SnowStorm

Yes, some of those "small things" are really some of the biggest. Everything that touches us, or that we touch, in a car is a prime candidate for being a "big thing". To me, seats are such a "big thing" that I just don't understand why car makers can't spend a few more dollars to put in really nice ones. Good grief, can it cost more than one or two hundred extra in their cost to upgrade seats to "first class"? I doubt it. Would it kill a sale to add that one or two hundred bucks to the price? No way, not after you sit in a fabulous seat. Before buying the C-Max I sat in an SUV (Mazda I think) and my back started aching in about a minute, just sitting there! Didn't bother with a test drive! Shucks, we should go back to the "50s" with flat seats and coil springs. IIRC (might be questionable!) they were generally more comfortable. But then "bucket seats" became the rage and now we all sit, all bolstered up, with our butts in a bucket - and it's about that comfortable! Who sleeps all night on a mattress built like a car seat - flat webbing with some foam and lots of bolsters? Mattresses are made to adjust to any body shape and, just have a look around, there are lots of shapes. Maybe we need a federal standard for seat comfort. Now wouldn't that be a challenge to write! On second thought, maybe we don't!

Its warm down south - 2 more ICEbergs melt! $1 billion for Mercedes to build electric SUVs and batteries in Alabama. "four different vehicles in its EQ series of dedicated battery-electric vehicles by 2022" "accelerated plans to offer even more by 2025 as a number of factors have combined to make electric vehicles increasingly urgent" News from VW is that: "the company expects to bring electric SUV production to the United States and could add production at its Tennessee plant." Other news: "Daimler is investing 10 billion Euros (about $10.8 billion) to make it [electric cars] happen." "Mercedes-Benz’s ... announced plans to launch a battery-powered heavy-duty truck ... 124 miles of range" "Porsche has promised it will turn the Mission E concept into a production model by 2019." Audi has "promised to release three electric cars by 2020, including a large SUV and a big sedan." "Jaguar is turning the i-Pace concept into a production car aimed squarely at the Model X." And here: Volvo "said in July all of its models launched after 2019 would be electric or hybrids."

Be sure the shield is installed properly after oil changes. There are two places on the back edge where the shield slides or hooks into place in some steel parts under the car. Then all the screws go in. If the shield isn't clipped in properly, it might hang down a bit on the back edge and get caught when backing up. Just a theory. I too wish there was more clearance up front and would have liked the shield to be sturdier - but mine is still in quite good shape after 136k miles.

It also works nicely in winter for heat. I have set in the car waiting for some time with heat on and the engine runs only a small percentage of the time to generate heat for the cabin. Of course using recirculate helps a lot in this scenario.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. There has been another cracked exhaust manifold described here. There has also been a cracked intake manifold (but the symptom was coolant loss so was it really the exhaust or does coolant also go through the intake manifold - don't know). There is an extended warranty on certain hybrid components in the US but I doubt the manifold is included - and I don't know what your situation is in Canada.

The owner's manual describes the expected (and OK) changes in coolant color. I too would look for another dealer.

Sorry, didn't check SOC at beginning of trip.

Just got back from a "drying" run and the car seemed pretty dry. I think it was more like wet, not drenched, but there must have been some wind. I will look at adding something around the button - good idea.

:rant: My windows all rolled down today - and it was raining! Even the center console got wet. Its quite possible the unlock button got held down while I was doing demolition work but I'm surprised I was close enough to the car. I know some folks find it useful but I think its a lame feature. Now I have to go burn a bunch of gas just to dry out the car. :rant2: Does anyone know if you can turn the "feature" off with Forscan or do I have to go to the dealer? My mother was right - "these modern inconveniences" she would often say!

We now have a date! The ICE age ends in just 33 years! 80% gone in just 13 years!

+3, are you saying that under the following conditions the ICE will spin up to provide braking? Shifter is in Drive Cruise Control is engaged Hill steep enough to cause regen HVB has hit the SOC limit Grade assist is OFF

Below a certain speed the maximum power must start dropping below a magnitude of 35kW - it can't generate that level of power all the way to a stop. I went back and looked at some old Forscan data where I did several stops and it looks like the minimum speed may be in the range of 25 to 30 mph. Below that speed the current (hence power) started dropping steadily with car speed. These were not "panic stops". It took about 9 to 13 seconds to drop from 50 mph to 10 mph. I would have to make another recording with harder braking (friction brakes on) in order to get a better picture of what happens with maximum regen power versus speed.

Why did the ICE come on at all? Were you using the "down hill" button (grade assist or whatever its called) when SOC stopped at 65 percent? I have gone down a long mountain grade with CC engaged (but grade assist OFF) several times and had the HVB hit the top and stop charging (no up arrows). After this point the car just goes faster and faster, ICE doesn't start spinning. Also, IIRC, the internal SOC goes about 5% above the top of the display. So, perhaps with grade assist ON the SOC stops at 65% (ICE then starts) and with grade asssit OFF the SOC goes to 70% but ICE stays OFF and then the car just speeds up. I would have to try it.

