Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Robert David Hancasky

Bryan Michael Bolger

Sangeetha Sangameswaran

Ted Haladyna

Aed M Dudar

Douglas Raymond Martin

Kenneth James Miller

William David Treharne

Angel Fernando Porras

Ryan J Skaff

Christopher Adam Ochocinski

Joseph F Stanek

Paul Aldighieri

Dale Gilman

Karin Lovett

Bader M Badreddine

Seth Anthony Bryan

Matthew Fleming

Md Shahnoor Amin

Stephen Li-Chun Shen

Erik Dondzila

An exemplary fluid heating method includes, among other things, operating an engine of a vehicle to heat an engine fluid during a drive cycle if the vehicle is in a fluid maintenance mode, and heating the fluid prior to the drive cycle if the vehicle is in the fluid maintenance mode and the vehicle is electrically coupled to a grid power source. An exemplary fluid heating assembly includes, among other things, an engine of an electrified vehicle, and a fluid heater that is activated to heat a fluid of the engine in response to the electrified vehicle being in a fluid maintenance mode when electrically coupled to a grid power source.

Method and assembly for heating an engine fluid

A vehicle includes an engine and a controller programmed to, responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of the engine exceeding a first threshold, issue commands such that regenerative braking is inhibited to increase a temperature of the engine, and responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the first threshold, discontinue issuing the commands.

Engine oil dilution control in a hybrid vehicle

A vehicle includes a controller that prompts a user to confirm a willingness to accept a reduced maximum acceleration or speed responsive to user confirmation of a desire to increase an electric drive range by a user selected amount. The controller further operates a propulsion system with the reduced maximum acceleration or speed to increase the electric drive range responsive to user confirmation of the willingness.

Load management to extend electric vehicle range

A vehicle includes an audio transducer and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a state of charge (SOC) of a battery crossing a charge level threshold (CLT) set by a user of the vehicle, activate the audio transducer to generate an indication that the SOC has crossed the CLT and that is defined by data provided by the user and linked with the CLT according to a rule specified by the user.

Customizable vehicle charge status tones

An exemplary creep torque selection method includes selecting an amount of reverse creep torque for a vehicle. The selecting is independent from an amount of forward creep torque for the vehicle.

Variable creep torque

A vehicle has an engine, a fuel tank, and a controller configured to selectively operate the engine, during one or more drive cycles, until a specified fraction of fuel from the tank has been consumed in response to expiration of a predefined time period to limit fuel degradation. A powertrain system has a traction battery, an engine, a fuel tank, and a controller configured to selectively operate the engine in response to a quality of fuel in the tank being below a threshold until a specified fraction of fuel has been consumed, thereby limiting fuel degradation. A method of controlling a vehicle includes, in response to expiration of a predefined time period, selectively operating an engine, during one or more vehicle drive cycles, such that state of charge of a traction battery is generally maintained until a specified fraction of fuel in a fuel tank has been consumed to limit degradation of the fuel.

Fuel maintenance monitor for a plug-in hybrid vehicle

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling an electrified vehicle by engaging a parking brake if a battery state of charge is depleted below a predefined threshold.

Electrified vehicle neutral engine start

Methods and systems are provided for displaying a recommended engine fuel fill amount to an operator of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. In one example, the recommended engine fuel fill amount is determined based on an actual amount of fuel consumed over a particular duration and displayed to an operator of the vehicle with a low fuel warning.

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Robert David Hancasky