High Speed Surge
 

Hi Folks, Newbie here!
I just have 3000 miles on my used 06 HCH.
It had about 55k on it when I bought it.
Since I'm still under warranty, I'd like to solve this problem.

When I climb a steep hill on the freeway at 60 mph, I sometimes get a surge where the RPM jumps up and down about 300 rpm very quickly and the car bucks forward and back. It happens regardless of cruise control or foot control. Air conditioning is off. It seems to happen between 3000 and 3500 or 4000 and 4500.

Other than that the car works fine, although I have yet to break fifty mpg. I think it might be the tires the dealer installed. They are Firestone FR380s. I have not seen them mentioned on the HCH or Prius threads. I had them pumped up to max sidewall pressure and that did increase my mpg. I commute 100 mi per day with the cruise control set at 60. Sadly there are lots of hills and sometimes headwinds. Perhaps the surging issue is indicative of a problem that also affects my mpg? So far the best I have gotten is 49. I've averaged 43 for my 3000 miles so far.

Thanks for listening!
Chris

Re: High Speed Surge
 

My dealer replaced two oem tires on my civic with Dunlop SP3000 tires. My mpg dropped 14% with just the two tires installed.

Tires make a big difference!

Re: High Speed Surge
 

Sounds like your CVT could use a oil change or flush? Has the oil ever been changed? What is the milage. H

Re: High Speed Surge
 

According to his post, about 58K.
I'm with Harold. I'd take a shot at a CVT fluid change also. Sounds like the belt's slipping some under load.
And tires DO seem to make a big difference sometimes. I'm still on my original Dunlops...

Re: High Speed Surge
 

hi Beez,

funny you should mention it. I've got a new '08 HCH II that has been performing pretty well, EXCEPT that I have also experienced exactly the same bucking/surging problem under exactly the same conditions. It goes away when I back off the accelerator and then re-accelerate gradually to speed. In my case, it always seems to happen near the end of a long uphill climb-- when I am trying to feather down towards a glide mode but may have started the process a bit too soon and have to re-accelerate. My impression was that I was getting a small 'hiccup' in the IMA transition from glide back to using the ICE-- (pardon my lack of correct technical phrasing). A bit worrisome.

Harold's comment about a possible oil change caught my eye. I'm still on my original dealer-installed oil (showing at 30% oil life remaining), with ~4800 miles on the car. I actually just took it in for its first oil change but got strongly talked out of it by the dealer service guy, who argued that the oil that is installed on new HCHIIs has 'special additives to help the new engine break in, and should not be changed prematurely'. This sounds a bit like the Colonel's 11 magic herbs and spices at KFC-- but I've always had older cars that demanded regular oil changes.

Can anyone enlighten me about this issue? Is it really important to keep the original oil in for its full 'lifetime' for the benefit of engine break-in, or could this be source of the bucking/surging problem? Beeze's situation is obviously somewhat different than mine (older car), but maybe a related cause (i.e. old oil)?

thanks, sorry to be long-winded.

pcope

Re: High Speed Surge
 

Philip,
I am talking about oil change for the CVT [transmition] H

Re: High Speed Surge
 

hmm, thanks, guess I should read more carefully! Geez I hope the CVT isn't giving me grief already.

In the meantime, if anyone has knowledge about the importance of delaying the first oil change until the 'oil life' is officially down to 15% or less, I would be grateful (my moniker of rookie is well-chosen).

P

Re: High Speed Surge
 

pcope...I'm pretty sure that there is someone on the forums that has had his oil changed every 10k including the initial dealer-installed oil. He's had the oil analyzed and the results show the oil to to still be in pretty good condition.

Personally, I wait til the oil life is 0%, that's about every 7500-8k miles or every 6 months for me.

Re: High Speed Surge
 

hi Jess,

thanks for the note. I belatedly dug a little deeper into some of the other threads, and foound what you mean; and I appreciate your pointing them out. Sounds like good advice-- thanks.

P

Re: High Speed Surge
 

Jess is right, keep the (motor) oil in there until the minder says "it is time". Especially the initial oil.
Although this has been debated considerably, this seems to be the general concensus.

Don't fall for that old & outdated 3K oil-change routine. It's simply not necessary in newer gasoline engines.