Mystery buttons you never use?

[philip42h]

1 hour ago, spicyhotone said:

In one of the carnut videos he says the trail mode applies a limited-slip-differential mode. Of course it's not a real lsd as there's no hardware in the car for this - but it applies the brake to any wheel which is spinning, directing the power at the wheel(s) with grip. Which seems consistent with what you describe.

Except that is precisely what the car does when you are NOT in trail mode. That is how the standard system works.

The 'problem' with that system is when all four wheels are losing traction, the car will tend to lose power and apply the brakes to all four wheels - which might become counter-productive. 😉

As I understand, Trail mode addresses this issue by allowing MORE slip at each wheel before applying the brakes in the hope that the car will then be able to 'scrabble' out of the situation.

I've never yet had occasion to test Trail mode so I can't be sure. Previous generations of RAV4 had a 'limited slip diff' button (which again wasn't a 'limited slip diff') which told the car that you wanted to stay in AWD mode for longer / at a higher [apparent] speed again to deal with extra slippery conditions. I did test this out - I was younger and more foolish back then - by taking the car out in the snow and trying to get stuck so that I could see whether pressing the button made a significant difference. Trouble was, I couldn't get stuck ... so perhaps not quite so foolish after all! 🙂

My 4.4 D-CAT Auto had full hill descent control and that worked beautifully on the few occasions that I tried it out. I never had the need to use it in anger, but it was good to know that it was there.

[Iscaman]

Just to facetious for a moment…😁

This does bring to mind somewhat those click-bait headlines that pop up on one’s phone from time to time. A Tik-Tok user has just ‘discovered’ a button on their car, and what it does, that no one else knows about. And of course they want to tell the rest of the world!

[NASY]

I have some buttons in the roof I never use - one makes the car noisier and drafty and the others ruin the ambience at night by blasting high intensity light into the cabin.

[HSDish]

Have some small buttons on our digital rearwiew mirror, that I havnt learned yet .

Heve to check them out.

(they are a bit silly placed, easy to press unintentionally when adjusting the mirror)

[Oscarmax]

To date I have never used Normal or Sports mode quite happy with default Eco, I will however try HV Sports mode when towing.

[Flatcoat]

On 12/18/2023 at 3:19 PM, nlee said:

I never use the Auto EV/HEV button. I get what it's supposed to do but I could never tell any difference from being in EV (obviously talking about PHEV). Never used the long press to charge the traction battery from the ICE either. 

I use the auto/HEV button but What is the long press to charge the Battery?! Never heard of this…….. 

[Oscarmax]

35 minutes ago, Flatcoat said:

I use the auto/HEV button but What is the long press to charge the battery?! Never heard of this…….. 

Press and hold the HV system changes to charge mode to ICE will run continuously, I tried it earlier this year when on holiday not good for fuel consumption in HV mode, around the New Forest with its 40mph restrictions we were averaging 55/60mpg in charge mode it dropped to the low 30mpg.

On the Kuga forums several PHEV are using sports mode for towing, not using the extra performance but using the function, apparent it use the ICE in HV mode and the EV motor, they are claiming better towing ability and fuel consumption.

[Flatcoat]

Interesting, I haven’t (knowingly) tried my RAV towing in anything other than Eco or normal. Having had to cancel the trip with the ‘van to Edinburgh for Hogmanay I suspect it will be Easter before I will be towing again. 

[ernieb]

4 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

I use the auto/HEV button but What is the long press to charge the battery?! Never heard of this…….. 

this will in effect charge the traction Battery to about 80% max, I think? It is supposed to be useful in a situation when you might want to enter a built up area and then switch to EV mode. It just seems to use a massive amount of fuel for little benefit.

[Centaur]

On 12/18/2023 at 3:19 PM, nlee said:

I never use the Auto EV/HEV button. I get what it's supposed to do but I could never tell any difference from being in EV (obviously talking about PHEV). Never used the long press to charge the traction battery from the ICE either. 

