Weird charging problem

[bennyvancouver]

I have a 2018 PHEV GT, it's 34,xxx km. Sometimes, even the battery level is at full, the engine will start to charge the battery for about 5 minutes and then stop. and randomly charge battery again. No AC, audio or other thing turned on at that time. It does so more often in winter than summer, but it does happen in summer as well.

Can anyone tell if the battery is getting defective?

th nx

 

[jaapv]

The ICE is also used to supply heat to the interior, unless you have a model with an electric heater, and even then it may kick in to supply supplemental warmth in extreme cold.

 

[littlescrote]

Randomly? I doubt it. Cars don't do things randomly, they have a fixed set of parameters to follow. It might seem random to you, but it's not.

Are you sure it's not related to your use of the accelerator pedal? Either a deep press, or a rapid press will bring the ICE into life.

 

[kpetrov]

There are a lot of discussion regarding this issue here and on facebook PHEV groups.
From all I have learned apparently the BMU is forcing the engine to start.
Traction battery reset, smoothing and DBCAM is solving the problem.

 

[bennyvancouver]

to: jaapv
It's now 25 degrees Celsius, 100% full of battery level, and the engine still charges the battery from time to time, not as often as in winter thou.

to littlescrote:
the gas paddle is not pressed deep at all, and not rapidly.

to kpetrov:
I have mentioned this problem to my local dealer, and they refused to do any further troubleshooting and just saying it is normal. How should I convince them to do the solution you mentioned? BTW, what is 'Traction battery reset, smoothing and DBCAM"?

 

[kpetrov]

to kpetrov:
I have mentioned this problem to my local dealer, and they refused to do any further troubleshooting and just saying it is normal. How should I convince them to do the solution you mentioned? BTW, what is 'Traction battery reset, smoothing and DBCAM"?

It is even in the service calendar:
24000km, 48000km, 72000km etc. Traction battery optimization (Recommended)
DBCAM stands for DRIVE BATTERY CAPACITY AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT

The dealers are mostly non interested to do it cause it is a long procedure or they are simply a complete morons. There is even service bulletin for it MSB-14EXML00_54-001 and MSB-17EXL54-501
Print the service bulletin from here and put it in their face http://mmc-manuals.ru/msb/?model=4D69455620202020
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
1) BMU Reset; 2) Smoothing; 3) DBCAM; 4) Repeat this procedure annually.
MUT-III commands
Batt. capa. estimated info. reset
Control information reset

Again, both resets need to be performed.
Following an Initialize, assuming you’ve not replaced the traction battery, you should:

Rewrite battery age value, using the date code sticker on the left side of the pack
Rewrite battery odometer value, using the distance traveled in kilometers (assuming this is the original traction battery)
DBCAM (see section A.2) PDF MSB-17EXL54-501


RESET ESTIMATED INFORMATION AND CONTROL INFORMATION OF MAIN BATTERY CAPACITY - Service Bulletin MSB-14EXML00_54-001
If replacing the main battery, reset the main battery capacity information and the control information.
note If replacing the BMU and the main battery at the same time, you do not have to do this procedure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.Connect the M.U.T.-III to the diagnosis connector with the electric motor switch in the "LOCK" (OFF)position.
2.Turn the electric motor switch to the ON position.
3.From the System select Screen of the M.U.T.-III, select the "BMU".
4.Select the "Special Function" from the BMU screen.
5.Select the "Reset" from the Special Function screen
6.Select the "Battery capacity estimated info" from the Reset screen, and reset.
7.After the estimated information of the main battery capacity is reset, select "Control information" from the Reset Screen to reset.
8.Put the power switch in the LOCK (OFF) position.
9.After the reset of the BMU control information, check the battery current capacity according to the following procedures:
(1) After 10 seconds elapsed from the previous process, turn on the power switch.
(2) Select the "STV (Scan Tool Viewer)" from the M.U.T.-III start screen.
(3) Select the "System Select" from the fault STV top menu screen.
(4) Select the "BMU" from the system select screen.
(5) Select the "Service Data" from the BMU screen.
(6) Check the BMU service data, item No. 23: Battery current capacity.
(7) If the value, item No. 23: Battery current capacity, satisfies 45.0 - 48.0 Ah, go to the step 10. If not, start from step 4 to do the reset of the control information.
10.Turn the electric motor switch to the "LOCK" (OFF) position to disconnect the M.U.T.-III.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BMU Cell voltage smoothing

PROCEDURES FOR SMOOTHING CELL VOLTAGE
1.After the electric motor switch is "LOCK" (OFF) position, connect the M.U.T.-III to the diagnosis connector.
2.Turn the electric motor switch to the READY position.
3.Select "BMU" (?22) from System Select Screen of the M.U.T.-III.
4.Select "Special Function" from BMU Screen.
5.Select " Cell voltage smoothing" from Special Function Screen.
6.Press the OK button to smooth the cell voltage.
7.Check the "Execution status" displayed on the M.U.T.-III and check that the "Active" changes to the "Not Active".

Note: It may take a maximum of 2 hours until smoothing the battery cell voltage is completed.

