Defrosting on a hybrid

[Quaboag]

Definite thumbs up on the remote start and the defroster saving a scraping situation. Excellent so far.

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[FamousAmos]

My '24 Hybrid Lariat is in the build stage currently, but with the recent cold streak in the northeast I'm now curious about defrosting. Since the hybrids start and run primarily on electric, how is the windshield defrosting? I'm guessing using the remote start to allow the defroster to do it's job isn't an option is it? thanks

After reading this post and the responses, I decided to see for myself. I went out to drive to Panera. It was 25 degrees with some wind. When I started the truck, the gasoline engine kicked on right away. (In warm weather, only the electric motor kicks on, with no sound at all.) So, I immediately put on HI DEFROST, which is a LOT of air, which automatically turns the temprature setting to HI on the dial. Well, there was no warm air right away, but the air did warm up after 4-5 minutes. So, I don't know about an electric heater. Also thickening the plot, OHC engines have always warmed up quicker than regular cam engines, which was always a great asset in the winter.
So, all I can tell the original poster is that the windshield will defrost pretty quickly after the Maximum Defrost button is pushed. But not instantly. Addendum: after you turn off the Maximum Defrost, you have to manually dial the temperature gauge back to where you want it, as it stays on HI.

 

[Maui]

I use one of these.

 

[RDRahn]

A Ford technician posted quotes from the Maverick Hybrid's service manual when this topic came up on the Maverick truck Reddit page, there very much is an electric heater. It works until the engine reaches operating temperature.

As for not feeling heat, even electric heater coils take time to warm up.

I'm thinking the "electric heater" mentioned might be something for the High Voltage battery... Not cabin heat.

 

[burger_time]

My experience has been that without running the cabin heat the engine reaches operating temp pretty quickly, within a couple of minutes. Seems to be at some point after the engine temp gauge hits one bar but before it reaches two. After that ICE will turn off if it's not needed. Running heat or defrost when engine temp is low will make the ICE run. I've also noticed that with max defrost the ICE seems to run continuously. Not sure if it turns off eventually but I haven't seen it happen. If you need heat for thawing out your windshield max defrost will run the ICE to get it.

 

[Darnon]

I'm thinking the "electric heater" mentioned might be something for the High Voltage battery... Not cabin heat.

It's for the cabin heat.

 

[icegradner]

I'm thinking the "electric heater" mentioned might be something for the High Voltage battery... Not cabin heat.

The Heat exchanger uses exhaust heat to warm the battery coolant. Best as can be determined there is no electrical heat for the battery. This is easy to tell from parts lists, which are out there.

 

[Taxman100]

I only need the heated seat and heated steering wheel for any temperatures above freezing.

Since I park in a garage, typically I don't have to defrost the windshield, though I do have the heated wiper feature as well that helps with that as well.

 

[The Real Maverick]

The best way to heat the battery is to use the battery. I've found the internal resistance of the battery to be a little on the high side.

Experimentally, there is no extra heating given to the battery at 32°F (0°C) and above. That is the coldest I have had mine. Yet starting out at 32° it warms to 80° or more in 30 minutes of stop n go traffic. The cooling loop, inactive during this time as it remains at ambient during these 30 minutes.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

It's for the cabin heat.

Well, it ain't-a-workin'.
At least mine isn't. This truck starts blowing warm air from the vents in about the same amount of driving time it took for my Subaru, which did not have supplemental resistance heat.

My Maverick is parked in an un-conditioned garage, so I don't want or need defrost, and can't stand it blowing in my face. Is MAX Defrost mode required for this electric heater to energize? Or will simply setting the thermostat & blower on HI turn on the resistance heat?

 

[icegradner]

Well, it ain't-a-workin'.
At least mine isn't. This truck starts blowing warm air from the vents in about the same amount of driving time it took for my Subaru, which did not have supplemental resistance heat.

My Maverick is parked in an un-conditioned garage, so I don't want or need defrost, and can't stand it blowing in my face. Is MAX Defrost mode required for this electric heater to energize? Or will simply setting the thermostat & blower on HI turn on the resistance heat?

It says maximum heat, not max defrost. Just turn the temp dial to max.

 

[PNWMaverick]

I didn't see it mentioned...

You can go into the remote start options within the truck menu and change how the HVAC behaves on remote start. You can tell it to turn on to whatever it was previously set at or to auto and let it do its own thing.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

It says maximum heat, not max defrost. Just turn the temp dial to max.

Correct.
Turn the thermostat to fully clockwise and it displays "HI" in the middle of a white circle on the infotainment screen. But no heat until I get at least a couple miles down the road, and about the same time/distance it took my Subaru to start blowing warm air from its heater vents. If my Mav has supplemental heat, it's not helping deliver heat any faster than my previous vehicle. And in the mean time, it's blasting COLD air out the floor vents. I seem to get heat faster if I just leave the HVAC completely off until the coolant temp gauge moves a little bit off the dead cold reading.

 

[The Real Maverick]

I seem to get heat faster if I just leave the HVAC completely off until the coolant temp gauge moves a little bit off the dead cold reading.

This is what I do.
It helps the truck and doesn't hurt me.

 

[icegradner]

Correct.
Turn the thermostat to fully clockwise and it displays "HI" in the middle of a white circle on the infotainment screen. But no heat until I get at least a couple miles down the road, and about the same time/distance it took my Subaru to start blowing warm air from its heater vents. If my Mav has supplemental heat, it's not helping deliver heat any faster than my previous vehicle. And in the mean time, it's blasting COLD air out the floor vents. I seem to get heat faster if I just leave the HVAC completely off until the coolant temp gauge moves a little bit off the dead cold reading.

It's not fast, no doubt about that. I find hybrids (this is not my first) very slow to heat up compared to a conventional ICE vehicle. I think part of it comes down to how modern vehicles warm up, vs older ones. Newer vehicles use heat from exhaust to warm the engine and catalytic converter first, to get to an efficient operating temperature fast, then heat goes to the cabin. Now with the Maverick that is multiplied because it uses the heat exchanger to warm the coolant for the battery as well. I suspect that first blast of heat is from the electric heater as a result of how this truck works.

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