Um not really, Hybrids have regenerative braking and are a bit different then just normal brakes.

Also pre 09 models could have TC, the book says "if equipped". I don't think they would mention it if none of the models would have it.

 

The FEH has brakes. Brakes and regenerative braking are two different things.

The '09 FEH has a ON/OFF TC switch, so it's equipped.

 

Speaking of regenerative...

Since picking it up at the dealer late Tueday, it seems rare that it goes into electric-only mode. In fact, today I drove 30 miles on city streets and it did not go into electric only even once. Lots of stopping, slow smooth acceleration, and no the max AC/defroster was not on.

So I paid attention to the Assist-Charge guage and noticed as I braked it barely fluttered. I thought it used to dive towards the Charge, maybe not. When I accelerated it barely moved toward assist, even if I hit the gas harder. Please tell me this is normal sometimes and that the dealer did not screw anything up replacing the exciter ring. I've had it with this FEH not operating normally and service departments not fixing things properly.

 

That is a pretty big assumption, since the FEH has completely different programming...

 

Somethings may be unique to a FEH and some things aren't. It was established in this thread: https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...ehicles-21838/ that the '09 was first to have TC because it has a ON/OFF like the FE. Sure the FEH has different programming but for certain things like TC and ABS, the operation is the same.

Without TC, it appears that a FEH uses the TC dash differently than a FE with TC, so it seems logical that a FEH with TC uses the TC dash icon as does a FE. Anybody with a '09 FEH owner's manual should be able to verify that.

 

The operation of ABS and TC is most definitely NOT the same as the conventional FE. I don't think you understood my previous post. When the FE enters a situation where ABS is needed, it simply activates ABS. When the FEH encounters the same situation, the FEH is already using the electric components to provide regenerative braking. So the software logic has to be different.

TC is used to move forward, not to stop, so no regenerative braking would be in effect, but again, the FEH has to consider the power split between electric and mechanical in the eCVT, so I would suspect that the code for TC is at least slightly different in the FEH.

 

I would say that is not normal under any circumstances.

However the good news would be if it isn't going into EV that is covered under the 100K warranty due to it being a hybrid drive train issue.

 

Am I am not wrong in thinking this:

The guage should NOT barely move, right?

 

So what's different about the TC and ABS? The TC uses the ABS system and in a 4WD, the TC/ABS can take over control of the 4WD system in certain situations. This is all in the '09 WorkShop Manual which I have. The FEH didn't have TC till '09!

Again, yes the FEH has different programming and I agree with that. The actual ABS in both FE/FEH is when the HCU is activated which both vehicles have. Regenerative feedback doesn't pulsate the brakes that's what the HCU does commanded by the ABS module.

 

From what you are detailed--little or no movement on the assist/charge gauge--something is not working correctly. Do you have a scanguage II unit that can display state of charge (SOC) status? The SOC changes during driving and this display could provide additional feedback on the vehicle's operation?