Remote climate control with engine startup

[msgrundy]

I have a 2023 Outlander GT PHEV and it's cold weather usage is not great. Especially when it can regularly get below -20°C where I live.
When I use the Mitsubishi Connect app to set the cabin climate temperature, it just blows the same ambient cold air into the cabin.

I checked the app help and the website and noticed it states that, "For Outlander PHEV vehicles, the remote climate feature uses the vehicle battery primarily. However, when the outside air temperature is lower than 15°F (-10°C), the remote climate feature starts the engine automatically to ensure heating performance."
Link found here:
https://connectedcarsupport.zendesk...ate-Remotely-for-Outlander-and-Outlander-PHEV

I have never experienced the engine starting below 15°F (-10°C) and when I asked my dealership, they said it can't be done.

Has anyone else noticed this and have you been able to enable the remote engine startup when it's below 15°F (-10°C)?

Thanks

 

[PHEV07]

I have a 2023 Outlander GT PHEV and it's cold weather usage is not great. Especially when it can regularly get below -20°C where I live.
When I use the Mitsubishi Connect app to set the cabin climate temperature, it just blows the same ambient cold air into the cabin.

I checked the app help and the website and noticed it states that, "For Outlander PHEV vehicles, the remote climate feature uses the vehicle battery primarily. However, when the outside air temperature is lower than 15°F (-10°C), the remote climate feature starts the engine automatically to ensure heating performance."
Link found here:
https://connectedcarsupport.zendesk...ate-Remotely-for-Outlander-and-Outlander-PHEV

I have never experienced the engine starting below 15°F (-10°C) and when I asked my dealership, they said it can't be done.

Has anyone else noticed this and have you been able to enable the remote engine startup when it's below 15°F (-10°C)?

Thanks

Currently the 2023 to 2025 Models cannot be remotely started.

There are rumours of an up coming Service upgrade to allow for the Remote Starting of the ICE at -10'C.

To date however no one has confirmed this being done.

I prefer that Mitsubishi replaces the Main Batteries with one with an embedded Battery Heater.

Additionally, a Resistive PTC Heater should be added to heat the interior since the Heatpump is useless at -14'C and shut off at -15'C

 

[littlescrote]

It would surely start the engine if the battery was empty?

 

[PHEV07]

It would surely start the engine if the battery was empty?

Goes without saying, No?

Or if the Battery temperature was lower than -30'C for sometime and the Computer shuts off the Main Battery (according to MM, to protect the Battery) what kind of cool-aid are they drinking, I wonder!!!!

 

[msgrundy]

Thanks for confirming my suspicion on there being no remote engine start as of yet.
I'm hoping they get this update out to all the existing PHEVs. It would make driving with these in the winter more tolerable.

 

[H P]

PHEV is supposed to be a FULL Electric car to begin with....plus an on board ICE mainly working as a generator by definition.
I bet there is no other EVs out there at all that are not equipped with secondry heating elements simply because they use heatpump system.
Shame on Mitsubishi designers cutting corners with their failure of making basic functional EVs to begin with.

 

[PHEV07]

PHEV is supposed to be a FULL Electric car to begin with....plus an on board ICE mainly working as a generator by definition.
I bet there is no other EVs out there at all that are not equipped with secondry heating elements simply because they use heatpump system.
Shame on Mitsubishi designers cutting corners with their failure of making basic functional EVs to begin with.

Most Heat Pumps stop working at about -15'C

All cars that have Heat Pumps use a PTC Heater to warm the interior once the Heat Pump shuts off.

 

[twiggy144]

Most Heat Pumps stop working at about -15'C

All cars thag have Heat Pumps use a PTC Heater to warm the interior once tge Heat Pump shuts off

Does the Outlander have a PTC heater as well?

 

[PHEV07]

Does the Outlander have a PTC heater as well?

The 2023 to 2025 do not.

The 2018 to 2022 in North America do. 2018 was the 1st Outlander PHEV to be sold in North America.

I am not certain about the 2014 to 2017 sold in Europe or Austrilia

 

[DukeHunter]

I have a 2023 Outlander GT PHEV and it's cold weather usage is not great. Especially when it can regularly get below -20°C where I live.
When I use the Mitsubishi Connect app to set the cabin climate temperature, it just blows the same ambient cold air into the cabin.

I checked the app help and the website and noticed it states that, "For Outlander PHEV vehicles, the remote climate feature uses the vehicle battery primarily. However, when the outside air temperature is lower than 15°F (-10°C), the remote climate feature starts the engine automatically to ensure heating performance."
Link found here:
https://connectedcarsupport.zendesk...ate-Remotely-for-Outlander-and-Outlander-PHEV

I have never experienced the engine starting below 15°F (-10°C) and when I asked my dealership, they said it can't be done.

Has anyone else noticed this and have you been able to enable the remote engine startup when it's below 15°F (-10°C)?

Thanks

I’m able to start the ICE using the app and it always does that when the temp drop at -10 or lower.

Not sure why others are not able to start the ICE using the app.

 

[PHEV07]

I’m able to start the ICE using the app and it always does that when the temp drop at -10 or lower.

Not sure why others are not able to start the ICE using the app.

Where are you located? What Year PHEV do you have?

 

[DukeHunter]

Where are you located? What Year PHEV do you have?

