges the underbonnet battery, and once that battery is fully charged it charges the auxiliary battery.
…
I try to drive in Hybrid/comfort mode at least once a month, even if I have to make special trip, just to keep things as they should be.
So what mode do you put the car in if you only use hybrid/comfort once a month ?
I’ve been putting mine in hybrid every day since I bought it.
I have basically been using the car on 100% hybrid for almost every journey, with the ICE kicking in for short periods of time when I take the speed up a little bit on the motorway going to and from work, but thats only for about 5 minutes max, then it trips back to back to running on the hybrid battery when I come off the motorway.
I’ve been doing this since having the car.
My problem is I only use the car for 4 days a week, roughly 5 miles each way to and from work, its then parked up for 3 days.
The ICE kicks in for about 5 mins on the journey to and from work.
Its only this last week that the car has started kicking in the ICE almost straight away when I pull off.
It will run on hybrid alone, but only up to about 15mph, then the ICE takes over.
I would imagine on a trip of 5 miles the engine barely gets warm, let alone has enough time to top up the batteries, especially in the cooler months
I too, mostly use the electric only mode, if I need to force petrol usage I click into hybrid with a flat traction battery. Another tip is use sport mode, this will make the engine run all the time. But you really need to do regular long trips, 40-50 miles once a month, or, in my opinion, you may constantly keep having electrical issues, and possibly a big maintenance bill, as the auxiliary battery ain’t cheap.
Can you not choose a different journey home once a week, say about 15 miles? When I was working I had about 4 different ways to go, one I actually called “the pretty way”!
More often than not, my traction battery will be between 0-10% before I plug it in, unless the the predicted range is less than my next planned journey.
I drive mostly on electric, unless the distance to be travelled is more than the predicted range, then it’s in comfort mode.
My typical week is 4 trips of about 6 miles in electric and 1 longer trip in Comfort/Hybrid mode. I recharge once or twice a week. More often than not if I’m in hybrid mode my traction battery will be at 0% just I’m pulling into my road - perfect.
As your battery has about 9% buffer you will never run it empty, my battery is 12.4kW, the most I have ever recharged it is about 11.1kW, so even at 0%, on the dash, it will still have over 1kW remaining.
I never use e-save, did once and the mpg dropped by half! So can’t see the point, electricity from the grid is much much cheaper.
I have just returned from a trip away, about 260 miles, and 79 mpg. 100% leaving home and 100% before my trip home, about 10 miles at 0% in comfort mode in the middle.
Treat the petrol engine is a safety device, if you have no charge in your traction battery use petrol, and arriving at your destination with a lot of charge in you traction battery is a waste, that’s why the satnav adjusts your long drives so you don’t.
So where do the two 12v batteries get their charge from ?
Is it from the ICE via an alternator or from the main traction battery via a convertor ?
I’ve Googled this but there’s different opinions.
I’ve also read that a PHEV will only charge the 12v batteries up to 80% and it’s necessary to put the 12v batteries on a trickle charge now and then.
Trouble with Google it generalises too much. Yes I have heard of Toyota Hybrids having to have their 12 volt batteries going flat, this mostly happens if the car is not used regularly, and yes our cars could suffer the same, due to the computers always being alive, but I have had my car for over a year and never thought about the battery. Also, no way would the car power up with only 80% charge (~9volts!)
I think you’ll find that the alternator charges the 12 volt battery, then once that’s charged it charges the auxiliary battery via an inverter.
Which would you recommend besides taking the car on a long journey ?
A trickle charge using a smart charger on the main 12v battery every so often ?
Using Sport Mode once or twice per week on the short journeys to use the ICE more often.
Using E save on the short journeys so the ICE kicks in , ( I might be over thinking this though ?)
You mention the small auxiliary 12v battery is charged by an invertor, yet the service technician told me the main 12v battery puts charge into the small 12 auxiliary battery ?
What is this smaller 12v battery used for, if the main 12v battery is used for normal features such as lights, radio, heaters ect . ?
I’ve also read that the two 12v batteries take some charge when the hybrid battery is being charged ?
But like you say listening to Google can muddy the waters even more !!!
Sorry but I can’t recommend anything. I only describe what’s works for me.
I’m part of other forums, one general French cars and the other C5X specific, I believe the C5X has exactly the same drive train as other PSA Vehicles, DS, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Jeep(?)…
I have never heard of the 12 volt battery in the engine bay, having to be ‘Topped up’ so I don’t know what’s the best way to do it, but be aware modern car batteries have their own controllers, this feeds information to the main BSI, so doing it the wrong way may cause problems. There were many reports of the auxiliary battery failing, but this was eventually put down to cheap batteries being fitted to early vehicles.
Yes, you garage technician is correct, the 12 volt battery does charge the auxiliary battery, but as the 12 volt battery is topped up with the alternator, that must mean the alternator tops up both.
I think you’ll find, the three electrical systems are not linked on PSA vehicles. The traction battery (350 volt-?) is charged via the On-board Charger via the type 2 socket. The other two are charged by the alternator.
I believe that the smaller, physically, battery runs the hybrid system, from starting your engine, to controlling the computers that determine what drive mode is used. So when that’s low you get a message similar to “Electric only mode unavailable” and the engine starts even thought the traction battery has charge. Yes you get a similar message when your traction battery is at 0%, but that obvious.
I’ve started to use Sport mode over the last day or two just to see if it “tops up” the 12 v batteries and stops the engine kicking so soon in hybrid mode.
My theory is , the engine is constantly running in Sport mode so it might help with the above if it’s used for a few days ?
I’m thinking it might be an option alongside taking the car for a long run.
Anyway, here’s my question : does Sport mode knock off Start/Stop ?
I’ve noticed that S/S isn’t working in Sport Mode even after the engine has warmed up !
It works in all other modes.
