Charge function just came on and can't turn it off

SurealUnReal · Jun 20, 2019

Hi guys I really hope someone can help, I unplugged the car today and travelled about 1/2 a mile and after a couple 100 meters down the road I pressed the windscreen wash and as it did its 3 squirts I heard what sounded like a relay click down my the glove box now I confess that normally I have my music on loud so this might be nothing.
So I arrived at my destination (1/2mile) turned the car off, got out opened the boot, a couple of minutes at most closed the boot got in the car and started the car, and I heard the engine rev and thought what the ####, looked and the charge function was on, thought I must have knocked but NO the charge function won't turn off can't change to save, turned off and back on same, drove back home and parked, opened boot closed restarted still on charge mode??????? I also have a message which says "engine started to maintain fuel system"
Now I know I've dropped a big boo boo because the service was due in February and as the dealership didn't contact me I was going to get it done at a garage and kept putting off.
I've noticed that some people are referencing something to do with 3 months fuel etc but I'm pretty sure my fuel isn't that old I terrified to use the car because not only does it use twice the amount of fuel but I'm scared it might damage the drive battery.
PLEASE HELP ME
On a separate and completely unrelated matter how well should the progressive breaking put charge back into the battery because I swear mines not been working correctly from a very short time after driving from the forecourt but the dealership keep fobbing me off

jaapv · Jun 20, 2019

Very simple - if you haven't used enough petrol for a while (3 months IIRC), the car will automatically switch to charge to force you to fill up the tank with fresh fuel. The reason is that petrol (gas in the USA) deteriorates over time, so it must be refreshed from time to time.
Brake regeneration won't work with a full battery as the car has nowhere to store the electricity.
In other words: normal behaviour as designed.

SurealUnReal · Jun 20, 2019

Many thanks I'm so grateful for your reply I was so worried

AndyInOz · Jun 21, 2019

If you page through the messages on the dash board (there is a row of buttons between your steering wheel and the window, you're looking for a button that has a picture of two pages on it) you will be able to find a message that says:

"Engine Started to Maintain Fuel System."

SurealUnReal · Jul 12, 2019

Many thanks guys, is there a certain amount of fuel that's needed to be used before refilling the tank as I'm almost empty but don't want to fill up prematurely?

Much appreciated

Jay

jaapv · Jul 12, 2019

Ancient automotive lore but still applicable: Over longer periods, try and keep you tank as full as convenient. The less air - with moisture in it- is over the petrol, the less water will condense into the fuel.

SurealUnReal · Jul 12, 2019

But what is the procedure for getting the charge function to stop, have told that its due to fuel being in to long and need to use so much fuel before it will switch off my question is how low does it need to be before topping it back up?