[flyingsherpa]

I know 2013+ have a setting to keep ICE off during preconditioning if desired (e.g. you're in a closed garage and don't want to get CO poisoning). Someone told me today that the ICE will come on despite that setting if it gets VERY cold. That's the first I've heard of that, and it seems a safety issue, so I'm trying to fact-check it. Anyone ever experience this? Is there a difference between gen1/2?

 

[jcanoe]

I know 2013+ have a setting to keep ICE off during preconditioning if desired (e.g. you're in a closed garage and don't want to get CO poisoning). Someone told me today that the ICE will come on despite that setting if it gets VERY cold. That's the first I've heard of that, and it seems a safety issue, so I'm trying to fact-check it. Anyone ever experience this? Is there a difference between gen1/2?

On the Gen 2 Volt (in my case a 2017 Volt) there is a comfort setting for Engine Assist Heat Plugged In. This can be set to Yes or No.

 

[lagagnon]

Page 143 of the Manual: "Engine Heat Assist".

 

[Arcanox]

A Gen 2 will never turn the ICE on while plugged in unless you tell it to, but if it's not plugged in, it will turn it on in extremely low temperatures regardless of whether or not you tell it to. This is to generate heat because the battery is too cold to do so itself (whereas if it's plugged in, it can draw from the EVSE for heat instead). We're talking below 15*F, however, so it's only during a couple months out of the year that this will happen.

No idea how the Gen 1 works. I do know that the Gen 1 will disable the vehicle if it's REALLY cold until the engine warms up the battery enough, but Gen 2 will not do this...it will drive solely off the engine instead (series mode).

 

[flyingsherpa]

A Gen 2 will never turn the ICE on while plugged in unless you tell it to, but if it's not plugged in, it will turn it on in extremely low temperatures regardless of whether or not you tell it to. This is to generate heat because the battery is too cold to do so itself (whereas if it's plugged in, it can draw from the EVSE for heat instead). We're talking below 15*F, however, so it's only during a couple months out of the year that this will happen.

No idea how the Gen 1 works. I do know that the Gen 1 will disable the vehicle if it's REALLY cold until the engine warms up the battery enough, but Gen 2 will not do this...it will drive solely off the engine instead (series mode).

I know it will do this if you turn it ON, my question was about preconditioning. He made the claim that the ICE would come on in preconditioning (even with the option saying not to) if it was very cold. That's what I have a hard time believing. I think it would just not do the precondition if it needed ICE, rather than run the ICE when the user said not to (could be in a garage where that's not safe to run unattended for 10 minute).

 

[flyingsherpa]

On the Gen 2 Volt (in my case a 2017 Volt) there is a comfort setting for Engine Assist Heat Plugged In. This can be set to Yes or No.

Yes, my question was whether or not this setting would be ignored in very cold conditions when a precondition is requested. I know it will be ignore if car is turned on normally and it's too cold, but I would hope that's not true for preconditioning.

 

[caskConditionedAle]

If the car is plugged in, the battery is not allowed to get too cold. That "someone" should step forward with their proof.

 

[TSquare]

Yes, my question was whether or not this setting would be ignored in very cold conditions when a precondition is requested. I know it will be ignore if car is turned on normally and it's too cold, but I would hope that's not true for preconditioning.

It depends on if it is plugged in or not. If plugged in, and you have changed the setting to say 'No to Engine Assisted Heat', the ICE will NOT run for precondition. If it is NOT plugged in, and you request precondition, and the outside air temp is below the setting for 'Engine Running Due To Temp', (15, 25, or 35F) the ICE will start.
The Yes/No to Engine Assisted Heat setting is only for preconditioning, or just turning on, while plugged in.

 

[Arcanox]

I know it will do this if you turn it ON, my question was about preconditioning. He made the claim that the ICE would come on in preconditioning (even with the option saying not to) if it was very cold. That's what I have a hard time believing. I think it would just not do the precondition if it needed ICE, rather than run the ICE when the user said not to (could be in a garage where that's not safe to run unattended for 10 minute).

