[jonhoy]

I know that after turning the ignition to the start postion, it may not start, and I should turn it back to off and try again.
Sometimes however I do it 3, 4 even 7 times before it starts.
Am i doing something swrong?
Is it due to below freezing temps?
As something wrong with the car? (2009 FEH with 10000km)

New FEH owner

Jon Hoy
Ontario

 

[tang]

Are you getting the anti-theft/TheftLock icon?

You have a hybrid... so how hybrids start up and the variance with temperature is not my cup of tea. Hopefully someone else chimes in.

 

[slavrenz]

Is this the first time you're trying to start it up as the new owner?

 

[rehctelf]

First off it's nice to see another Londoner in the city, welcome!
Not sure about the Hybrid models but the regular model genraly starts first time the key is turned.
Hope one of the other FEH owners can give you some insight on this.

 

[Colleen]

I have an 09 Mariner Hybrid and mine has always turned over the first time.

Not sure if below freezing temps may be the reason for yours not starting on the first try. Thankfully, it does not get that cold here.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

Welcome to the City!! :welcome:

 

[jonhoy]

It almost never starts on the first attempt. Espcecially embarrassing when I am giving a ride to someone in my new hybrid and we sit there while I turn the key back and forth 7 times.

I have tried in the last few days:
1. turn key to on and wait 3 audible dings (max wait time because at 4 dings the "stop safely now" message comes up.
2. attempt to start.
repeat process until it starts.

It seems to start on the 2nd or 3rd attempt using this method.

NOTE TO THEIVES....NOT A GOOD GETAWAY CAR.

It does not seem to matter if my foot is on the brake or not. Nor can I use dash lights, radio or hvac starting as a cue to determine if the engine is ready.

I assume that the computer is checking systems and battery, and that process takes longer than the vehicle itself allows the ignition to be on without the car activated, before it forces you to "stop safely now". I can't start the car while that message is up.

Hopefully another hybrid owner has had this issue. I dont want to be the only one who cant start my car.
BTW my roommate moved it out of his way one cold morning and he says it started first try. :doh:

 

[tang]

Just going by default responses, not intending to be rude or sarcastic.

It almost never starts on the first attempt. Espcecially embarrassing when I am giving a ride to someone in my new hybrid and we sit there while I turn the key back and forth 7 times.

If my experience with doing this means anything, you will inevitably and permanently stop your key from starting the car by turning it so frequently to no avail in a short period of time. This happened to me once.

I have tried in the last few days:
1. turn key to on and wait 3 audible dings (max wait time because at 4 dings the "stop safely now" message comes up.
2. attempt to start.
repeat process until it starts.

It seems to start on the 2nd or 3rd attempt using this method.

What happens when you just fire it up without waiting? I mean, it's a hybrid, so you're obviously not going to get engine roar.

It does not seem to matter if my foot is on the brake or not. Nor can I use dash lights, radio or hvac starting as a cue to determine if the engine is ready.

Universally, you need to have your foot on the brake to start a car... so you trying to do so without a foot on the brake seems futile. No dash lights suggests a bad battery but you say your car is brand new... or just new? Does anything work in accessory mode?

I assume that the computer is checking systems and battery, and that process takes longer than the vehicle itself allows the ignition to be on without the car activated, before it forces you to "stop safely now". I can't start the car while that message is up.

The second half would suggest that something is wrong... but it seems similar to if I hold my key in the '3' position (if 1 is key out, 2 is accessory, 3 is run and 4 is ignition) before starting the car, the car bongs and the check engine light, theft light, and low oil light all come on.

Hopefully another hybrid owner has had this issue. I dont want to be the only one who cant start my car.
BTW my roommate moved it out of his way one cold morning and he says it started first try. :doh:

:lol:

It happens, I guess.

 

[jonhoy]

Just going by default responses, not intending to be rude or sarcastic.

It almost never starts on the first attempt. Espcecially embarrassing when I am giving a ride to someone in my new hybrid and we sit there while I turn the key back and forth 7 times.

If my experience with doing this means anything, you will inevitably and permanently stop your key from starting the car by turning it so frequently to no avail in a short period of time. This happened to me once.

It is in the instruction manual that if it doesnt start first time, return key to position 0 and try again.

I have tried in the last few days:
1. turn key to on and wait 3 audible dings (max wait time because at 4 dings the "stop safely now" message comes up.
2. attempt to start.
repeat process until it starts.

It seems to start on the 2nd or 3rd attempt using this method.

What happens when you just fire it up without waiting? I mean, it's a hybrid, so you're obviously not going to get engine roar.

Dash lights all flash, clicking noises from battery bank, stereo turns on hvac starts to run. If the start is successful, the green "good to go" Ill call it, lights up, meaning the car is ready to drive. the ICE starts immediately after that. Without the ICE engine starting, you cannot drive the car. It will shut off the ICE if conditions are appropriate.

It does not seem to matter if my foot is on the brake or not. Nor can I use dash lights, radio or hvac starting as a cue to determine if the engine is ready.

Universally, you need to have your foot on the brake to start a car... so you trying to do so without a foot on the brake seems futile. No dash lights suggests a bad battery but you say your car is brand new... or just new? Does anything work in accessory mode?

No foot on brake required to start this one.

I assume that the computer is checking systems and battery, and that process takes longer than the vehicle itself allows the ignition to be on without the car activated, before it forces you to "stop safely now". I can't start the car while that message is up.

The second half would suggest that something is wrong... but it seems similar to if I hold my key in the '3' position (if 1 is key out, 2 is accessory, 3 is run and 4 is ignition) before starting the car, the car bongs and the check engine light, theft light, and low oil light all come on.

I think in both the case of your car and mine, with key left in 3 position, the computer thinks the car should be running, and because it is not, sends error messages to the driver.

Hopefully another hybrid owner has had this issue. I dont want to be the only one who cant start my car.
BTW my roommate moved it out of his way one cold morning and he says it started first try. :doh:

:lol:

It happens, I guess.

 

[Billyk]

I never start my 2005 FEH with my foot on the brake. I never start my FEH by turning the key back and forth multiple times. In fact, the vehicle starts as if it is on push button control. That is, I normally turn the key to the start position and immediately release it from this position.

Go with you roomate and have them show you what they did to start the vehicle. Something is goofy here.

 

[Surf_City]

With a hybrid all you need to do is turn the key to start and release it at least my experience but it was only 18 degrees out. maybe not cold enough.

 

[wilcal]

FWIW I'm a retired EE and during my career I did
have some experience with battery powered vehicles.
Wheelchairs, but some similarities here.

I'm fascinated with my just purchased 06 FEH. I've
studied as much as I can find on the starting
process. First, there is no starter motor and geared
flywheel in this vehicle. The starting process is very
similar to push starting a manual transmission car.
There are two electrical motors in the "transmission"
and one of those is used to directly rotate the
motor crankshaft at startup.

The Ford Escape and Toyota Prius use basically the
same JATCO ( Japanese Transmission manufacturer )
transmission. Here's a good breakout of eCVT
transmissions:

http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_hel ... ssions.htm

What happens here is one of the two electrical motors
within the eCVT transmission spins up the 4-cyl gas
engine. I would speculate that if the temperature of
the eCVT transmission gets cold enough then starting
may become a challenge. Do note that the energy to
spin up the electrical motor to start the engine comes
from the 330VDC High Voltage Battery.