Hybrid Highlander battery charge
Created August 9, 2005, at 4:44 pm by Anonymous
We've been having our Hybrid Highlander for 2 1/2 weeks now and we really love it. So far we have put about 500 miles on it. One thing I noticed is that the battery is never charged to full. The highest charge level I've seen so far is ~9/10. I personally don't see this to be a problem. As a control engineer, I know you shouldn't constantly reach the capacity of a reservoir, otherwise it's gonna overflow. I'm just wondering whether this is by design and whether other HH owners are seeing the same thing. And will this "under-charge" affect the battery life. I don't see this mentioned in the owner's manual.
Most Popular Pages
6 years ago
I am seeing the same thing with the battery level - we have almost 5000 miles since mid June (summer vacation trips) and the battery level has not changed
6 years ago
MY 2WD HH is the same, Ive never seen the top bar of the graph fill in..joe
6 years ago
I've managed to get the battery charge up to full twice in the 2 weeks I've owned mine.
Both times were after driving extended distances at about 40-45mph when the engine is recharging the battery.
Both were also short lived due to running full electric for the next few miles in 5mph traffic.
6 years ago
I've put about 1,500 miles on my HH. I've seen full battery charge several times after coasting down long hills. One of the first weekend trips I made with it was up into the hills of the Oregon coast range. On the way down I was using the brakes significantly. When the battery became fully charge, then you could definantly tell a difference in the braking. You no longer had the motors doing the braking for you, so I put the transmission in "engine Brake mode" until I got down out of the hills.
6 years ago
I believe the computer controls charging behavior, and aims to never completlyl discharge or "overcharge" battery. This is to prolong battery life. It almost has become a game with me to see how high I can get the charge. Now, I find out I am working against a computer. Interesting that braking is affected with full charge....important point Toyota needs to bring out. LOVE IT !!!!
5 years ago
I did notice the color changes when you charge up to the last to bars. This only happend once to me so far. My mpg is getting better but still under 30mpg.
I drive about 50/50 Hwy and city. I think the Hwy at 70mph plus is the limiting factor. It drops to 20 MPG range after 70.
Is that what everyone else is seeing?
5 years ago
I have seen my battery charge to full multiple times, Turns green as noted by pbarney. i am just a bit under 30, using the old fashion method of recording everything in a log book, the display seems to be fairly accurate. i see MPG drop dramatically at high speed as well. I have a 2006 limited with 9000 miles
5 years ago
To all you Happy hybrid owners,,
It is by design that the batteries never fully charge or discharge.
Toyota has set the parameters for charging at;
Max charge 70%
Max discharge 40%
This is solely for the purpose of extending battery life.
In technical terms it's controlling the battery CYCLES. If you keep
the battery charge state at a constant or "sweet spot" you
extend battery life.
These batteries have a memory so to speak.
Avoiding full discharge/charge state keeps cycling to a minimum.
Could some of you Highlander owners post your actual city & hiway
fuel economy please?
I'd be interested inknowing the "actual" mileage compared to
advertised.
Keep on chargin...
5 years ago
@60 mph i get 28...@70 I barley get 24...In the summer I get 28 average...In the winter (minn.) I am lucky to get 23.....Joe
1 year ago
My average is about 26.8mpg... I do a lot of hwy driving. I've also already reached over 102,000 miles and my car is a 2006.
1 year ago
2006 with over 102,000 miles already and mostly hwy driving.. my average has been about 26.8 mpg although right now it's just under 25
1 year ago
i just bought a 2006 highlander highbred with 87000 miles i noticed that when ideling for longer then 5 min. my battery starts to lose its juice and if i sit for about 10 min. its almost all the way down, this kind of makes me worry a bit, does any one seem to have this problem? i just hope its normal, since im new to the highbred world....but other than that i absolutly love my new suv
1 year ago
when you sit ideling for 10 min. or longer do you have a problem with the battery charge going all the way down? i just bought a 2006 highlander highbred with 87000 miles and it happens to me, didnt no if this is normal or if i should worry?
Post a new comment