Do you change your own oil? It might be possible that you have an improper weight oil in your engine. With the wrong weight oil, the cold oil may not flow properly, causing the valve mechanisim to be a bit noiser. The motor oil weight is defined by 2 numbers, the cold flow viscosity and the hot viscosity (0W-20, COLD-HOT).

The Camry Hybrid has the unusual oil specification of 0w-20. Being so rare, a garage may just substitute what is on hand (they buy oil in large quantities) instead of the 0w-20 and the problem may only show in cold weather. There are internet reports of even toyota dealerships doing this.

Even as a DIY guy, I have found it difficult to find 0w-20 mobil 1 oil in stores.

I have experience with an 1987 Corolla, a 1998 Camry v6 and the 2007 Camry Hybrid and even in well below 40f here in New York State, the Hybrid has by far the least valve tapping noise. The hybrid engine is dramatically quieter than the well cared for 1998 camry v6 engine, very impressive. The 98 camry v6 itself was much quieter than the 1987 corolla even though the 98 camry v6 has a much larger engine.

Change your oil yourself next time and be sure to try the 0w-20 and see if you run with a bit less tapping noise.

 

Everyone keeps asking about that and I don't think they are seeing the bigger picture (re: how much does it cost to run an Engine Block Heater). I don't drink coffee so I don't spent $6.50 every morning at Starbucks so that is money I can put toward running the Block Heater. I also don't smoke so that is a pack of cigs a day that I don't spend. I once thought about trying to rationalize if the 4 hours spent to warm the car paid off but since the last electric bill revealed just 9.5 cents/kWh then it was not necessary. Just skip on that $8 dessert the next time out to dinner and that pays for a whole heap of running the Block Heater. =)

The Honda block heater is a 400-Watt heater so every hour it uses 0.4 kW and you only need it plugged in for about 4 hours and will consume about 1.6 kW in that time costing just $0.15 (0.4 kW * 4 hr * 9.5 cents/kWh = 15.2 cents). What a bargain. I don't have a garage at home so the car sits out and this is my best addition to the car so far.

 

The block heater always helps, and that is the truth. In extreme cold weather (-40C = -40F and colder) a vehicle may not even start unless it has a working block heater.

Anyhow, we're always better off plugging it in because that makes it easier for your engine to warm up faster. Warming up faster means less fuel used, less polution and a longer lived engine.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

I've only had my 2007 Civic Hyrid for 3 weeks. I have just little over 500 miles, so I am new to this whole Hybrid thing. The weather in Los Angeles has been extmely cold in the morning last few days, well cold for Los Angeles (low 40s). And I was just wondering if it was normal for my car not to do the auto stop for the first 5-10 minutes. I never had this problem unitil the cold weather kicked in.



Shannon

 

Absolutely normal for the auto-stop to not work while the engine is cold.

For some of us the auto-stop does not work for months at least until the warm weather returns.

Welcome to the forum !

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Ham, yes... I always do my own maintenance. I did use the 0W-20 Mobil1 which I found at my local Walmart.

I had suspected that the minor tap noise was normal... just the first time I've heard it. The unusually cold temps here this week are the cause.

 

Shannon, as MSantos said, cold weather will indeed delay autostop... but his cold weather (in Canada) is drastically different from our mildly chilly temps here in So. Cal.

I often go for 5 minutes in the mornings with no autostop. I think autostop won't function for a few minutes on a warm restart, too.

I did experience something strange today, though. I was at a light in autostop for about 20 seconds with a warm engine and... without letting go of the brakes (even a tiny bit!)... the engine decided to restart. I have no idea why. My battery state of charge was fine. I guess the cool weather is doing some strange things!

 

Jeff - Read the manual (snicker) as it states the Auto-Stop will not occur on many many conditions but you know that already. I believe one of these conditions though is if the IMA battery temp is too low. Also, switch over to the temp gauge when this occurs and see how many blocks of temp you have. I have noticed that in mornings when the car is warmed up after just 1.5 miles in 30 F temps (Block Heater-assisted) that about 7 miles later the car will not Auto-Stop so I look at the temp gauge and it went from 9 blocks down to 4 blocks. What? Well, when I use all the hot air to warm the cabin then it takes away the heat of the coolant in the engine. Neat to see. Check this out the next time your Auto-Stop does not work but remember about the IMA battery temps if you think your backseat/trunk area is still a little cold.