NHTSA complaint #11766181

Owner complaint summary

Since recall 68C was completed in February, the performance of the vehicle in Electric mode has degraded significantly. Prior to 68C, the gas engine was nearly impossible to engage in electric mode which was a good thing and clearly intended for extreme circumstances where unusually rapid acceleration was required. Also prior to 68C the electric acceleration was dependable and predictable both around town and at highway speeds. I live atop a 1.5 mile hill and could travel bottom to top without the engine engaging. Since 68C, I have consistently observed multiple changes in performance in electric mode: 1) the engine will engage much sooner and more frequently upon acceleration in any conditions. Wherever it happens, this is an unpredictable behavior that puts instant load on a cold, unlubricated engine. 2) At and approaching highway speeds in electric mode, the vehicle will begin to lose acceleration, hesitate and the gas engine will engage - again putting load on a cold, unlubricated engine. This can happen after several miles or after just a few miles. When the engine engages, it does not engage smoothly - the engine will rev high then drop down, then rev high then disengage - all inconsistently and all unexpectedly. While this is happening, the vehicle's acceleration or ability to maintain speed is inconsistent and constant manipulation of the throttle is necessary to ensure I'm not losing too much speed relative to the traffic around me. I don't know what changes were made as part of the 68C recall remedy but it has dramatically changed how electric mode is managed, has significantly decreased vehicle performance in electric mode and puts my and my passengers' safety at risk when I'm driving. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer and I've confirmed that the latest software is installed. The component has not been inspected. The issues described above only presented after the 68C recall work was performed and occur without warning.