I discovered what the Auto EV is supposed to do quite by accident.  When I first got the car, pressing Auto EV just seemed get it to go into EV mode, so I didn't bother with it again.  Subsequently, I have just manually selected either EV or HV mode as appropriate.  However, more recently, I was travelling with a destination programmed into the Sat Nav and inadvertently pressed the Auto EV switch.  What I discovered was that the car then usilised the full remaining EV range but intelligently switched between EV and HV mode over the whole trip.  The EV mode would activate in slower, typically built-up areas and the HV mode would activate on faster main roads.

I have tested this subsequently and found that I will arrive at my destination with zero EV range remaining each time.  The only snag is when I cannot charge the car at my destination and then want to do the return journey back home but have no EV range remaining.  The simple work-around is to enter my home as my destination and then set my destination as a waypoint.  That way, the Auto EV spreads the EV range over both the outbound and return legs of the journey.

This also explains why, when not using the Sat Nav, Auto EV just seems to mostly operate as if it is in manual EV mode - the car doesn't know where it is going, so it just uses EV mode until the Battery goes flat.  However, with the Sat Nav programmed, it can intelligently apply EV mode where it is most suitable over the entire journey - clever!

[Oscarmax]

EV Auto that interesting our Suzuki Across does not have satnav.

[Oscarmax]

3 hours ago, Oscarmax said:

EV Auto that interesting our Suzuki Across does not have satnav.

Will the EV auto work with my Apple iPhone/Car Play ?

[Cyker]

4 hours ago, Centaur said:

I discovered what the Auto EV is supposed to do quite by accident.  When I first got the car, pressing Auto EV just seemed get it to go into EV mode, so I didn't bother with it again.  Subsequently, I have just manually selected either EV or HV mode as appropriate.  However, more recently, I was travelling with a destination programmed into the Sat Nav and inadvertently pressed the Auto EV switch.  What I discovered was that the car then usilised the full remaining EV range but intelligently switched between EV and HV mode over the whole trip.  The EV mode would activate in slower, typically built-up areas and the HV mode would activate on faster main roads.

I have tested this subsequently and found that I will arrive at my destination with zero EV range remaining each time.  The only snag is when I cannot charge the car at my destination and then want to do the return journey back home but have no EV range remaining.  The simple work-around is to enter my home as my destination and then set my destination as a waypoint.  That way, the Auto EV spreads the EV range over both the outbound and return legs of the journey.

This also explains why, when not using the Sat Nav, Auto EV just seems to mostly operate as if it is in manual EV mode - the car doesn't know where it is going, so it just uses EV mode until the battery goes flat.  However, with the Sat Nav programmed, it can intelligently apply EV mode where it is most suitable over the entire journey - clever!

That's pretty awesome!  

[Nick72]

5 hours ago, Centaur said:

I discovered what the Auto EV is supposed to do quite by accident.  When I first got the car, pressing Auto EV just seemed get it to go into EV mode, so I didn't bother with it again.  Subsequently, I have just manually selected either EV or HV mode as appropriate.  However, more recently, I was travelling with a destination programmed into the Sat Nav and inadvertently pressed the Auto EV switch.  What I discovered was that the car then usilised the full remaining EV range but intelligently switched between EV and HV mode over the whole trip.  The EV mode would activate in slower, typically built-up areas and the HV mode would activate on faster main roads.

I have tested this subsequently and found that I will arrive at my destination with zero EV range remaining each time.  The only snag is when I cannot charge the car at my destination and then want to do the return journey back home but have no EV range remaining.  The simple work-around is to enter my home as my destination and then set my destination as a waypoint.  That way, the Auto EV spreads the EV range over both the outbound and return legs of the journey.

This also explains why, when not using the Sat Nav, Auto EV just seems to mostly operate as if it is in manual EV mode - the car doesn't know where it is going, so it just uses EV mode until the battery goes flat.  However, with the Sat Nav programmed, it can intelligently apply EV mode where it is most suitable over the entire journey - clever!

Holy Batman! I did not know. This is cool.

[Nick72]

Tell you something, I'm now using the Fast Eco button a lot to drop the air con power consumption when I'm in a drive mode other than Eco. Thanks guys n gals.

