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Toyota Highlander Hybrid Driving Tips & Tricks

428 messages,  Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 6:44 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), SUV

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#3 of 428 Re: nimhrod-AC like your house-bill higher in summer? [phoebeisis] by toyotaken Jun 27, 2005 (7:40 am)
Replying to: phoebeisis (Jun 27, 2005 7:32 am) Mostly you're correct. However, the electronics in the HH keep the batteries at optimal charge whatever the conditions. So whether you're stopped, or going in city driving, or highway driving (no gas engine, sometimes gas engine, always gas engine) if the batteries are running low, the HH will divert some of the ICE's power towards regenerating the batteries. If the engine isn't running at that point, it will start it. Part of the wonders of this technology is that it will run the engine in the most efficient way possible for any/all of these situations. Just to recharge the batteries while standing still may have the ICE at idle speed, full throttle would bring the ICE to more rpm's to supplement the battery's power. Regardless, the software prevents the batteries from depleting too far. The benefit of changing the power steering, A/C and other electrical systems to electric only is that you don't have to have the engine running 100% of the time to power them. If you only need to run the ICE for 2minutes to get enough charge to run all of them for 30 minutes, why run the ICE for the other 28minutes?   Hope this helps.
#4 of 428 Grade Gasoline for HH? by bouvsrus Jul 04, 2005 (7:31 am)
We have HH, Ltd., AWD and manual recommends regular unleaded but advises that premium unleaded produces better performance.   For someone familiar with the 2WD, is the recommendation for premium gas only? I think I saw note on this board to that effect.   Does anyone know what Manual means by better performance? Would I expect to get higher mpg avg? Just less build up of stuff in engine (which perhaps getting engine flushed everyone now and again and staying with regular unleaded would be best? Nor suprisingly, much prefer saving 20 cents/gallon (in DC area) with purchase of regular unleaded but unclear what, if any, "cost" is associated with my savings at the pump?   Steve Replies to this message: gagrice (Jul 04, 2005 8:00 am) sbgirl (Jul 05, 2005 9:02 am)
#5 of 428 Re: Grade Gasoline for HH? [bouvsrus] by gagrice Jul 04, 2005 (8:00 am)
Replying to: bouvsrus (Jul 04, 2005 7:31 am) Does anyone know what Manual means by better performance?   I read that Toyota does their HP ratings tests using Premium gas. The electronic fuel injection is sophisticated enough to compensate for most grades of gas that you will encounter. You may lose a few HP by running regular unleaded. I doubt it will decrease your mileage. You can always run a test for yourself. There are those that claim higher mileage with premium. It may just be a waste of money.
#6 of 428 Re: Grade Gasoline for HH? [bouvsrus] by sbgirl Jul 05, 2005 (9:02 am)
Replying to: bouvsrus (Jul 04, 2005 7:31 am) I have a 2WD HH and the owner's manual states the same thing: "manual recommends regular unleaded but advises that premium unleaded produces better performance"
#7 of 428 Using the Brake transmission setting by energyecon Jul 26, 2005 (2:07 pm)
Is there any additional regeneration due using the B position on the trans?   I watched the power guage and there does not seem to be much effect, even on steep San Francisco hills. The only time the power guage dips deeply into the blue range is on braking with the brake pedal. Hardly any indication during deceleration unless the foot brake is engaged.   Is this the way it should be?   Also, I wondered if the power guage is indicating the maximum regeneration when the needle reaches the bottom of the blue range.   Marvin
#8 of 428 Engine Braking on the HH by johnny_5 Aug 06, 2005 (7:42 pm)
I have yet to test out the "B" on the gear selector except on mild hills. I was told by my salesman that the engine braking allowed the driver to maintain whatever speed that was set while descending. For some reason, I just do not buy it. Has anyone out there tested out the engine braking on the HH? Replies to this message: falconone (Aug 06, 2005 7:58 pm) jdkahler (Aug 07, 2005 9:26 am)
#9 of 428 Re: Engine Braking on the HH [johnny_5] by falconone Aug 06, 2005 (7:58 pm)
Replying to: johnny_5 (Aug 06, 2005 7:42 pm) I imagine it works the same as on the Prius. When descending steep hills it will give what appears to be additional compression braking when you engage B.
#10 of 428 Re: Engine Braking on the HH [johnny_5] by jdkahler Aug 07, 2005 (9:26 am)
