douglas685
Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2014
- Messages
- 14
So here's the scoop (and the 10k mile update on my now 18k "lemoned" FFE). I had a long day today, lots of short trips. I was on my way home after grabbing a quick run through jack in the box when my heart sank, I had over-estimated the range by a couple miles. I was already running in 32f weather at night with the heat off, no heated seats. I punched the GPS to my house and saw the bad news: 2.4 miles to home, 2 miles on the GOM. I knew this leg was partially uphill, so it would be even worse. Sure enough, the miles dropped to 1 (a little less than 2 to go). I was near a Walgreens which I visit frequently, and I also happened to need some Nyquil so I dropped in really quick and explained the situation. The Walgreens folk were more than willing to let me borrow some electricity from their 110v outlet, but unfortunately they closed in 10 minutes and the only outlet was inside the front door. As I pulled my car around for the quickest 110v charge in history, I saw the dreaded "0 miles ranges, stop safely now" message. I gave the 10 minute charge my best go, but unfortunately the car still read 0% charge.
The Walgreens was closing. I had to make a go for it, a bit over a mile till home with one last uphill climb left. I started the car: 0 miles range, stop safely now. I began to drive. I thought "there's a gas station 1/2 mile from my house, maybe I can make it to that and steal another quick charge". Once up to speed on the road I showed no mercy, 45mph in a 25. I thought to myself "I shall coast the mile if I have to". But interestingly, as I came up to the intersection at the gas station, the car had still not lost power. Still 0 miles showing. I said to myself "I'm going for it!". I rounded the turn maintaining as much speed as possible and climbed the hill towards the garage. I made it.
Now I'm happy I made it home and immediately I plugged up my 240v 30amp charger. But I thought to myself "how did I make it home?" Every account I had heard in the past is when you hit that message at 0 miles you have maybe a couple hundred feet left before the car conks out. How did I go 1.4 miles in 32f weather at around 35-40mph partially uphill?
I have only one thought to why this might be. My car was lemoned for the SSN. I have incurred the SSN only during two weeks I have owned the car. The first was after my 12v battery died, I got a new 12v battery from the dealership. For about a week it had a handful of SSN's, but then mysteriously it stopped on its own. 2 months go by, I gave one of my other cars a jump via the FFE, same issue, for a few days, and then back to normal. Its been fine for almost 5 months now, so I believe my car is just a bit touchy about its 12v battery amps/volts. But interestingly, when my car has the "Stop Safely Now" message, it doesn't actually stop. It keeps going as long as I stay above about 5mph (the lamest Speed sequel ever). Once I drop below 5mph, then I have to turn it off, open my door, etc. As far as I know, this is not the norm. I've always heard everyone else say their cars lose power immediately and coast to a stop. Mine however can drive pretty much like normal as long as I don't have to stop (I managed a 30 mile highway trip to work like this, haha, not one of my brighter ideas but whatever).
So here's my thought: could the California dealer have set something up to bypass the stop safely now power loss for the previous owners? And could that have allowed my car, which was on 0 miles and at the stop safely now message to get me home? Have I somehow access to use the reserve power in the battery? On the way home, my car felt totally normal, just a big goose-egg staring me in the face, no lack of torque or anything. Thoughts?
BTW, the car is resting safely on the charger, charging back up just like normal.
The Walgreens was closing. I had to make a go for it, a bit over a mile till home with one last uphill climb left. I started the car: 0 miles range, stop safely now. I began to drive. I thought "there's a gas station 1/2 mile from my house, maybe I can make it to that and steal another quick charge". Once up to speed on the road I showed no mercy, 45mph in a 25. I thought to myself "I shall coast the mile if I have to". But interestingly, as I came up to the intersection at the gas station, the car had still not lost power. Still 0 miles showing. I said to myself "I'm going for it!". I rounded the turn maintaining as much speed as possible and climbed the hill towards the garage. I made it.
Now I'm happy I made it home and immediately I plugged up my 240v 30amp charger. But I thought to myself "how did I make it home?" Every account I had heard in the past is when you hit that message at 0 miles you have maybe a couple hundred feet left before the car conks out. How did I go 1.4 miles in 32f weather at around 35-40mph partially uphill?
I have only one thought to why this might be. My car was lemoned for the SSN. I have incurred the SSN only during two weeks I have owned the car. The first was after my 12v battery died, I got a new 12v battery from the dealership. For about a week it had a handful of SSN's, but then mysteriously it stopped on its own. 2 months go by, I gave one of my other cars a jump via the FFE, same issue, for a few days, and then back to normal. Its been fine for almost 5 months now, so I believe my car is just a bit touchy about its 12v battery amps/volts. But interestingly, when my car has the "Stop Safely Now" message, it doesn't actually stop. It keeps going as long as I stay above about 5mph (the lamest Speed sequel ever). Once I drop below 5mph, then I have to turn it off, open my door, etc. As far as I know, this is not the norm. I've always heard everyone else say their cars lose power immediately and coast to a stop. Mine however can drive pretty much like normal as long as I don't have to stop (I managed a 30 mile highway trip to work like this, haha, not one of my brighter ideas but whatever).
So here's my thought: could the California dealer have set something up to bypass the stop safely now power loss for the previous owners? And could that have allowed my car, which was on 0 miles and at the stop safely now message to get me home? Have I somehow access to use the reserve power in the battery? On the way home, my car felt totally normal, just a big goose-egg staring me in the face, no lack of torque or anything. Thoughts?
BTW, the car is resting safely on the charger, charging back up just like normal.