Outlander PHEV Sub-Zero Operation Question

[tyleriv]

My only concern is by covering the battery it could cause it to overheat once it got to operating temperature. I would think the car would tell you if this is happening. I'm not familiar with these, but if they are easy to remove before driving than it may not be an issue.

Good point. An example of a heater is the "Canadian Polar Pad", 75W 2"x3" on amazon designed for installation on the oil pan. There are others that have lower wattage and are thermostatically controlled. Its a small area, but again, I don't want a "hot spot" of heat and at the same time don't want to further insulate the traction battery that might be an issue in hot summer operation. For clarity, I've not looked beneath the car for suitability.

 

[DougF]

I have a 2024 PHEV kept outside and have occasionally experienced winter temperatures < -30C. I was wondering if a low wattage (say 50W) engine block warmer (typically a "blanket like" device about 100 cm^2) would help with traction battery warming. I would apply the blanket with an adhesive to the bottom of the traction battery case assuming that there is 0.5 sq meter of area available under the vehicle. I say low wattage so that it is only warm enough to keep/get the traction battery system operational. I've used these warmers on the oil pan of my BMW diesel and Audi gas vehicles (for some reason the engineers of these cars think they can defeat -30C with ease - they can't).

I was considering buying the Outlander PHEV but changed my mind after reading about the risk of being stranded in cold weather.

I have an idea somewhat similar to that suggested by @tyleriv for those who have already bought one. The idea is to attach a removable heating pad assembly of one or more layers to the underside of the battery. Nearest the battery would be an electric heating pad, perhaps a thermostatically controlled heated doormat like this one: https://heattrak.com/en-ca/products/heated-snow-melting-entrance-mat-small-24x36 . Below this would be an optional insulating layer such as a thin sleeping pad made of closed cell foam like this: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...water-resistant-0765486p.0765486.html?loc=plp The foam pad would be cut to size. Below the foam pad would a fairly rigid plastic panel, such as the kind used to protect hardwood floors from rolling desk chairs like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Kuyal-Floors-...f17-a3ef-6496632d2b1c&pd_rd_i=B0893BD69B&th=1 Again, it would be cut to size.

The traction battery, at least for the 2018 to 2021 model has four metal pieces on each side:




I’d tie a loop of strong cord to each of these. Then I’d tie cords from one side to the other, to secure the heating pad and other layers. The rigid plastic layer would prevent the heating pad from sagging at the front and back. But if the heating pad is slightly shorter than the front and back tie points, possibly just the heating pad might be used with no other layers. The heating pad at https://heattrak.com/en-ca/products/heated-snow-melting-entrance-mat-small-24x36 has pre-drilled mounting holes in the corners.

The simplest installation approach for the power cord for the heating pad would be to bring the end of the power cord inside the vehicle each time the vehicle is driven so that it does not get exposed to salt, water or road grit. Another approach would be to route the power cord into the engine compartment to a short extension cord. The cords would have to be secured so they do not sag under the vehicle or pass over engine or exhaust parts that get hot.

The heating pad assembly would stay in place until the risk of cold weather is gone, be removed and be reinstalled before cold winter temperatures arrive. During the winter the driver would have to take care not to drive in deep snow that might damage the heating pad assembly. During the summer there is the advantage that the battery would stay cooler with the insulation removed.

A key advantage of installing this in advance is that if the car is left somewhere cold where it can’t be plugged in and gets too cold for the car to start, the car could be towed somewhere where it can be plugged in, not necessarily a heated garage. For those parts of the country where severe winter conditions are encountered, some parking areas have block heater outlets. Instead of heating the engine block, you could heat the traction battery.

 

[BobK]

I was considering buying the Outlander PHEV but changed my mind after reading about the risk of being stranded in cold weather.

I have an idea somewhat similar to that suggested by @tyleriv for those who have already bought one. The idea is to attach a removable heating pad assembly of one or more layers to the underside of the battery. Nearest the battery would be an electric heating pad, perhaps a thermostatically controlled heated doormat like this one: https://heattrak.com/en-ca/products/heated-snow-melting-entrance-mat-small-24x36 . Below this would be an optional insulating layer such as a thin sleeping pad made of closed cell foam like this: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...water-resistant-0765486p.0765486.html?loc=plp The foam pad would be cut to size. Below the foam pad would a fairly rigid plastic panel, such as the kind used to protect hardwood floors from rolling desk chairs like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Kuyal-Floors-...f17-a3ef-6496632d2b1c&pd_rd_i=B0893BD69B&th=1 Again, it would be cut to size.

The traction battery, at least for the 2018 to 2021 model has four metal pieces on each side:
View attachment 1398

View attachment 1399

I’d tie a loop of strong cord to each of these. Then I’d tie cords from one side to the other, to secure the heating pad and other layers. The rigid plastic layer would prevent the heating pad from sagging at the front and back. But if the heating pad is slightly shorter than the front and back tie points, possibly just the heating pad might be used with no other layers. The heating pad at https://heattrak.com/en-ca/products/heated-snow-melting-entrance-mat-small-24x36 has pre-drilled mounting holes in the corners.

