My mileage has been dropping because of the colder weather, but I did notice a very small change in how much pedal pressure I needed to use to keep it in EV at about 1,500 miles. I could use just a bit more pressure and accelerate a bit faster than when I first got it (not very much - barely noticeable actually, but I could sense some change).

The cold weather is just killing me. After running around and getting used to it in 60-70's weather for a couple of months with the thing, and now it's been in the mid-teens the last week, it's driving me nuts when I can't get it to go EV at all for my 4 mile trip to work.

Man, do I need to get my timer and stuff setup so I can use my block heater. My main concern is that this is the first car I've had that's got a block heater, so I want to make sure I run the cord in an "idiot-proof" way so I don't forget that it's plugged in and try to drive off with the cord ripped out of the wall and dragging behind me

 

LOL! I was thinking about this too and trying to figure out a good way to prevent that. Anyone have any good suggestions?

At least it's good to get used to unplugging the car NOW so it will be old hat by the time plug in hybrids are the norm .

 

I think what I'm going to try is have the cord run back to the side of the vehicle and hang it over the side mirror on the driver's side (and use an orange contractor's grade extension cord). Then it'd be almost impossible for me not to notice it when I get in.

 

That's me too.

That and forgetting to open the garage door first, and then back out.

 

One way may be to route the cord & zip-tie the plug end of the block heater somewhere accessable, but mostly in line (parallel), but where if you drive off & forget to un-plug it, all you would be doing is using the car to yank it un-plugged instead of gently un-plugging it by hand.

May also need to slightly loosten the connectors in the extenstion cord to help prevent the cord from ripping. (just don't do it with the cord plugged in the wall)

 

My garage has a 120v plug in the ceiling.
If you have an electric garage door opener, then you probably do too.

My cord for plug in comes down from the ceiling, and hangs down in front of the car. The hanging cord also serves as a tool to know when to stop when pulling in. The plug is probably not in the correct place, so get a J hook from the hardware store, put it in the ceiling right above your front bumper, and drape the cord over the hook. The cord does not need to touch the ground, just bring it down to bumper height.

This way you can leave it up there full time and there is nothing to trip over.

I hear ya about making the plug a little loose somehow though.
I have a second cord at work, and the cord was soft and flexible when I plugged it in, but Friday at 5pm it was 10 degrees and the two ends of the cord were "frozen" together. There should not have been any ice in there, but the plastic was so hard and stiff, it took a lot of effort to get the two end apart.

 

This is what I have done to minimize the chance of driving off with the engine block heater still plugged in. I put a laminated sign on the windshield.

Two photos one of the vehicle with the sign and another showing a closeup of the sign.

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff26/Billyk24/?action=view&current=fordescapeengineblockheatersi gnanda.jpg


http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff26/Billyk24/?action=view&current=fordescapeengineblockunplughe atersi.jpg