Is the EV Mode a good way to avoid the ICE warm up and CAT light off with a cold car? In the case of needing to move the car from the garage to the street so I can clean the garage, etc. Would hitting EV after READY comes on and before ICE fires up accomplish this?
With the system cold, there really isn't a way to avoid startup. If you need to move the car just a few feet, forget it. If you're really fast, it can be done. There's a 7-second delay. Backing out from my garage in EV to the driveway was possible with my 2010.
They changed it on the 2012? So even if the coolant is over 68°F/20°C, you can't go into EV before the engine has started?
Yeah you can do that but just keep below 10 mph if the engine is "cold". You can only do it if it's above 68°F/20°C.
I had actually forgotten about... since 68°F/20°C just plain doesn't happen around here. Even on warm summer mornings, my garage is cooler than that. So pulling out, the engine starts... or use to, before getting the PHV.
True enough, which is why I have never been able to "cold" EV around here w/o the engine starting right away.
