New owner - lessons learned

Tailgate power operation

Okay, so taking up aitchjaybee's idea I'm starting this thread as a place to log anything that you discover about your PHEV that might be helpful to others.

So I'll kick off with the tailgate issue. There are 3 ways to power open the tailgate: button on the dash to the RHS of the steering wheel (RH drive cars); exterior button under the tailgate handle; and button on the key. Note that the button on the key will only work after the doors have been unlocked and then requires 2 presses in quick succession. So that's one press of the door button and two presses on the tailgate button.

If you are having problems following the instructions and getting the app to work, please note:

1: You are in ACC mode when the orange light is on on the power switch - you are not going mad;

2: When they say that "within 10 seconds" presss the lock unlock key 10 times; it mean that you have to press the lock and unlock 10 times within 10 seconds not that you start the lock unlock process within 10 seconds (i.e. if you don't press lock unlock on your key 10 times within 10 seconds you will not get the wireless transmitting from your car). You will hear a beep when it does start transmitting.

3: If you follow the instructions carefully enough you will note that you have the first connect to the wireless through you phone settings (as opposed to the app) before you can start the app and register

All fairly obvious if you look carefully enough but I got them wrong so thought that I will post.

A quick note about the 'gearstick'.

At first I found it a bit tricky to use, despite the dashboard graphic - partly because it looks a bit like a regular auto shift stick, but actually doesn't behave much like one at all. In fact it behaves more like an early tiptronic semi-automatic shift.

Basically you can forget neutral (almost?) completely, which is good as it's really quite hard to find and needs a very sensitive touch.

And secondly when you pull up to park, just press the park button - it'll go straight into park from drive or reverse, no messing around with neutral.

Finally, if you drive in regenerative braking mode (and frankly it's so easy that B5 ought to be the default anyway), just pull the lever straight back briefly when you first pull away. I spent the first few days going into D first then using the left paddle to go up to B5 because I couldn't work out how to get from D to B via the lever

maddogsetc said:

A quick note about the 'gearstick'.

At first I found it a bit tricky to use, despite the dashboard graphic - partly because it looks a bit like a regular auto shift stick, but actually doesn't behave much like one at all. In fact it behaves more like an early tiptronic semi-automatic shift.

Basically you can forget neutral (almost?) completely, which is good as it's really quite hard to find and needs a very sensitive touch.

And secondly when you pull up to park, just press the park button - it'll go straight into park from drive or reverse, no messing around with neutral.

Finally, if you drive in regenerative braking mode (and frankly it's so easy that B5 ought to be the default anyway), just pull the lever straight back briefly when you first pull away. I spent the first few days going into D first then using the left paddle to go up to B5 because I couldn't work out how to get from D to B via the lever

Click to expand...

Thanks maddogsetc, I will give this a try out. I have almost stopped using cruise control and put the Outlander straight into B5 when starting in and around town.
Goldie

If you ask me there's no point in using B5 unless you are going down a long hill and don't want to keep your foot on the brake.
Since the car regenerates when you press the brake pedal you can use that instead of using B5 to slow the car down.

Since the car regenerates when you press the brake pedal you can use that instead of using B5 to slow the car down.

Click to expand...

Is that correct? I'm not sure how the 'normal' brakes would recover charge to the battery? I can't find mention of it in the manual. At the very least it'll reduce wear and tear on the discs and pads :?

Glovebox - 'secret shelf'!

Not noticed this before - there is a handy shelf at the top of the glovebox. It's not obvious unless you look closely, but big enough to swallow the handbook and some

If you press the pedal you can see the meter going into the "charge" zone. It's even possible to regenerate more by pressing the padal than using B5 according to the meter. When you press even harder on the pedal the regular brakes are used.

Thanks Fragge, will try that tomorrow

When stopping for a traffic light, and using the brake to prevent creep, press the brakepedal down firmly. The car will switch off the power to the motors then. If you press the pedal lightly the motors will be powered up and you will be wasting electricity.

