Battery range dropped suddenly (phev, 2016 model)

[GlenUK]

In California winter (45 degrees F), My 2018 PHEV dropped all the way to around 12 EV miles from 21 miles New., American dealers here won't do a dam...thing. So this is my last Mitsubishi,,,bye!

 

[GlenUK]

Mitsubishi have left the UK and Europe. European HQ are useless. Mistsubishi global are useless. They genuinely do not want to help. I have battery issues. Had the lousy DBcam bodge done, and Mitsubishi claim no problem. Had an independent test which shows heavy degradstion/ cell faults. Mitsubishi won't help...and know tje customer cannot sue them. I hope Mitsubishi continue to keep out of the UK and don't attempt to return.

 

[GlenUK]

I had a warranty battery replacement on my 2016 2 years ago. MUK made my life hell for 2 years to get it with range as low as 8 miles. I took a case to the motor ombudsman who found in my favour and also upheld an appeal. The Warranty is held in the Netherlands so it was not an enforceable decision. They did 5 DBCAMS. They failed to make 70% at 97K and I got a battery. I was fast charging every day. Since the new battery I never speed charge and no loss of capacity. It took all the joy from this car. I normally change every 3 years. I have decided to run this one with the new battery until it drops. I spent my upgrade money on an old Porsche 987 to get a smile back on my face! Happy to answer questions on the process.

Hello...I am in the UK too and have had a nightmare with dealership, Sharon Townsend Mitsubishi Motors Ltd in the UK and European Mitsubishi HQ All claim DBcam test and everything else been done correctly. No admissions. In reality there is a substantial capacity drop, and I depend test shows this, which was done on a moving vehicle and NOT in a the workshop with heating on. Dealers are advised to make sure the environment is warm. Fudged data, I would say fraudulent behaviour. Mitsubishi Motors claim they are NOT part of Motor Ombudsman because they DO NOT important or service vehicles. How did uou proceed? Thank you.

 

[yardbird]

Hello...I am in the UK too and have had a nightmare with dealership, Sharon Townsend Mitsubishi Motors Ltd in the UK and European Mitsubishi HQ All claim DBcam test and everything else been done correctly. No admissions. In reality there is a substantial capacity drop, and I depend test shows this, which was done on a moving vehicle and NOT in a the workshop with heating on. Dealers are advised to make sure the environment is warm. Fudged data, I would say fraudulent behaviour. Mitsubishi Motors claim they are NOT part of Motor Ombudsman because they DO NOT important or service vehicles. How did uou proceed? Thank you.

Mitsubishi had pulled out of China recently and in California, there are less than a handful of dealership left and they are always not busy at all either at the showrooms or shops. The dealer tech tried to sell me the 30,000 mile transmission service for the PHEV (But there is sealed single speed direct drive transmission in the PHEV so ne need to change the fluid, right?). At my local mechanics shop which I visited for over 20 years, the manager checked today at 83k miles and said no problem with the front & rear transaxle oil at all. The dealer got mixed up the transmission oil in the front & rear transaxles. That's how bad Mit dealers are in LA. They are there to rip you for unnecessary services.

 

[greendwarf]

In California winter (45 degrees F), My 2018 PHEV dropped all the way to around 12 EV miles from 21 miles New., American dealers here won't do a dam...thing. So this is my last Mitsubishi,,,bye!

And was that after you turned on the aircon to keep the screen clear and you warm?

 

[yardbird]

And was that after you turned on the aircon to keep the screen clear and you warm?

It was the same driving habbit (AC/heat or not) since I bought it new in 2018. In the first year, EV miles were about 20-21 constantly and it just got worse year by year so it was not due to the AC or heat, sure turning the heat on would kill a few miles but not 10 miles! Design problem of batteries, I would say.

 

[greendwarf]

Hello...I am in the UK too and have had a nightmare with dealership, Sharon Townsend Mitsubishi Motors Ltd in the UK and European Mitsubishi HQ All claim DBcam test and everything else been done correctly. No admissions. In reality there is a substantial capacity drop, and I depend test shows this, which was done on a moving vehicle and NOT in a the workshop with heating on. Dealers are advised to make sure the environment is warm. Fudged data, I would say fraudulent behaviour. Mitsubishi Motors claim they are NOT part of Motor Ombudsman because they DO NOT important or service vehicles. How did uou proceed? Thank you.

What you were told is correct. Mitsubishi Motors never operated in the UK. Colt Cars had an exclusive franchise to sell them here. However, as you know, of course, under UK law it is the sales outlet that is responsible for all customer complaints - so your beef is with whoever sold you the car not Mitsu.

 

[greendwarf]

It was the same driving habbit (AC/heat or not) since I bought it new in 2018. In the first year, EV miles were about 20-21 constantly and it just got worse year by year so it was not due to the AC or heat, sure turning the heat on would kill a few miles but not 10 miles! Design problem of batteries, I would say.