It should be the same behavior. On the Gen 2, it behaves the same during preconditioning as it does when turning the ignition on in terms of engine-assist heat, etc. I'm not sure about Gen 1.

 

[Upper5Percent]

I know 2013+ have a setting to keep ICE off during preconditioning if desired (e.g. you're in a closed garage and don't want to get CO poisoning). Someone told me today that the ICE will come on despite that setting if it gets VERY cold. That's the first I've heard of that, and it seems a safety issue, so I'm trying to fact-check it. Anyone ever experience this? Is there a difference between gen1/2?

Well, if your enclosed garage has a temperature like this... View attachment 142217 ...then maybe the Gen1 ICE may engage...

 

[Arcanox]

Well, if your enclosed garage has a temperature like this... View attachment 142217 ...then maybe the Gen1 ICE may engage...

Gen 2 only would if "Engine Assist Heat Plugged In" was turned on

I definitely don't envy anyone who lives where an enclosed garage gets that cold

 

[ClarksonCote]

I know 2013+ have a setting to keep ICE off during preconditioning if desired (e.g. you're in a closed garage and don't want to get CO poisoning). Someone told me today that the ICE will come on despite that setting if it gets VERY cold. That's the first I've heard of that, and it seems a safety issue, so I'm trying to fact-check it. Anyone ever experience this? Is there a difference between gen1/2?

That's not true. If you've got it plugged in, and have "Engine Assisted Heating While Plugged In" disabled, the engine won't come on with a remote start. However, as soon as you unplug the car, if the outside temperature is below the set point (15F, Very Cold, or 35F, Cold) then the engine will at that time start up... Even if the cabin is already nice and toasty warm, which is kind of annoying.

It's the electricity from the wall that conditions the battery, not the engine heat. In temperatures where the battery has been cold soaked to some predetermined level, the engine only runs when it doesn't have electricity from the wall, and so it needs to make electricity itself to heat the battery, and to supplement the battery's power until the battery is sufficiently warm to operate on its own. When the car is left plugged in, the battery will never get to this cold soaked state.

 

[telveer]

If your Gen 1 is Plugged into an active EVSE, and the setting to "Use Engine Assisted Heating When Plugged In" is turned OFF, the ICE should not come on, no matter how cold it gets.

 

[flyingsherpa]

If your Gen 1 is Plugged into an active EVSE, and the setting to "Use Engine Assisted Heating When Plugged In" is turned OFF, the ICE should not come on, no matter how cold it gets.

Yeah, that's what I thought too, I think the guy who told me otherwise was mistaken...

 

[2VoltFamily]

Yeah, that's what I thought too, I think the guy who told me otherwise was mistaken...

He is definitely mistaken or not understanding the specific circumstances you have laid out.

 

[canehdian]

The key is the plug.
I don't believe it has to even have power, the car just has to know it was plugged in before it went to sleep.

 

[viking79]

If your Gen 1 is Plugged into an active EVSE, and the setting to "Use Engine Assisted Heating When Plugged In" is turned OFF, the ICE should not come on, no matter how cold it gets.

I believe this option is on 2013 and newer. My 2012 has no option to disable starting the engine when plugged in, if I am remembering correctly.

 

[Steverino]

I believe this option is on 2013 and newer. My 2012 has no option to disable starting the engine when plugged in, if I am remembering correctly.

2011 and 2012 do not have, correct. If your precondition in your garage and the temp is cold enough the car will startup the ICE if the ERDTT set point is hit, regardless of whether you are plugged in or not.

My garage is heated, so never colder than 36°F.

 

[2VoltFamily]

My garage is heated, so never colder than 36°F.

You need a better heater or change the setting. My garage never gets colder than 65°F

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

My ICE turned on a few times last winter when plugged in and preconditioning. I don't remember if the engine assist option was on or off. I know for sure it's off now, but just in case, I open the garage door.

Though I wonder if it's worth it to disable the option. The engine will likely kick on anyways when driving it in really cold weather.