For cars fitted with Adaptive Cruise Control:

Using ACC in start-stop traffic:

The car will automatically coast to a stop behind the car before you.
However be beware that it will start to move again after approx. 1 second. If you use the foot brake to prevent this (recommended! :mrgreen: ) it will switch off the ACC, so you will have to get moving again by pressing the accelerator. If you use the handbrake ACC will remain switched on and the car will start moving in ACC mode on releasing.

In accordance with the previous post this will cost a small amount of electricity.

Tip of the day:
For faster response when you want to overtake or accelerate quickly while driving in electric mode you can press the charge button to force the ICE to start ahead of time. When you then press the accelerator the acceleration is more instant than otherwise when the ICE have to start first and then rev up.

Fragge said:

If you ask me there's no point in using B5 unless you are going down a long hill and don't want to keep your foot on the brake.
Since the car regenerates when you press the brake pedal you can use that instead of using B5 to slow the car down.

Click to expand...

I think you are wrong about this Fragge. Regen put all that energy back into the battery but only using the brake does not put the same amount as B5 into the battery. And you get wear & tear on the brake system.

Take a look at the meter, when you lightly press the brake you regen as much and sometimes more than with B5. It takes some practice to balance the braking force to optimize regen without applying the regular brakes.

What I like about B5 is that you basically drive the vehicle by the accelerator alone, only using the brake pedal to come to a full stop.

Regen braking is reduced when the battery is fully charged

Following on from the braking discussion above...

We have a 90° bend a couple of hundred metres from home and a couple of mornings I have been surprised by the lack of braking effect when I lift off the accelerator at that point first thing in the morning. Today I remembered reading in the manual that the amount of regenerative braking available reduces as the battery approaches full charge.

I suppose it makes sense if you think about it. Not that B5 offers a great deal of braking but it is enough to catch you by surprise if its not there when you are expecting it to be.

i just wanted to thank all of you (and other forum posters on other threads) as my first few 2 days have been so much easier having digested all your tips in advance.

I've only had it 2 days (62 miles, all EV so far, thankfully arrived fully charged and both home and work charging worked straight away) but I can see where I would have been caught out weren't it for all your insight. Thank you fellow PHEV owners.

Got the app / remote working, home charging and work charging sorted and getting to grips with all the other stuff.

When using B5, I assume brake lights don't come on? I'm learning that other drivers don't always seem to look ahead and rely on your brake lights [rather than the red traffic light/stationary traffic 50yds ahead]...I might use a touch of brake pedal and 1 or 2 lower B just to avoid being rear-ended when others are behind me!

the range of the car wifi/remote much better than i feared, able to work fine in the house.

when i connected the app, it updated vehicle software (as per other posts). Nav stayed 2014-A but car software updated to 0.018.V.V.V.000. it said it would take 10 mins but it took under 3 mins.

very happy.

Hi
While there is a certain appeal to using B5 and almost single pedal driving just using the foot brake also uses regen breaking to slow the car down rather than just friction brakes so I'm convinced, as you comment, that any slight improvement in efficiency is offset by the greater risk of being rear ended by drivers not paying attention.
Kind regards
Mark

Re. regen. braking, it does seem a pity that Mitsubishi haven't set this up so that the higher levels, at least, trigger the brake light. I test drove the BMW i3 last year and I the brake lights on that come on as soon as you lift your foot off the accelerator.

Hi
I don't think Mitsubishi even considered that people might drive around normally in B mode. After all why would they since using the foot brake uses regen AND operates the brake lights.
My understanding is that this is included to replicate engine braking in lower gears when descending inclines since as far as I know all cars have this feature so it couldn't really be omitted.
As an aside, initially I assumed that NO friction braking would be used when regen could provide sufficient braking power (this is the case with a Prius) since that would be the most efficient way to operate. However, keeping in mind I'm mostly a gentle braker I'm surprised how much brake dust is ending up on the front alloys. This makes me suspect that operating the foot brake DOES engage friction brakes AND regen braking together. The only reason I can think of if true is that Mitsubishi couldn't manage a smooth transition from regen braking to friction braking so engage both together instead.
Kind regards
Mark