The simplest installation approach for the power cord for the heating pad would be to bring the end of the power cord inside the vehicle each time the vehicle is driven so that it does not get exposed to salt, water or road grit. Another approach would be to route the power cord into the engine compartment to a short extension cord. The cords would have to be secured so they do not sag under the vehicle or pass over engine or exhaust parts that get hot.

The heating pad assembly would stay in place until the risk of cold weather is gone, be removed and be reinstalled before cold winter temperatures arrive. During the winter the driver would have to take care not to drive in deep snow that might damage the heating pad assembly. During the summer there is the advantage that the battery would stay cooler with the insulation removed.

A key advantage of installing this in advance is that if the car is left somewhere cold where it can’t be plugged in and gets too cold for the car to start, the car could be towed somewhere where it can be plugged in, not necessarily a heated garage. For those parts of the country where severe winter conditions are encountered, some parking areas have block heater outlets. Instead of heating the engine block, you could heat the traction battery.

I was considering buying the Outlander PHEV but changed my mind after reading about the risk of being stranded in cold weather.

I have an idea somewhat similar to that suggested by @tyleriv for those who have already bought one. The idea is to attach a removable heating pad assembly of one or more layers to the underside of the battery. Nearest the battery would be an electric heating pad, perhaps a thermostatically controlled heated doormat like this one: https://heattrak.com/en-ca/products/heated-snow-melting-entrance-mat-small-24x36 . Below this would be an optional insulating layer such as a thin sleeping pad made of closed cell foam like this: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...water-resistant-0765486p.0765486.html?loc=plp The foam pad would be cut to size. Below the foam pad would a fairly rigid plastic panel, such as the kind used to protect hardwood floors from rolling desk chairs like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Kuyal-Floors-...f17-a3ef-6496632d2b1c&pd_rd_i=B0893BD69B&th=1 Again, it would be cut to size.

The traction battery, at least for the 2018 to 2021 model has four metal pieces on each side:
View attachment 1398

View attachment 1399

I’d tie a loop of strong cord to each of these. Then I’d tie cords from one side to the other, to secure the heating pad and other layers. The rigid plastic layer would prevent the heating pad from sagging at the front and back. But if the heating pad is slightly shorter than the front and back tie points, possibly just the heating pad might be used with no other layers. The heating pad at https://heattrak.com/en-ca/products/heated-snow-melting-entrance-mat-small-24x36 has pre-drilled mounting holes in the corners.

The simplest installation approach for the power cord for the heating pad would be to bring the end of the power cord inside the vehicle each time the vehicle is driven so that it does not get exposed to salt, water or road grit. Another approach would be to route the power cord into the engine compartment to a short extension cord. The cords would have to be secured so they do not sag under the vehicle or pass over engine or exhaust parts that get hot.

The heating pad assembly would stay in place until the risk of cold weather is gone, be removed and be reinstalled before cold winter temperatures arrive. During the winter the driver would have to take care not to drive in deep snow that might damage the heating pad assembly. During the summer there is the advantage that the battery would stay cooler with the insulation removed.

A key advantage of installing this in advance is that if the car is left somewhere cold where it can’t be plugged in and gets too cold for the car to start, the car could be towed somewhere where it can be plugged in, not necessarily a heated garage. For those parts of the country where severe winter conditions are encountered, some parking areas have block heater outlets. Instead of heating the engine block, you could heat the traction battery.

Here is Mike Mas's alternative solution that doesn't involve attaching anything to the car https://www.myoutlanderphev.com/thr...-observations-mike-mas.6174/page-3#post-62994

 

[Grandad]

I have a 2024 PHEV kept outside and have occasionally experienced winter temperatures < -30C. I was wondering if a low wattage (say 50W) engine block warmer (typically a "blanket like" device about 100 cm^2) would help with traction battery warming. I would apply the blanket with an adhesive to the bottom of the traction battery case assuming that there is 0.5 sq meter of area available under the vehicle. I say low wattage so that it is only warm enough to keep/get the traction battery system operational. I've used these warmers on the oil pan of my BMW diesel and Audi gas vehicles (for some reason the engineers of these cars think they can defeat -30C with ease - they can't).

Watch out that Mitsu doesn't take the opportunity to use any after market intalled heater as a means to dodge their warranty responsibilities. The slimy (I use that word advisedly) way they've approached the cold start issue after advertising a battery heater as standard equipment when it wasn't on the '23 model, suggests that they will not take a good faith approach to any subsequent related issues.earch

Search "mitsubishi battery class action" for details.

 

[Grandad]

Here is Mike Mas's alternative solution that doesn't involve attaching anything to the car https://www.myoutlanderphev.com/thr...-observations-mike-mas.6174/page-3#post-62994

It's unfortunate that so many Mitsu customers have had to go to such lengths to deal with a problem that Mitsu knew was there when they sold these vehicles in an unfit for purpose state. As noted elsewhere, be careful what you do to deal with the issue because you may allow the company the opportunity to slither through a loophole by saying you've voided the warranty. Given the company's history on the issue by dodging responsibility rather than standing behind their vehicles and making good on their error, you can expect they'll continue to find any escape route possible.

This should not be an owner's problem.