I have a 2009 Touring that has just turned one year old. It has 7,500 miles on it. My driving patterns are rather consistent - mostly short trip and one long trip per month to the same place. I would say they I know they battery recharge pattern of this car very well. During the past month, the charge indicator has shown the pink/purple area several times. I did not even know it had a pink area. The first time was after I drove the car and had it valet parked for 6 hours. When I left the garage, I saw the pink, and the engine was racing. It got in the blue rather quickly and then went all the way to green within a few miles. The pink happenned again during the month once or twice. It always recovered. This weekend I want on the long trip, which has some steep road climbs, followed by a long period of down-grade. For the first time in a year, the indicator went pink on the up-grade. It also went green on the down (just like before). When I got home, the average mileage was about 10% less. My question is: What is going on? Is there a defect or is this some "settling" of the battery to its normal state? I called the dealer the first time the pink came on, and they said that as long as the battery recharges, everything is fine. Now after a month of this, I am going to call again. I live in LA, so the weather is normal this time of year (not hot or cold). Thank you.
The valet didn't shut the car completely OFF and the battery is still recovering. Otherwise, draining the battery that far on a long hill is normal; just press the gas pedal as much as is needed and keep going.
Richard That was my exact first thought. I did that once myself early on. My only concern is that I am seeing the pink this past month a few times, when I never saw it before. The return trip yesterday also was troubling becasue of the pink. I have made the same trip 12 times in the last month, and although the bars gat low (2 I think), never the pink. I think I am going to the dealer this week. Thank you again.