A prerequisite! The laptop should not go into sleep mode!
It is best to connect it to the mains.
If go into sleep mode or save screen, will update error.

After the operation, while not shown, the temperature of the air after a while everything is restored.

DBCAM - Service Bulletin MSB-17EXL54-501
is under Battery Capacity auto Mesurement

 

[greendwarf]

Not sure if this helps. I have a 2014 Gx3h i.e. not electric heater. In winter, if I leave the A/C on and set to heat when I switch off the engine fires up on ignition. Fair enough, it is trying to heat the car, whether I want it or not.


Recently, I unusually (living in UK :lol: ) did the same, only with A/C set to 15c, after our mini heat wave. I seem to recall the ICE fired up on ignition the next morning after an overnight recharge - although I can't work out why it should do that, as the A/C runs on electric.

So maybe it is some quirk of the temperature sensors? There certainly seems to be a North American change which ensures the ICE is "warmed up" for winter instant power demands -does it know it is summer?

 

[bennyvancouver]

How much is DBCAM cost? The dealer has never mentioned it .

to kpetrov:
I have mentioned this problem to my local dealer, and they refused to do any further troubleshooting and just saying it is normal. How should I convince them to do the solution you mentioned? BTW, what is 'Traction battery reset, smoothing and DBCAM"?

It is even in the service calendar:
24000km, 48000km, 72000km etc. Traction battery optimization (Recommended)
DBCAM stands for DRIVE BATTERY CAPACITY AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT

The dealers are mostly non interested to do it cause it is a long procedure or they are simply a complete morons. There is even service bulletin for it MSB-14EXML00_54-001 and MSB-17EXL54-501
Print the service bulletin from here and put it in their face http://mmc-manuals.ru/msb/?model=4D69455620202020
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
1) BMU Reset; 2) Smoothing; 3) DBCAM; 4) Repeat this procedure annually.
MUT-III commands
Batt. capa. estimated info. reset
Control information reset

Again, both resets need to be performed.
Following an Initialize, assuming you’ve not replaced the traction battery, you should:

Rewrite battery age value, using the date code sticker on the left side of the pack
Rewrite battery odometer value, using the distance traveled in kilometers (assuming this is the original traction battery)
DBCAM (see section A.2) PDF MSB-17EXL54-501


RESET ESTIMATED INFORMATION AND CONTROL INFORMATION OF MAIN BATTERY CAPACITY - Service Bulletin MSB-14EXML00_54-001
If replacing the main battery, reset the main battery capacity information and the control information.
note If replacing the BMU and the main battery at the same time, you do not have to do this procedure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.Connect the M.U.T.-III to the diagnosis connector with the electric motor switch in the "LOCK" (OFF)position.
2.Turn the electric motor switch to the ON position.
3.From the System select Screen of the M.U.T.-III, select the "BMU".
4.Select the "Special Function" from the BMU screen.
5.Select the "Reset" from the Special Function screen
6.Select the "Battery capacity estimated info" from the Reset screen, and reset.
7.After the estimated information of the main battery capacity is reset, select "Control information" from the Reset Screen to reset.
8.Put the power switch in the LOCK (OFF) position.
9.After the reset of the BMU control information, check the battery current capacity according to the following procedures:
(1) After 10 seconds elapsed from the previous process, turn on the power switch.
(2) Select the "STV (Scan Tool Viewer)" from the M.U.T.-III start screen.
(3) Select the "System Select" from the fault STV top menu screen.
(4) Select the "BMU" from the system select screen.
(5) Select the "Service Data" from the BMU screen.
(6) Check the BMU service data, item No. 23: Battery current capacity.
(7) If the value, item No. 23: Battery current capacity, satisfies 45.0 - 48.0 Ah, go to the step 10. If not, start from step 4 to do the reset of the control information.
10.Turn the electric motor switch to the "LOCK" (OFF) position to disconnect the M.U.T.-III.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BMU Cell voltage smoothing

PROCEDURES FOR SMOOTHING CELL VOLTAGE
1.After the electric motor switch is "LOCK" (OFF) position, connect the M.U.T.-III to the diagnosis connector.
2.Turn the electric motor switch to the READY position.
3.Select "BMU" (?22) from System Select Screen of the M.U.T.-III.
4.Select "Special Function" from BMU Screen.
5.Select " Cell voltage smoothing" from Special Function Screen.
6.Press the OK button to smooth the cell voltage.
7.Check the "Execution status" displayed on the M.U.T.-III and check that the "Active" changes to the "Not Active".

Note: It may take a maximum of 2 hours until smoothing the battery cell voltage is completed.

A prerequisite! The laptop should not go into sleep mode!
It is best to connect it to the mains.
If go into sleep mode or save screen, will update error.

After the operation, while not shown, the temperature of the air after a while everything is restored.

DBCAM - Service Bulletin MSB-17EXL54-501
is under Battery Capacity auto Mesurement

 

[kpetrov]

I don't know how much DBCAM cost at the dealership.
I am avoiding places like that as a plague.