Question regarding Auto Stop. My car has automatic climate control on, I didn't play with anything. I would drive the car in about 30F weather last few weeks. The problem is my car would be warm and auto stop would work sometimes and NOT other times.
Ex. 1 after 15 miles on the highway my car comes to a light at an exit, auto-stop does not engage, but next light it does engage
Ex. 2 Warm car parked and I leave for about 1-2 hours. Come back to the car start and drive it, auto stop engages on the next stop ... (when the car presumably is cold). Then when the fans start blasting (based on auto climate) Auto stop does not work.
It is my understanding that autostop depends on several conditions: climate setting, interior temperature (and humidity?), engine temperature, and traction battery temperature and SOC. This makes it difficult to predict what it will do if you don't know the software algorithm. Still, I have to say my 2010 seems consistent in not autostopping when the engine is cold and consistently autostopping when warmed up.
With the heater on mine will stay stopped for about 30s, a little less with a/c. I usually just switch climate to OFF when approaching a red light. As far as I can tell it will stay stopped indefinitely when warmed up, good SOC, and climate off. I switch climate back on when leaving the red light.
Hate to say it guys, but my wife's Prius beats us on this point very badly. When warmed up with good SOC it stops all the time every time.
I've posted this before but it's worth posting again. The auto-stop function is explained on pages 321-322 of the owners manual:
Auto Idle Stop
To help maximize fuel economy, your vehicle has an Auto Idle Stop function. Depending on environmental conditions and vehicle operation, the engine will shut off when you come to a stop
The engine automatically stops when:
- The vehicle comes to a stop with the shift lever in the D position and the brake pedal pressed.
- The engine may also stop when vehicle speed drops below 7 mph (11 km/h) with the brake pedal pressed
The engine will not stop automatically under the following conditions:
- Vehicle speed does not go above 7 mph (11 km/h) after starting the engine
- The engine coolant temperature is low
- The transmission fluid temperature is low
- The vehicle is stopped with the shift position in R, S, or L
- When the vehicle is stopped on an incline
- The climate control is in use and either defrost* or defrost/feet* is pressed
*The manual actually uses the icons from the climate control here, they won't cut and paste for some reason
The engine may not stop automatically under the following conditions:
- The IMA battery charge is low
- The IMA battery temperature is excessively high or low
- The ECON button is off, and there is a significant difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature setting of the climate control system
- The climate control system is in use to dehumidify the moist air inside the vehicle
- The vehicle is stopped by braking suddenly
- When the ECON button is on, the engine is more likely to stop. See page 124 for the ECON button
The engine automatically restarts when:
- The brake pedal is released
Under the following conditions, the engine restarts even if the brake pedal is pressed:
- The shift position is changed to R or L
- The accelerator pedal is pressed
- The pressure to the brake pedal is reduced and the vehicle starts moving while stopped on an incline
- The IMA battery charge becomes low
- The engine coolant temperature becomes low
- The pressure on the brake pedal is repeatedly applied and released slightly during a stop
- The ECON button is off, and the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature setting of the climate control system becomes significant
- The climate control system starts to dehumidify the interior
- This indicator blinks when the Auto Idle Stop system is in operation.*
* Again the picture in the manual won't cut and paste.
If the driver’s door is opened while the indicator is blinking, the buzzer sounds to notify that the Auto Idle Stop system is in operation.
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Auto Stop Inconsistent in Cold
