Why does my ICE start every time I turn up the heat?

[Biorider_A]

Hey folks,

So, I've been taking my PHEV for a spin for about two weeks and, mostly on short trips in this chilly 4°C weather. Every time I crank up the heat to a cozy 26°C, guess what happens? The ICE starts up like it’s auditioning for a role in a winter survival movie! Is this the new normal?

 

[PHEV07]

Hey folks,

So, I've been taking my PHEV for a spin for about two weeks and, mostly on short trips in this chilly 4°C weather. Every time I crank up the heat to a cozy 26°C, guess what happens? The ICE starts up like it’s auditioning for a role in a winter survival movie! Is this the new normal?

What Model year do you have?

Have you tried forcing your car into EV Mode at start up?

 

[mountkay]

Yeah the ICE engine will start up to create heat for the cabin. You can try just setting the heat lower.

I’ve found that my 2020 Outlander will run on EV for the most part around 70F. Around 80F it will run ICE, but still shut off quite a bit. At 85F it runs ICE almost continuously.

 

[littlescrote]

Whenever you call for heating at <10°C it brings on the ICE to provide enough heat quickly as the small resistive heater will not do it.

 

[greendwarf]

Hey folks,

So, I've been taking my PHEV for a spin for about two weeks and, mostly on short trips in this chilly 4°C weather. Every time I crank up the heat to a cozy 26°C, guess what happens? The ICE starts up like it’s auditioning for a role in a winter survival movie! Is this the new normal?

No, it is how the car is designed. The tolerance between inside and outside is about 9c. It is to preserve excessive use of the battery - simples!

 

[Biorider_A]

What Model year do you have?

Have you tried forcing your car into EV Mode at start up?

I have the 2023 model. I haven’t tried forcing it into EV Mode at startup yet. I’ve been relying on the automatic settings, but it sounds like that might be worth a shot

 

[Biorider_A]

Yeah the ICE engine will start up to create heat for the cabin. You can try just setting the heat lower.

I’ve found that my 2020 Outlander will run on EV for the most part around 70F. Around 80F it will run ICE, but still shut off quite a bit. At 85F it runs ICE almost continuously.

..that makes sense about the ICE kicking in for heat. I’ll try lowering the heat a bit and see if it helps reduce how often the engine runs.

 

[roussir]

Keep in mind my 2023 (and a few other people's) always kicks the ICE every 5 minutes if the air flow is set to Defrost (windshield) only, even in "EV preferred" mode, whatever the temperature.

 

[PHEV07]

Keep in mind my 2023 (and a few other people's) always kicks the ICE every 5 minutes if the air flow is set to Defrost (windshield) only, even in "EV preferred" mode, whatever the temperature.

This will not occur if one forces the car into EV Mode.

I have a 2024 and can use the heat at any setting now and the ICE is not kicking in untill the Drive Battery is depleted.

 

[littlescrote]

..that makes sense about the ICE kicking in for heat. I’ll try lowering the heat a bit and see if it helps reduce how often the engine runs.

I don't know what Model Year you have, but with the older models, e.g. MY2016 that I have, it doesn't matter what you set the desired cabin temperature to (except for the minimum), it will always bring the engine on for heat at an outside temperature of 10degC or lower. So at 10degC outside, if you ask for 17 or 27 it will fire up the ICE, whereas at 11degC outside you can set 20degC and it won't.