I’m in southern alberta, I have 2024 PHEV.

 

[PHEV07]

I’m in southern alberta, I have 2024 PHEV.

Ok thanks for elaborating.

You car must have the latest Service update.

When did you take possession of your 2024?

I took possession of my 2024 GT on April 08, 2024 and the ICE cannot be remotely started.

Does your App look like this of is it different?

 

[DukeHunter]

Ok thanks for elaborating.

You car must have the latest Service update.

When did you take possession of your 2024?

I took possession of my 2024 GT on April 08, 2024 and the ICE cannot be remotely started.

Does your App look like this of is it different?

I got mine last Nov2024 and I think it has the latest update.

Have you tried to set your climate to HI and remote start it during the -10c temp?

We have the same app I think.

 

[PHEV07]

I got mine last Nov2024 and I think it has the latest update.

Have you tried to set your climate to HI and remote start it during the -10c temp?

We have the same app I think.

Yes I have tried setting to high but the ICE has never started.

When I last spoke to my Dealership, I was told that a Service update was coming. I will be taking my car to them for this or any other update tgey choose to fo as I am leaving my car with them for 1 month while I bask under the sun in Mexico

 

[H P]

Most Heat Pumps stop working at about -15'C

All cars that have Heat Pumps use a PTC Heater to warm the interior once the Heat Pump shuts off.

Precisely.
All the electric cars that had adopted Heatpump should have secondry PTC Heater system not only for heating up the inside cabin but also for maintaining the main lithium ion batteries mendatorily.
That's why all the blames on lazy Mitsu engineers!

 

[sam001]

I got mine last Nov2024 and I think it has the latest update.

Have you tried to set your climate to HI and remote start it during the -10c temp?

We have the same app I think.

Hi DukeHunter!
Thanks for this news. I have same problem as others in this forum. I bought mine 2024 outlander phev gt-premium in Aug 2024. I am located in Ottawa. Service manager at my location doesn't have any idea why it is not working for me. He said that he compared with other cars of same model. They don't start below -10 either.

Few days ago, they did some software update on my car which was published on Jan 11 through Mitsubishi. It was related to climate control.
Today, it is -18 at my location. I tried testing it again but it got the same result.

Could you please answer few questions?
1. Are you confortable telling which dealership in Alberta you bought your car? So my service manager can talk to them regarding this.
2. Does your car equipped with remote key engine start accessory? It is not related to app but your key fob.
3. Which phev trim you have?

Your help will surely escalate this problem solving..

 

[msgrundy]

I have just come back from my dealership about the service update. They had an update for my PHEV, but when they scanned the software, they found that they had to install a part first before I can remote start the car from the MiConnect app.

Unfortunately they didn't have the part (silly me I forgot to ask what part) so they'll have to order it in. Too bad they didn't have before this -35C weather began.

Mitsubishi is pretty slow at supporting us cold weather people. Such as before the last update and it's super cold, the PHEV would go into "Power Reduced" mode and disable the battery. Plus it limited the ICE speed to 100km/h.

After an update last year, it still goes into "Power Reduced" mode but at least the removed that speed limit so I'm not holding up the highway.

My part should be in next week. Hopefully that'll let me warm up the car in these cold days.

 

[DukeHunter]

Hi DukeHunter!
Thanks for this news. I have same problem as others in this forum. I bought mine 2024 outlander phev gt-premium in Aug 2024. I am located in Ottawa. Service manager at my location doesn't have any idea why it is not working for me. He said that he compared with other cars of same model. They don't start below -10 either.

Few days ago, they did some software update on my car which was published on Jan 11 through Mitsubishi. It was related to climate control.
Today, it is -18 at my location. I tried testing it again but it got the same result.

Could you please answer few questions?
1. Are you confortable telling which dealership in Alberta you bought your car? So my service manager can talk to them regarding this.
2. Does your car equipped with remote key engine start accessory? It is not related to app but your key fob.
3. Which phev trim you have?

Your help will surely escalate this problem solving..

Hi Sam001,

1. My dealer is Lethbridge Mitsubishi but my car is from other dealer (not sure where) as there are no available trim and colour that I want. Also, not sure if my dealer is the one that updated the software.

2. I am just using the app no other remote key or something.

3. I got GT-P trim.

Maybe you can call mitsubishi canada and ask why your car is not starting its engine as it should be. It’s pretty clear on website that if the temperature is below -10c the engine should start. I think they already have an answer on your problem.

Have you tried to update the app on your phone?

 

[sam001]

I have just come back from my dealership about the service update. They had an update for my PHEV, but when they scanned the software, they found that they had to install a part first before I can remote start the car from the MiConnect app.

Unfortunately they didn't have the part (silly me I forgot to ask what part) so they'll have to order it in. Too bad they didn't have before this -35C weather began.

Mitsubishi is pretty slow at supporting us cold weather people. Such as before the last update and it's super cold, the PHEV would go into "Power Reduced" mode and disable the battery. Plus it limited the ICE speed to 100km/h.

After an update last year, it still goes into "Power Reduced" mode but at least the removed that speed limit so I'm not holding up the highway.

My part should be in next week. Hopefully that'll let me warm up the car in these cold days.

Could you please ask your dealership what is the name of the part they need to install first?