Scheduled Pre-Conditioning VS Using Power Button

[Deleted member 3663]

I've tried to find an answer for this, so of it exists, apologies in advance...

Scenario: I am at home with my Mach-E plugged in (Ford level 2 charger). I don't have a schedule set for pre-conditioning. It is 1:30pm in the afternoon, and I need to leave at 2pm for an errand. Since no schedule is in place, the car will not be pre-conditioned. However, at 1:50pm, I remotely start the car using the app, and at 2pm, the car is nice and cool in the Texas summer for me to leave.

However, my charge on my battery is now at 89% instead of the target of 90%. I've tested many times. When I schedule for pre-conditioning, the battery is at 90% when I leave. It makes me think that when you use the start button, it is doing more than just pre-conditioning; which means: Using Start button to cool down the car (while it is plugged in) is not the same as scheduled pre-conditioning.

The question is, is using the Start button 10 minutes prior to departure the same as using a schedule to pre-condition?

My battery says NO, it is not. Does anyone know for sure if using either method is one and the same? And if not, is there a way to pre-condition the car without needing to set a schedule?

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[Stang68]

I'd be interested to learn this as well. I don't use scheduled pre-conditioning because my commute is all over the place right now.

Setting the car to heat or cool automatically based on exterior temperature is a setting in the car's SYNC system, so it's definitely meant to be able to do this with remote start. Very strange that it would drain the battery instead of using the power from the wall.

 

[bshaw]

The question is, is using the Start button 10 minutes prior to departure the same as using a schedule to pre-condition?

My battery says NO, it is not. Does anyone know for sure if using either method is one and the same? And if not, is there a way to pre-condition the car without needing to set a schedule?

I noticed this same thing at the end of the winter in my car. I stopped using scheduled departure times, but would get in the car to 88-89% after using remote start for 10-min. (Home charging (40A) still connected and set to 90% max)

Remote start doesn't know whether you will give it 1-minute or 10-minutes before driving away, so perhaps it aggressively does preconditioning and cabin temperature as fast as possible, whereas scheduled departure can gradually adjust the temperatures over a longer period?

I stopped doing remote start for battery preconditioning once overnight temps here stayed above 45 deg. I don't think it gets hot enough here in the Northeast to necessitate summer preconditioning for the battery, but someone correct me if that assumption is wrong.

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