Another remote start gone wrong, GLOWING CAT

[Nw_adventure]

I got in my Mav, which I had remote started about 10 min earlier, and noticed the sulfur smell, so I hopped out and looked at my catalytic converter. This is what I found:


Follow up video with engine off 20 min later:


Truck was started with climate control set to max defrost. I've only noticed the smell with heat turned up high. Normally I set it to 60 degrees, and I don't have the problem, although I do get the weird revving engine sound while it's running after being remote started.

What do I do next? Is Ford going to do a recall, or do people's homes need to burn down first?

Damn - You could infared a full rack of ribs on that in like 8 minutes- Hope there is resolution-

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[Macro]

A couple questions about this:

1) Is this problem universal or only on some hybrid mavericks? Anyone with a hybrid maverick been able to uneventfully warm up their car without this happening?

2) does this happen any time you run your heat in very cold weather, or only shortly after you start it?

 

[Red Ryder]

My suspicion is that it is an issue with the supplemental electric heat in the hybrid rather than the scavenging of heat that seems intended to aid in warming the battery's cooling system. The PTC elements kick on and draw huge initial current draw, voltage sags, engine surges in response to the current load. The system kills the PTC heater as voltage is too low to run it, voltage now bounces back to where the system thinks it can run the electric heat again and the cycle repeats. With all these engine surges it would seem like an opportunity for some unspent fuel to accumulate in the cat so it can complete it's combustion and make the EPA happy, but as this sits in this loop the combustion never subsides and the cat starts to glow because it is doing its job, but is constantly being fed fuel.

Other videos seem to indicate it happens with Ford Pass, Remote Start with the FOB, or a start with the key in the ignition. Max Heat and or Max Defrost seem to be the trigger from what I have seen in videos.

That actually seems very plausible, and fits the environmental conditions in which this is occurring (very cold ambient = supplemental heat required). Kind of a system hysteresis effect.

 

[mamboman777]

 

[alh01]

I'm not sure what you do next, but after this occured on my truck, the fuel economy dropped from 40+ mpg to 28-30 mpg. Seems like the catalytic converter becomes restrictive after this event.

"The emissions defects warranty coverage period for passenger cars
and light duty trucks (applies to vehicles up to 8,500 pounds GVWR)
is as follows:
— 8 years or 80,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for catalytic
converters, electronic emissions control unit, and onboard
emissions diagnostic devices, including the Battery Energy Control
Module (BECM). "

https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...id-Warranty-version-2_frdwa_EN-US_12_2020.pdf

Could it be that idling the car for 10 minutes destroys the mileage? I had a fusion hybrid loaner and the days I just got into it, I had great mileage. But if I remote started it for 10 minutes, my mileage was down a to. And cat converters are made to run super hot. A red hot one is nothing out of the ordinary in my opinion.

 

[Snax]

And cat converters are made to run super hot. A red hot one is nothing out of the ordinary in my opinion.

I don't know about that, so I did a little research. From what I can find, they shouldn't glow. Here's a trustworthy source: The Glowing Converter | Car Talk

If you've got a source that says it's OK and normal for the cat to glow, please post it.

 

[TopGunGoose]

And ya'll still think the Hybrids are going to outlive Ecoboosts.

Banana pants.

 

[Flomounier1]

It’s gotta be the high voltage battery shorting out on the cat causing it to glow red. I don’t see how it can possibly get that hot just idling. I’ve looked underneath an M3 once after just getting off the freeway going 120+ For a good while and nothing was even glowing.

 

[bgn]

What's insane to me is there's no safety mechanism for the whole thing to shut down. Incredible.

 

[Rob Cactus Gray]

Some of the responses are really out there. If anyone thinks the cat is supposed to get RED HOT you’re out of your mind. OP noted damage caused by the the overheating. This is definitely not normal, or safe. The high voltage isn’t shorting out on the cat either. Had to get this out.

 

[Darnon]

It’s gotta be the high voltage battery shorting out on the cat causing it to glow red. I don’t see how it can possibly get that hot just idling. I’ve looked underneath an M3 once after just getting off the freeway going 120+ For a good while and nothing was even glowing.

400+V DC fully shorting out would be a lot more exciting looking, but that should never happen without blowing a fuse. On top of that the HV circuit is typically designed to be isolated. So even if one leg (negative or positive) were to be connected to the chassis nothing would happen because there's no return circuit.

 

[Vicious007]

@Vicious007 as a future hybrid owner in MN, is this purely a remote start issue, whether it be app or key initiated?

It has nothing to do with remote start, really. It will happen in cold weather if the vehicle is parked and trying to heat up cab. So if you like your windows defrosted, you're doomed.

 

[Vicious007]

Myth: engines need 10-15 minutes to "warm up". Fact: engines need 30-120 seconds for fluids to circulate and begin warming the engine. High RPM's are not recommended until normal operating temperature is attained.

You've clearly never lived in the North. Many cars I've owned would die at the first stop sign or intersection on days it's -10 degrees out.

 

[Vicious007]

Wonder if we could push Tim bartz to see what his dealership would do if a customer came in with this issue?? Would they think it is a major concern, or just give the customer alot of scripted talking points??

Not even Long McArthur is immune to scummy car salesman practices:

 

[Vicious007]

A couple questions about this:

1) Is this problem universal or only on some hybrid mavericks? Anyone with a hybrid maverick been able to uneventfully warm up their car without this happening?

2) does this happen any time you run your heat in very cold weather, or only shortly after you start it?

1) I assume it's universal. It's a design flaw they probably overlooked, since they don't get very cold in weather Mexico.

2)If the truck is driving, and the gas-engine is running normally it's not a problem. It happens when the vehicle is parked, and the engine is in electric mode.

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