[Oscarmax]

17 hours ago, Centaur said:

I discovered what the Auto EV is supposed to do quite by accident.  When I first got the car, pressing Auto EV just seemed get it to go into EV mode, so I didn't bother with it again.  Subsequently, I have just manually selected either EV or HV mode as appropriate.  However, more recently, I was travelling with a destination programmed into the Sat Nav and inadvertently pressed the Auto EV switch.  What I discovered was that the car then usilised the full remaining EV range but intelligently switched between EV and HV mode over the whole trip.  The EV mode would activate in slower, typically built-up areas and the HV mode would activate on faster main roads.

I have tested this subsequently and found that I will arrive at my destination with zero EV range remaining each time.  The only snag is when I cannot charge the car at my destination and then want to do the return journey back home but have no EV range remaining.  The simple work-around is to enter my home as my destination and then set my destination as a waypoint.  That way, the Auto EV spreads the EV range over both the outbound and return legs of the journey.

This also explains why, when not using the Sat Nav, Auto EV just seems to mostly operate as if it is in manual EV mode - the car doesn't know where it is going, so it just uses EV mode until the battery goes flat.  However, with the Sat Nav programmed, it can intelligently apply EV mode where it is most suitable over the entire journey - clever!

Our Suzuki Across does not have the Toyota satnav, if we plug in our Apple iPhone we can connect Google maps to the central screen for satnav, I am just wondering if this will intelligently apply EV mode?

[philip42h]

13 hours ago, Nick72 said:

18 hours ago, Centaur said:

I discovered what the Auto EV is supposed to do quite by accident.  When I first got the car, pressing Auto EV just seemed get it to go into EV mode, so I didn't bother with it again.  Subsequently, I have just manually selected either EV or HV mode as appropriate.  However, more recently, I was travelling with a destination programmed into the Sat Nav and inadvertently pressed the Auto EV switch.  What I discovered was that the car then usilised the full remaining EV range but intelligently switched between EV and HV mode over the whole trip.  The EV mode would activate in slower, typically built-up areas and the HV mode would activate on faster main roads.

I have tested this subsequently and found that I will arrive at my destination with zero EV range remaining each time.  The only snag is when I cannot charge the car at my destination and then want to do the return journey back home but have no EV range remaining.  The simple work-around is to enter my home as my destination and then set my destination as a waypoint.  That way, the Auto EV spreads the EV range over both the outbound and return legs of the journey.

This also explains why, when not using the Sat Nav, Auto EV just seems to mostly operate as if it is in manual EV mode - the car doesn't know where it is going, so it just uses EV mode until the battery goes flat.  However, with the Sat Nav programmed, it can intelligently apply EV mode where it is most suitable over the entire journey - clever!

Expand  

Holy Batman! I did not know. This is cool.

... but is it true? 😉

There's absolutely no mention of this 'feature' in the PHEV Owners Manual. As far as I can tell, Auto EV/HV is simply a variation on EV mode that will allow the ICE to start rather more readily. So, it will be more likely to use the ICE when accelerating and at speed, which will have the knock-on effect of preserving Battery capacity for EV mode use later in the journey. Toyota do still recommend switching to HV mode on the freeway ...

[Nick72]

8 hours ago, philip42h said:

... but is it true? 😉

There's absolutely no mention of this 'feature' in the PHEV Owners Manual. As far as I can tell, Auto EV/HV is simply a variation on EV mode that will allow the ICE to start rather more readily. So, it will be more likely to use the ICE when accelerating and at speed, which will have the knock-on effect of preserving battery capacity for EV mode use later in the journey. Toyota do still recommend switching to HV mode on the freeway ...

I may try it.

[Centaur]

Note that my PHEV is a 2023 model with the newer style sat nav and digital dashboard.  It may be that the Auto EV may operate differently with that than with the earlier models?

As an example, I went over to see family recently, which was a trip of about 45 miles.  In Auto EV with just the destination set in the sat nav, the car just ran in EV mode, even on fast roads, as the EV range would have been enough to get me there.  However, half way there on a fast piece of road, I changed the destination to my home and kept the original destination as a waypoint.  The car instantly switched to HV mode but then alternated between EV and HV mode for the rest of my trip, arriving back home later that day just as the EV range dropped to zero.

