Engine Temp Problem

[kthejoker20]

Ok, before I begin, I KNOW that hybrids suck in cold weather. I understand that they traditionally run cooler then the normal engine. With that being said.....

 

I have noticed that I have little heat when operating my vehicle in cold weather, below 25 degrees. I can drive around town for an hour and it still will be luke warm at best.

 

During that entire time, I monitor the engine coolant temp gauge. The engine warms up to just at the C line, on the bottom of the gauge. Then it fluctuates from the C line, all the way down below the C line to the beginning of gauge like it was just started. Temp never goes above the C line.

 

Then when I drive it on the interstate, the temp gauge appears normal and the engine temp goes to the middle part of the gauge, and I then have comfortable heat.

 

I took it to the dealer last winter and complained about this but was told it was normal.

 

I have noticed a decrease in gas mileage since I bought the car. I was first getting about 575miles to a tank, now I only get 400 if I drive easy.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

Edited February 12, 2016 by kthejoker20

[lolder]

If you set the HVAC on Auto and set a temperature of 70, what happens? The ICE should run and the car should get warm no matter how you're driving. In Wisconsin in winter, the ICE might not run to warm up much driving at slower speeds unless you are calling for cabin heat.

[corncobs]

If you set the HVAC on Auto and set a temperature of 70, what happens? The ICE should run and the car should get warm no matter how you're driving. In Wisconsin in winter, the ICE might not run to warm up much driving at slower speeds unless you are calling for cabin heat.

Excellent question and the answer that will be telling.

 

While driving around town the temps definitely stay around that first threshold mark only if you go faster for longer stretches it will get higher. That being said back in slower traffic the temp will drop down again.

All that I can see on my drive to work and that is with my grill blocked and calling for heat at 68 F on fan low.

[Griswald]

Id bet that your thermostat is stuck open. Your ICE should warm up no matter what the outside temperature, they simply don't run well when cold.

 

That being said, I do notice that my AUTO setting doesn't start really blowing heat until my ICE temperature goes above 125 degrees, and it doesn't easily slip into electric mode until the ICE reaches 150 degrees. If I set the defrost setting to 72 degrees, it will start blowing air immediately, it is cool air, but at least it is moving across the windshield.

[ptjones]

If you had a ScanGaugeII or other OBDII ICE Monitor you could watch WT. Around 182*F the thermostat starts to open and is fully open at 202*F. When the thermostat starts to open the rise in WT slows down and hardly moves at 202*F for awhile. Of course you need to cover up all the grills to get to these temps when outside temps are below 0*C. :)

 

Paul

[lolder]

I'm not sure these vehicles have a traditional mechanical thermostat. I think it is computer controlled. Hybridbear?

[ptjones]

I'm not sure these vehicles have a traditional mechanical thermostat. I think it is computer controlled. Hybridbear?

Yes it is mechanical, Part#8575

:)

Paul

[kthejoker20]

Ok here some more info, I got the obd plugged in and logged with torque.

 

The engine runs from cold start when heat is on 72. But then after a few mins, shuts off, few mins, then on again.

 

I'm in Wisconsin so its cold here, I never turn the heat off, or lower then 72 in the cabin.

 

I have been monitoring the cooolant temp driving around town. I goes between 125F to 140F.

 

Temp is about 10 degrees here.

 

Havent tested on the highway, but Im sure the temp wil get about 220.

Edited February 13, 2016 by kthejoker20

[corncobs]

Sounds pretty normal to me and I'm just a few miles south of you.

 

Even with the heat on the engine will eventually shut off but the heat that's in the engine is being used to heat the cabin "cooling" down the engine.

 

That's one of the programming updates they made way back to lower the temp threshold in order to allow the car to go into EV (like waiting @ a red light) much sooner especially in cold weather than before.

 

There is at least on thread on this topic were hybridbear made some nice test.

[ptjones]

Ok here some more info, I got the obd plugged in and logged with torque.

 

The engine runs from cold start when heat is on 72. But then after a few mins, shuts off, few mins, then on again.

 

I'm in Wisconsin so its cold here, I never turn the heat off, or lower then 72 in the cabin.

 

I have been monitoring the cooolant temp driving around town. I goes between 125F to 140F.

 

Temp is about 10 degrees here.

 

Havent tested on the highway, but Im sure the temp wil get about 220.

Without Grill Covers you won't get to 200*F :)

 

Paul

[billford]

I just use the heated seats on the first cold start. Once the engine warms up, then I turn the heater on.

If I don't do it this way and have the heater on all the time, the engine takes forever to warm up. Not good for gas milage and the potential for engine sludge build up.

 

I haven't tried this, but maybe plugging in the block heater would help.

[Griswald]

I've seen over 200 degrees and I don't have grille covers

[kthejoker20]

Do the fusions come stock with block heaters, don't know where to look for it....

[murphy]

Do the fusions come stock with block heaters, don't know where to look for it....

No. Only cars in the far northern states get block heaters.

[Texasota]

No. Only cars in the far northern states get block heaters.

If yours has one, then you will find the plugin near the left fog light. It has a spring loaded cover over the plugin. I have one on my FFH S but have never used it.

[ptjones]

I've seen over 200 degrees and I don't have grille covers

Summer time and on FWY for at least 30 minutes?

[Griswald]

Summer time and on FWY for at least 30 minutes?

Yes, but also sitting in traffic when the temp outside is over 100.

 

What's your point?

[Waldo]

Yes, but also sitting in traffic when the temp outside is over 100.

 

What's your point?

 

Well this whole thread is about getting the cabin warm in cold weather, so what's your point?

 

I will add that my car behaves pretty much the same as the OP, it will never get over that first "line" on the temp gauge for the first 20 minutes of my commute - which is all city driving. Then when I hit the highway it climbs up and the cabin finally warms up.

 

In fact I spent about an hour and a half in the car toodling around town and "idling" with my kids sleeping in the back while my wife was in and out of the stores last week. Gauge never did go above that first line, but eventually the car was comfortable inside.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Waldo