If you were only getting 20-21 miles out of a brand new car capable of at least 28, why did you not try to resolve this 6 years ago? - unless the low range is due to your pattern of driving, of which we know nothing!

I imagine that California Consumer Law is similar to the UK, which means that you are probably deemed to have accepted the car as satisfactory, despite the low range, in 2018 and are statute barred from raising the issue now.

Again, as we know nothing of your driving/charging for the last 6 years, nobody can offer an opinion on whether the current reduction is range is reasonable or not but given most other drivers more positive experience, any difficulties you are having are definitely NOT due to any "design problems" but are unique to you and your car - sorry!

 

[yardbird]

If you were only getting 20-21 miles out of a brand new car capable of at least 28, why did you not try to resolve this 6 years ago? - unless the low range is due to your pattern of driving, of which we know nothing!

I imagine that California Consumer Law is similar to the UK, which means that you are probably deemed to have accepted the car as satisfactory, despite the low range, in 2018 and are statute barred from raising the issue now.

Again, as we know nothing of your driving/charging for the last 6 years, nobody can offer an opinion on whether the current reduction is range is reasonable or not but given most other drivers more positive experience, any difficulties you are having are definitely NOT due to any "design problems" but are unique to you and your car - sorry!

No, the USA's 2018 PHEV model only had 12KWh battery good for 21 EV miles top as listed by Mitsubishi not 28 EV miles.

 

[yardbird]

No, the USA's 2018 PHEV model only had 12KWh battery good for 21 EV miles top as listed by Mitsubishi not 28 EV miles. I did file complaints to our consumer affairs which regulate consumer products a couple years ago but no reply from them. Someone told me that American model has specified that no battery degradation will be included in warranty when they start selling PHEV in 2018 in USA. I guess they learned that problems in European models and don't want to deal with it again. That's probably why Mitsubishi has very low volume sales here in America....bad customer services. This could be my first & last Mitsubishi anyway.

 

[greendwarf]

No, the USA's 2018 PHEV model only had 12KWh battery good for 21 EV miles top as listed by Mitsubishi not 28 EV miles.

Er, rubbish - my 2014 car also has a 12Kwh battery and really did deliver 28 miles when new. If Mitsu said it would do only 21 then that must be because it was assumed all US customers would drive with the aircon engaged.

Have you actually read your warranty rather than rely on what someone told you? But even if true, it had nothing to do with European experience as we have had little or no problems with battery degradation for the last 10 years. It is more likely to do with your notoriously litigious approach to these things in the US.

PS. So you only complained after driving the car for 4 years?

 

[yardbird]

Er, rubbish - my 2014 car also has a 12Kwh battery and really did deliver 28 miles when new. If Mitsu said it would do only 21 then that must be because it was assumed all US customers would drive with the aircon engaged.

Have you actually read your warranty rather than rely on what someone told you? But even if true, it had nothing to do with European experience as we have had little or no problems with battery degradation for the last 10 years. It is more likely to do with your notoriously litigious approach to these things in the US.

PS. So you only complained after driving the car for 4 years?

Good for you but all USA's 2018 model have 2 lit engines & 21 EV miles and you can ask any American with this PHEV model. The first few years were okay going between 19 to 21 miles top, not till it dropped to 16-17, then 12-14 miles now. Hopefully it won't go to single digit. Believe it or not and it is not garbage! See attached window sticker of my PHEV listed as 22 EV miles.

 

[maby]

Er, rubbish - my 2014 car also has a 12Kwh battery and really did deliver 28 miles when new. If Mitsu said it would do only 21 then that must be because it was assumed all US customers would drive with the aircon engaged.

Have you actually read your warranty rather than rely on what someone told you? But even if true, it had nothing to do with European experience as we have had little or no problems with battery degradation for the last 10 years. It is more likely to do with your notoriously litigious approach to these things in the US.

PS. So you only complained after driving the car for 4 years?

My experience of a brand new 2014 model was that you had to drive it very gently to get 28 miles out of it. I would assume that most UK customers would have the aircon on all the time - I didn't buy a new, and relatively expensive, car in order to drive it like the old Mini that I had as a student! When we traded the Outlander in at ten years old with around 100,000 miles on the clock, it was managing less than 10 miles on a full charge in the winter or heights of summer with the climate control on and perhaps 15 miles in the spring and autumn with cooler weather. It had a lifetime average of about 44mpg.

Martin

 

[michael8554]

My UK 2014 2.0L PHEV is now on 30K miles and showed 30 miles range on the last 100% charge at home.

Of course the real range is lower than that, but real range has never been as low as only 20 miles.

