[gobble]

It's 20 degrees and the engine goes on so offer that I can't even drain my battery on my commute. Is there any way to override that?

 

[johnnywater]

go to the config menu and select the extra cold button for when the engine starts at x temperature

 

[somms]

Ambient Air Temperature Sensor Resistance
Temperature Ambient Air Temp Sensor Ambient Air Temp Sensor (Min) Ambient Air Temp Sensor (Max)
°C °F (kΩ) (kΩ) (kΩ)
-40 -40 169.4 158.46 181.19
-30 -22 88.74 83.39 94.47
-20 -4 48.58 47.19 50.02
-10 14 27.67 26.93 28.44
0 32 16.33 15.92 16.75
10 50 9.95 9.71 10.19
20 68 6.24 6.1 6.38
30 86 4.02 3.94 4.11
40 104 2.66 2.61 2.71
50 122 1.8 1.73 1.87
60 140 1.24 1.2 1.29


If lowering to 15F still doesn't cut it for you, guess you could always get ahold of the $3 AMBIENT TEMP SENSOR mounted behind the passenger's side front turn signal and hard set it for the Kohm value necessary to never drop below the point that triggers the ICE to run!

 

[ViperRT10Matt]

go to the config menu and select the extra cold button for when the engine starts at x temperature

2011s and most 2012s don't have this.

 

[Ziv]

Interesting. I will try that tomorrow morning. Having the ICE kick on when the temp dropped to 35 degrees was less than optimal.

 

[David B. Kelting]

It's 20 degrees and the engine goes on so offer that I can't even drain my battery on my commute. Is there any way to override that?

Welcome to the club

I have an early build 2012, so I only have the one setting (<26*). I could really use and appreciate the 15* setting. Also, I believe that if you use the heat in Comfort mode the ICE will cycle less often.

 

[ClarksonCote]

In the same menu, there is also a setting to disable engine assisted heating when plugged in. This will prevent your engine from running when plugged in during a remote start, regardless of outside temperature.

 

[jbfalaska]

Seemed really cold before it kicks on in my car. 35 degrees seems a bit high. I actually like the kick on. My car needs the heater to run quite a bit in the deep cold.

 

[somms]

Welcome to the club

I have an early build 2012, so I only have the one setting (<26*). I could really use and appreciate the 15* setting. Also, I believe that if you use the heat in Comfort mode the ICE will cycle less often.

For those with higher threshold MY2011-2012, just need to get ahold of a Ambient Air Temp Sensor that never reads greater than 16K ohm which would equal @32F. This $3 throw away part creates more resistance as the temp drops.

Confirmed on my 2013 Volt that after disconnecting this sensor and allowing the circuit to become an "open" or max resistance causes the ICE to run immediately when you turn it on regardless of whether I had extra cold setting enabled or not (ICE came on same as if you were to have the hood opened). So simply removing the sensor to bypass running ICE in extreme cold is not an option.

BTW: Getting to the Ambient Air Temp Sensor is extremely easy and I only had to remove 1 screw from underneath the deflector or air dam underneath the front bumper so no need to even open the hood!

Ambient Air Temp Sensor removed

White hole on the left behind the grill and next to radiator is where the sensor mounts from inside

Sensor attached to its cable

1ea 9/32 deflector (air dam) screw I had to remove to allow enough room to reach in and disconnect the sensor while on my back

 

[emartin00]

On my 2012 I have noticed that if you set the climate setting to COMFORT, it reduced the frequency of the engine runs.

 

[Paulacton84]

For those with higher threshold MY2011-2012, just need to get ahold of a Ambient Air Temp Sensor that never reads greater than 16K ohm which would equal 32F This $3 throw away part creates more resistance as the temp drops.

Confirmed on my 2013 Volt that after disconnecting this sensor and allowing the circuit to become an "open" or max resistance causes the ICE to run immediately when you turn it on regardless of whether I had extra cold setting enabled or not (ICE came on same as if you were to have the hood opened). So simply removing the sensor to bypass running ICE in extreme cold is not an option.

Is this the same sensor that the car uses to manage the mixture on the generator engine? if so, disconnecting it will cause rich mixture problems....

 

[caronjeff]

So what if the ICE comes on and helps warm up the cabin? Its chump change in gas. I would really hesitate to go changing sensors and risk screwing something up. The Ice needs to run occasionally anyway why not just go with the flow....

 

[Dyohn]

So what if the ICE comes on and helps warm up the cabin? Its chump change in gas. I would really hesitate to go changing sensors and risk screwing something up. The Ice needs to run occasionally anyway why not just go with the flow....

Exactly. Let the Volt be a Volt, let it work the way it was designed. If you want to drive completely without gas, you bought the wrong car.

 

[ClarksonCote]

On my 2012 I have noticed that if you set the climate setting to COMFORT, it reduced the frequency of the engine runs.

Yes, this is true for 2011-2012, and I suspect all model years. While a bit counterintuitive, having Climate set to comfort often allows the resistive heating to maintain the coolant temperature necessary to keep the engine from coming back on after its first run.

So if you have short commutes that won't use all the battery range, this is another good way to minimize gas usage due to cold temperature.

 

[ckk]

Also I just noticed that when my 2013 is doing an ERDTT (Engine Running Due To Temperature), the energy usage screen seems to count 2/3 of the distance as having been done on the battery, and 1/3 on gas.

e.g. if it went around 3 miles in 1 or 2 ERDTT segments, the energy screen racked up 2 miles driven on battery and 1 mile driven on gas.

I guess this is consistent with the DIC which shows yellow coming from both the left (battery) and the right (ICE) when it's doing an ERDTT segment.

just another consideration in playing the fun game, to maximize overall MPG and minimize gas usage but not freeze in the colder weather, deciding where/when/how long to engage Hold mode, vs let it do a series of ERDTT's.....

 

[saghost]

Yes, this is true for 2011-2012, and I suspect all model years. While a bit counterintuitive, having Climate set to comfort often allows the resistive heating to maintain the coolant temperature necessary to keep the engine from coming back on after its first run.

I'm obviously not in a position to test, but last year we had a bunch of 2013 owners coming back to say it didn't seem to matter on their cars and the electric heat never came on during ERDTT.

I'm not certain, but I believe that the changes to ERDTT and the HVAC made for the 2013+ models prevent this workaround from working on those cars.

 

[ChevyEMF]

My commute will take all of the battery. I find I get better overall mileage by using the higher temp, more ERDTT.

 

[ballen1923]

That is surely subjective. I am delighted to have the heat.

 

[scottf200]

On my 2012 I have noticed that if you set the climate setting to COMFORT, it reduced the frequency of the engine runs.

Whole thread about this:

Title: COMFORT-setting-limiting-quot-Engine-Running-due-to-low-temperature-quot-ERDTLT
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...ne-Running-due-to-low-temperature-quot-ERDTLT

 

[Breezy]

Is this the same sensor that the car uses to manage the mixture on the generator engine? if so, disconnecting it will cause rich mixture problems....

No the car has a separate sensor for intake air temperature.