Remote Start vs. Preconditioning

[MachTri]

Is remote start (the small button in FordPass) what you all are talking about when you say to precondition before driving on cold days? That's what I've been doing but it sometimes takes several tries to get a successful start. I eventually gave up and just drove a cold car to work this morning.

Sponsored

 

[Dnorwood98]

Is remote start (the small button in FordPass) what you all are talking about when you say to precondition before driving on cold days? That's what I've been doing but it sometimes takes several tries to get a successful start. I eventually gave up and just drove a cold car to work this morning.

There are two types of "preconditioning". One is preconditioning the battery using departure times while plugged in. The second is preconditioning the cabin, this can be done when not plugged in or using the remote start button.

The battery will only be warmed if plugged in, that is the goal in colder weather as it increases the battery performance.

 

[jjhenry]

Is remote start (the small button in FordPass) what you all are talking about when you say to precondition before driving on cold days? That's what I've been doing but it sometimes takes several tries to get a successful start. I eventually gave up and just drove a cold car to work this morning.

Yes, but you can also set a departure schedule either from the car or in FordPass that will do it for you. It will warm up the battery and condition the cabin to the comfort level you select (cool, medium, or warm.) It is in the charge settings menu of FordPass.

I've seen threads here that say it is more reliable to set the schedule from the car, but I didn't have any problems using FordPass.

 

[prdude]

the climate control settings are different for whether you "precondition" the cabin via remote start or via departure times. For remote start, you can set either "auto" or "use last settings" via the touchscreen. For departure times, you get to choose cool, medium, warm, or off ... whatever those mean.

I have never used the departure times feature but am doing remote starts somewhat often, now that the weather's getting colder

 

[mikeinet]

So remote starting (while plugged in) won't warm the battery?

 

[Dnorwood98]

So remote starting (while plugged in) won't warm the battery?

From my understanding, no

 

[MachTri]

From my understanding, no

So I have to make an appointment with my car through FordPass for when I'd like to depart for work? I'm just not that regimented in my schedule. Here's my routine...
1. Wake up
2. Work out
3. Desire to precondition the Mach-e
4. Walk and feed the dogs
5. Drive to work.
6. Work
7. Desire to precondition the Mach-e
8. Drive home.

 

[Dnorwood98]

So I have to make an appointment with my car through FordPass for when I'd like to depart for work? I'm just not that regimented in my schedule. Here's my routine...
1. Wake up
2. Work out
3. Desire to precondition the Mach-e
4. Walk and feed the dogs
5. Drive to work.
6. Work
7. Desire to precondition the Mach-e
8. Drive home.

I just set my departure time based on when I leave home for work because that is a consistent time for me. I don't set it for heading home I just use remote start to warm the cabin. You can set two departure times for each day of the week.

When I am plugged in, my battery is preconditioned. If not, just the cabin.

You can use remote start with your preferred cabin settings to at least have your cabin comfortable.

 

[generaltso]

So remote starting (while plugged in) won't warm the battery?

Even if it did, it wouldn't do much good since it only runs for 15 minutes. It takes a lot longer than that to warm a cold soaked battery with all that thermal mass.

 

[MachTri]

I just set my departure time based on when I leave home for work because that is a consistent time for me. I don't set it for heading home I just use remote start to warm the cabin. You can set two departure times for each day of the week.

When I am plugged in, my battery is preconditioned. If not, just the cabin.

You can use remote start with your preferred cabin settings to at least have your cabin comfortable.

I don't drive work at a consistent time every day. So schedule doesn't make sense for me. But I usually know that I'm going to head out in 5-10 min. If the car is plugged in, why wouldn't the car heat the battery if I tell it to heat the cabin with remote start? Also, I think the car won't remote start through FordPass, but why would it deep sleep while it's still plugged in? - Maybe @Ford Motor Company can clarify this.

 

[Av8tor]

So remote starting (while plugged in) won't warm the battery?

When you remote start via the App in the garage while plugged in, it will share the heating/cooling within the cabin and battery using the shore line. If it's not plugged in, it will share the heating/cooling within the cabin and battery using the HV battery taking away some range.

 

[Dnorwood98]

I don't drive work at a consistent time every day. So schedule doesn't make sense for me. But I usually know that I'm going to head out in 5-10 min. If the car is plugged in, why wouldn't the car heat the battery if I tell it to heat the cabin with remote start? Also, I think the car won't remote start through FordPass, but why would it deep sleep while it's still plugged in? - Maybe @Ford Motor Company can clarify this.

It takes significantly more energy and time to warm the HVB than what remote start does.

When you say it won't remote start, what do you mean?

 

[MachTri]

It takes significantly more energy and time to warm the HVB than what remote start does.

When you say it won't remote start, what do you mean?

About 50% of the time, when I press remote start, the app does the indeterminate progress graphic around the start button for about 15 seconds, then it turns red and says "Remote Start Failed".
I've considered just setting departure time around 6:00 am as that's the earliest I would leave for work, but sometimes I don't leave until 8:00 am. I'd think the battery would just get cold by then again and the the attempt would be a waste of electricity.

 

[Av8tor]

So I have to make an appointment with my car through FordPass for when I'd like to depart for work? I'm just not that regimented in my schedule. Here's my routine...
1. Wake up
2. Work out
3. Desire to precondition the Mach-e
4. Walk and feed the dogs
5. Drive to work.
6. Work
7. Desire to precondition the Mach-e
8. Drive home.

The HVB and Cabin use the same coolant/heating loop. When you remote start your car via the FordPass application it will do both simultaneously. If your plugged in, it will pull its power from the shore line, if you are not, it will pull its power from the HVB thus reducing your range.

Just remember the Car is always conditioning the battery when its running, it's either heating it or cooling it. When plugged in with departure times, it can "close" the cabin loop, and just heat/cool the battery making it more efficient. Meaning it can keep the cabin loop closed longer.


Ford has confused the matter, In my opinion, with the charging / departure times.

See this link to help clarify on that topic:
https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...tures-with-these-2-examples.11807/post-291074

 

[generaltso]

When you remote start your car via the FordPass application it will do both simultaneously.

According to Ford, using remote start only preconditions the cabin. Setting departure times preconditions both the cabin and battery. It was in a letter they sent to dealers a while back about achieving the most accurate range estimates.

Sponsored