Replying to: johnny_5 (Aug 06, 2005 7:42 pm) Tried the B setting in a hilly area I've been driving "out in the country" for years, speed 45-55mph with the hitch that it leads downhill into a little town where the limit drops to 35mph - and sometimes a speed trap. Always had to ride the brakes in and push to slow down before the town (gearing down when I was driving a stick) - the B setting settled right into the speed limit and hardly had to brake at all. Worked nicely. I'd say the salesman was describing it accurately.   The trip was to a campground where parents have spent summer weekends for 30+ years, we pulled in, shifted to B and drove effortlessly on the battery at the 5 mph speed limit - driving the only air conditioned electric cart in the place. It used to require some effort whenever driving through just to keep the speed slow enough. No problem here. Only noise was the quiet whir of the fans and the motor, and the crunching noise of the stone path under the tires.   The first situation was real world but the second sure impressed the heck out of my dad, whose first car was a Model A.....
#11 of 428 Very Technical Questions by carz89 Aug 14, 2005 (9:08 pm)
Bear with me here ... I'm a very curious nuclear engineer ... Some of these have been asked before, but no one seemed to have really technical answers.   1. Does the "B" engine braking position on the shifter truly regenerate electricity and charge the battery? I've read contradictory statements that it does and does not. Also, when on level ground, the car will move and accelerate slowly on its own when in the "B" position, as if it was no different than the "D" drive position. This seems sort of strange.   2. Is the fuel tank size really 17 or 19 gallons? I've read both numbers, and am inclined to believe the 17 gallons based on my experience.   3. Why are there several ticks in the region around zero kW on the kW meter? Why not just one tick for the zero mark?   4. Why does the kW meter indicate a positive (+) number when only the ICE is powering the wheels? Obviously, this meter is indicating more than just electrical power transfer. Perhaps a conversion factor from horsepower to kilowatts is applied here?   5. Sometimes the kW meter reads zero (right in the middle of the many tick marks), yet the power direction indicates "charging" the battery when drifting down the highway at high speed, or even down a gentle hill. Shouldn't the meter read negative (into the blue zone)?   6. For charging the battery, is it more effective to brake gradually or drift down (kW meter basically reading zero), or to apply the brakes firmly and force the kW meter deep into the blue zone?   7. Has anyone figured out how and where to tap into the computer system, specifically to get at the data that is used to calculate MPG? I have the basic HH (couldn't afford all the luxury features that came with the Limited), but I really would like to calculate total MPG for short trips, whether it's a 5 mile trip or a 50 mile trip, without having to refill the tank. I know the information is somewhere in my HH's little brain, since it will display a 6-second instantaneous MPG rate. For you computer nerds out there, I bet you could make some money if you came up with an interface and a program to download all this hidden data into a PDA or laptop. I would gladly spend $25-$100 for such a gadget.   8. Pulse and Glide method: Is the "glide" portion of this technique the same as being in "N" neutral? Please explain the technical differences if they are not the same. Does pulse and glide cause more wear and tear on any mechanical components or electrical relays?   9. What is the algorithm or equation that determines when the ICE switches on/off? What might some of the not-too-obvious inputs be? Is car attitude (levelness) one of them? Perhaps someone could do a whole lot of experimenting and figure it out.   10. Non-hybrid specific: why can't auto manufacturers make a linearly-accurate fuel gage? This just blows my mind, especially with today's technology! There are zillions of accurate tank level measuring systems out there in industry, just not in the auto industry!   geez - I guess I could have started a new discussion board here! Replies to this message: aviva (Aug 14, 2005 11:41 pm) gazguzler (Aug 15, 2005 4:58 am) cdptrap (Aug 15, 2005 7:36 am) discussion1 (Aug 15, 2005 8:58 am) sunbyrne (Aug 15, 2005 2:37 pm) lizzie428 (Aug 15, 2005 4:48 pm) sparklemahn (Aug 20, 2005 6:09 pm) typesix (Aug 24, 2006 11:42 am) terry92270 (Aug 24, 2006 12:43 pm)
#12 of 428 Re: Very Technical Questions [carz89] by aviva Aug 14, 2005 (11:41 pm)
Replying to: carz89 (Aug 14, 2005 9:08 pm) I'm afraid I'm just as curious about the answers to your questions, so not much help there.   However, try this link to get you going for your question 7."

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