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Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Highlander Hybrid Toyota Highlander Hybrid Driving Tips & Tricks
428 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 6:44 PM
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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
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Replying to: bouvsrus (Jul 04, 2005 7:31 am) 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. |
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Replying to: bouvsrus (Jul 04, 2005 7:31 am) "manual recommends regular unleaded but advises that premium unleaded produces better performance" |
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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 |
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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?
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Replying to: johnny_5 (Aug 06, 2005 7:42 pm) |
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Replying to: johnny_5 (Aug 06, 2005 7:42 pm) 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..... |
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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! |
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Replying to: carz89 (Aug 14, 2005 9:08 pm) However, try this link to get you going for your question 7." |
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Replying to: carz89 (Aug 14, 2005 9:08 pm)  Here are my guesses . . . please correct. “1. Does the "B" engine braking position on the shifter truly regenerate electricity and charge the battery?” Truly doubt it. I often hear the engine revving when I’m in this gear and can see it on the screen. I believe it’s braking WITH the engine. Also, it’s different from drive in that when you release the accelerator it won’t glide. “2. Is the fuel tank size really 17 or 19 gallons?” At cut off, it’s around 17 in your tank (or even less) but you can get more than 19 in there if you go beyond this. By the way, some nozzles have a vapor vaccum. If your nozzle is in the gasoline, you’re putting in and sucking out gas at the same time. Make sure your nozzle is out of the liquid. “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?” Please refer to the previous answer about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin . . . who cares on this one? Never even thought of it. “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?” Yes, you got it at the end. “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)?” It could, I guess. But it seems to only work in the +. It would be better to see how much energy it’s getting back. “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?” Slow. A firm press actually uses the conventional brakes and you get no regeneration. There’s also the power assist, where the car thinks it’s an emergency and clamps down the calipers for you and then you get zero regeneration. ”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.” You can bet it’s gonna cost you more than that and few are going to dabble there till their warranty’s up. ”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?” On a normal car, it would be like neutral with the engine ala Kerouac’s On the Road (which I did all the time). But in the HH neutral gives no regeneration and you inevitably slip from one arrow to the other. Definitely don’t do this in neutral in a HH. “9. What is the algorithm or equation that determines when the ICE switches on/off?” Of course, I don’t know but I wish T had made this so you could set it yourself. How nice it would be to say only electric, for instance? Or even to have the equivalent of cruise control but where the car would pulse and glide for you between a high and low you’d set. Because P&G’s damn dangerous now as you have to watch the instrument panel every second. |
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