I have only experimented with this on a handful of occasions so far but I have no reason to believe that this is just happening by chance.  I have done one 180 mile trip and had just the same result - the EV range just dropping to zero as I arrived home.  Give it a go and see what happens!

[philip42h]

41 minutes ago, Centaur said:

Note that my PHEV is a 2023 model with the newer style sat nav and digital dashboard.  It may be that the Auto EV may operate differently with that than with the earlier models?

...  Give it a go and see what happens!

Oh, you are correct - that's really quite clever! 🙂

I can't "give it a go" 'cos I have only a humble HEV, but I downloaded the very latest PHEV Owner's Manual (October 2023) - I'm sad like that - and it now includes a section on "Predictive efficient drive (if equipped)" and says to refer to the “Multimedia owner’s manual”. Of Predictive EV Drive specifically it states:

Quote

When using route guidance by the navigation system, the system automatically switches between EV driving and HV driving based on data such as the remaining charge of the hybrid battery (traction battery), route and traffic information to ensure that the vehicle efficiently uses electrical energy from the traction battery.

For example, the system switches to HV during high load section such as highway, uphill.

The system operates only when AUTO EV/HV mode is selected.

Which sounds pretty much exactly as you describe!

Very clever and probably latest models only so those with obsolete RAV4 PHEVs can merely read and weep! 😉

[philip42h]

Oh, and I've now looked at the Multimedia Manual too - it's really quite scary! It remembers routes you have previously driven and where you have slowed down, and then increases the level of regenerative / engine braking to slow the car down more quickly and thereby harvest more energy. Very big brother but quite neat all the same!

[Doubletalkjive]

26 minutes ago, philip42h said:

Very big brother but quite neat all the same!

I read the same thing in the Multimedia manual this morning and thought exactly the same thing. Car pick up is on Thursday so wanted to read up a little.

There are privacy settings too which I beleve you can opt in/out of. Perhaps there is some control over which data goes back to the mothership over the air? Although I imagine the vehicle systems will record it internally anyway so if you have been in an incident law enforcement will know exactly what the car was doing at the time of the incident.

Does anyone know if ODB port readers can extract historic data such as speed, GPS location etc.? 

[philip42h]

47 minutes ago, Doubletalkjive said:

Does anyone know if ODB port readers can extract historic data such as speed, GPS location etc.? 

I don't know but suspect that the amount of 'history' that you could extract would be very limited. As the system originally stood, trip data was 'phoned home to base at the end of the trip, and folk were finding that data for 'longer' journeys got lost simply because the multimedia system didn't have sufficient storage to hold it. Things might have improved but you would likely only be able to go back hours rather than days, weeks or months.

Personally, I am very happy for Toyota UK to hold as much trip data on my journeys as they can collect. They are in any case bound by privacy laws in how they can use it, and I am not intending to break any laws myself, so I'm not worried about its potential availability to law enforcement. On the other hand, should my car be taken without my consent I'd very much like to know where it was!

We used to have access to our own historic trip data via My Toyota but the feature seems to have evaporated in the most recent updates.

[Centaur]

That is very interesting about the Predictive Effient Drive in the updated manual.  I have noticed a message flash up on the sat nav about that but I couldn't find out much from the manual, so I will have to download the newer version and have another look.

I don't use my exact home address as a waypoint but have it set for the end of my road.  So, on turning into that road, the sat nav tells me that I have reached my destination but also, if it is set to Auto EV mode, it comes up with a message about Predictive Efficient Drive.  It doesn't stay on screen long enough to read it and it's probably not sensible to whilst I am driving anyway.  However, I suspect that it is just saying that, as the sat nav is no longer programmed with a destination, that it will use past data to predict where to use either EV or HV mode from there on.  Probably a bit pointless, as the Battery is exhausted by then anyway, but presumably it would try to do that if I just pressed Auto EV at the outset, especially if I were driving down roads that the sat nav 'knew'.  Incidentally, the sat nav is littered with little green leaves around what I take to be my braking points.  Maybe the car will increase regen at those locations if I set Auto EV but I haven't tried it, as I normally just leave it in EV when driving locally.  Something else to give a go!