And on your way there, make sure your car's shadow falls on the earth so we can have a "hybrid solar eclipse"! :lol: :lol2: (If you think I made that up, go read about it!)

This talk about shifting into reverse while going forward (I've done it too) got me wondering so I did some testing. Went down my drive about 5 mph and shifted to Reverse. The electric motor "engaged", slowed the car quickly to a stop and then started slowly backing (all done with foot off accelerator). It was all very smooth - no problem. So, went out on the road and accelerated to about 15 or 20 mph, shifted to Neutral and then Reverse - nothing happens, car keeps coasting. When the speed dropped to 12 mph the reverse torque "engaged", car slowed quickly to a stop as before and starts backwards. Tried a second time - same thing. I haven't tried it while pressing the accelerator. I'll let someone else coin the phrase, "Curiosity killed the hybrid!"

Glad your mileage is better. I'm convinced hills can help save gas - and easier than pulse and glide! Was just down your way for the eclipse - went right by Vonore taking "back roads" down to Sweetwater. I guess you watched it from your back yard. Got 56 mpg coming home due to slow traffic and taking side roads. Saw some beautiful country - but it took almost twice as long! Should have waited another day.

Time moves on.... the ICE keeps melting. The VW camper van returns - fully electric! [They just better include 120/240VAC outputs to eliminate those noisy campground generators!] "It’s just one of 30 (yes, thirty) fully electric models that Volkswagen wants to have on sale by 2025. If anyone’s preparing for forthcoming bans on petrol and diesel, it appears to be VW…" Bans??? Where Diesel has gone, can Otto be far behind?

More battery data. Just finished another 5 hour trip with car on the whole time. Checked the values and got: I=0.25 A, SOC=72%, T=82F, BAT_V_DSB=14.40 V=14.38 (front posts car ON), V=12.39 (front posts car OFF) Ambient temp on dash was 62F. So, compared to last run battery is 11F cooler, volts 0.2 higher and SOC 12% less. I wonder if the SOC number is really all that accurate.

Read this topic for some ideas and further discussion. I guess its time for me to get some new data to compare with the old baseline.

OK, finished a 4+ hour trip and here is what I got (initial data repeated from above post). Temperature below is the battery temp; ambient was around 80F. Before trip but after car had charged HVB for several minutes (and so, had been charging 12V battery as well): I=2.0 A, SOC=76%, T=???, BAT_V_DSB=??? V=14.49 (front posts car ON), V=12.77 (front posts car OFF) After driving about 1.5 hours: I=0.5 A, SOC=80%, T=88F, BAT_V_DSB=14.40 V=14.37 (front posts car ON), V=12.79 to 12.94 (front posts car OFF) After total driving of about 4.75 hours: I=0.25 A, SOC=84%, T=93F, BAT_V_DSB=14.20 V=14.18 (front posts car ON), V=12.7x (front posts car OFF) Note: voltage at front posts after car is turned OFF bounce around as things turn OFF (or ON?) I remember watching the battery charge current some years back and noting that it takes hours for it to drop close to zero.

+3, I just checked mine and its age says 440. It was replaced about 15 months ago by the dealer under the "big fix" for dead batteries. I had just started the car and due to low HVB it had just finished running for a few minutes. It was driven about an hour yesterday and about 10 hours on Tuesday. Just now it was showing 2.0 amps and 76% SOC. Voltage at front posts is 14.49 (car still ON) and 12.77 (car just turned OFF) and dropping slowly. I'm heading out for some hours of driving so will see if SOC goes up.

Boy, was I glad for a hybrid today! All that slow/stopped eclipse traffic and detours on side roads helped net 56.6 mpg indicated for 390+ miles and 58% EV with AC on almost the whole way. Lost all interest in conventional cars! Yes, I'm tired, but the eclipse was great. Went to Dollar General afterwards and bought a box of Moon Pies!

Tomorrow is the day! So nice to have lots of sunny weather in the forecast. Today I saw one of those electronic overhead Interstate signs saying something like "Solar Eclipse Aug 21 Heavy Traffic". Never thought I'd see something like that on one of those signs - wish I had a photo of it! Eclipse Day A sun to rule the day, A moon to rule the night; Yet with its shadow gray, That moon has won the fight! Oh how I wish that it could stay, ... this awesome sight! Snowstorm. (P.S. I see its too late to enter the bad poetry contest!)

If it must be replaced, you should be able to get one from a wrecking yard. I had to replace a rear outer tail light and it was 'only' $100.

I've had to replace mine. Its easy to drop something metallic into the outlet that is inside the storage compartment between the seats. Bye-buy fuse! There's a wad of paper in there now.