So yesterday I swapped out the left sensor and installed a new one. This actually made the problem worse – during yesterday’s test drive, the error occurred 3 times, and I even got a transmission error once.
Internet keeps giving hints about the battery, though I don’t think the battery is faulty. In my experience, they typically last longer than 4-5 years, especially when mounted in the trunk. But I’m starting to wonder how a failing battery would behave in a hybrid system. In a regular non-hybrid car, you’d notice the starter motor cranking slower, but in a hybrid you wouldn’t notice that.
Has anyone experienced similar issues? Could a weak battery really cause these kinds of sensor and transmission errors in a hybrid, even when it seems to be working fine otherwise?
My findings aren’t really helping much either – should I actually try replacing the battery? During the test drive, I noticed the battery voltage occasionally drops to 12.5V, though it normally runs around 13V. This is all new territory for me – I have no idea how the charging system works in a hybrid or whether these values are normal.
With a regular gasoline engine and alternator, I’d know that we need 13V+ with the engine running, and 12.5V would be too low. But in a hybrid system? I’m completely lost.
Has anyone here monitored their hybrid’s battery voltage during driving? Are these fluctuations between 12.5V and 13V normal, or could this be pointing to the root cause of my sensor issues?
My findings aren’t really helping much either – should I actually try replacing the battery? During the test drive, I noticed the battery voltage occasionally drops to 12.5V, though it normally runs around 13V. This is all new territory for me – I have no idea how the charging system works in a hybrid or whether these values are normal.
With a regular gasoline engine and alternator, I’d know that we need 13V+ with the engine running, and 12.5V would be too low. But in a hybrid system? I’m completely lost.
Has anyone here monitored their hybrid’s battery voltage during driving? Are these fluctuations between 12.5V and 13V normal, or could this be pointing to the root cause of my sensor issues?
The only lead I have right now is temperature. During yesterday’s test drive it was 30°C (86°F) – quite hot. Maybe there really is a connection there. I’ll keep testing…
Regarding the jolt I feel when the error occurs, I’m now convinced it’s the transmission. At that exact moment, the gas engine immediately kicks in (if I’m driving in electric mode at the time) – and it apparently slams into gear. So it’s probably not a brake intervention like I initially suspected.