For example, I can drive to and back from my nearest town 11 miles away, and still have range when I get home.

I only use the aircon when it gets hot in the car, which is on very few UK days when the outside temp exceeds 75F.

I coast on B0 most of the time, B3, 4, 5, going down steep hills.

And use Charge on long journeys when the battery gets low.

Switch Charge off when it gets back up to 15miles, etc.

 

[greendwarf]

My experience of a brand new 2014 model was that you had to drive it very gently to get 28 miles out of it. I would assume that most UK customers would have the aircon on all the time - I didn't buy a new, and relatively expensive, car in order to drive it like the old Mini that I had as a student! When we traded the Outlander in at ten years old with around 100,000 miles on the clock, it was managing less than 10 miles on a full charge in the winter or heights of summer with the climate control on and perhaps 15 miles in the spring and autumn with cooler weather. It had a lifetime average of about 44mpg.

Martin

Not sure Martin why you would assume most UK drivers use the A/C all the time?

 

[maby]

Not sure Martin why you would assume most UK drivers use the A/C all the time?

It's just one of those "set and forget" things - I set mine to 19° when I picked up the car for the first time and it just stayed there almost till I traded it in. There's a thermostat and it either heats or cools as necessary to make me comfortable...

Martin

 

[Ecological]

My UK 2014 2.0L PHEV is now on 30K miles and showed 30 miles range on the last 100% charge at home.

Of course the real range is lower than that, but real range has never been as low as only 20 miles.

For example, I can drive to and back from my nearest town 11 miles away, and still have range when I get home.

I only use the aircon when it gets hot in the car, which is on very few UK days when the outside temp exceeds 75F.

I coast on B0 most of the time, B3, 4, 5, going down steep hills.

And use Charge on long journeys when the battery gets low.

Switch Charge off when it gets back up to 15miles, etc.

Can I just say, you are brilliant with the car. UK 2015 2.0L PHEV now done 44,000. When new showed 32 miles range. Now weather permitting, can see 23 mile range [at 14 degrees centigrade]. When it was 5 degrees in winter, in UK Cheshire, range only showed 20miles. Note however, whatever the range it showed, I still managed to get more than 99mpg, with full charge of course. [This shows up as ---- on the mpg display. ] It does not matter what the range says, I still get ===== as mpg driving 31 miles, 15.5 there and 15.5 back. I drive very very carefully, on B0 and only use regen B1 to B5, instead of braking. I do not brake at every corner, and I do not tailgate, so do not have to brake everytime the car in front brakes. I drive mostly at 30 to 40mph, but sometimes go to 50mph. Never exceeding that. The car was worth £31,000, but I had government grant of £5000, and had another £5000 knocked off the price when it was new, so only paid around £21,000. I got it just before the grant was cut to £2500 in 2015. I also only paid £99 [instead of £1000] for my home charger, again with government grant. I try my best not to switch anything on, except lights, and blue tooth to my phone. I have never fast charged the car, always either 3kW per hour or recently 7kW per hour. I have never towed, or used the roof rack. I charge at 9.4 pence pkWh, during off peak, and sometimes I charge with Solar is generating 2.4 to 3kWh per hour but otherwise, if the sun is too weak, I do not charge until the off peak kicks in. When I owned a diesel, the costs on average was around £5,500 p.a. in 2015. With the use of solar and off peak, I now pay around £850 per annum to run the car, which includes filling up at Morrisons or Tesco or Sainsbury every 4 to 6 months using about 20 to 30 litres for those months per fill. I always put it on Normal, and my EV driving is normally 97% to 100% on NORMAL mode. I never put it on charge, or SAVE or use AWD or press the EV button. On normal, I let the car choose. I have had it for 9 years, done 44,000, and not killed a single animal [eg pheasants, field mouse, etc.] and by God, not had any accidents. I bought the car new from a Mitsubishi dealer.

 

[michael8554]

19° would be much too cold for myself and wife. Maybe that's why we hardly ever need to use the aircon.

 

[greendwarf]

It's just one of those "set and forget" things - I set mine to 19° when I picked up the car for the first time and it just stayed there almost till I traded it in. There's a thermostat and it either heats or cools as necessary to make me comfortable...

Martin

I see. In my case, I don't have the electric heater, so doing that would just fire up the ICE every time I started it for much of the year, to no effect other than waste money, as most of my journeys were only short.

 

[RossWilliams]

Batteries wear down. How quickly depends on how they are used and treated. That includes how deeply they are discharged and how fully they are charged. I am not clear how deeply the battery will be discharged before the vehicle runs exclusively on gas or how the electric priority setting might effect that. There doesn't seem to be any easy way to charge it to only 80% of capacity which I understand gives optimal battery life for lithium batteries. In any case, people's experience is going to vary.