[Fabulist]

I experienced a weird behavior by my Karma today that was described by a couple of other folks on the forums.

Driving in Stealth mode with a fully-charged battery, the ICE came on. This, by itself, is not that unusual. If I drive my car on battery-only for a couple of days, the ICE turns on for a few minutes and then turns itself off again after a short while. But this time, whenever I stopped at a red light, the ICE would turn itself off, then back on again repeatedly. I tried switching into Sport and back out, and even turned the car off and back on again at a red light (could not safely do a soft or hard reset) to no avail. The ICE kept running in Stealth mode until I got to my office about 50 minutes later. Again, switching in and out of Sport had no effect. As a result, I pulled into my office with 26 miles left on the E-Range indicator. There was no CEL/MIL or any other indication of distress from the car at any time during the drive.

The primary issue seems to be that the computer wants to run the ICE in Stealth mode when it is not needed. This seems to lead to a conflict between the part of software that keeps the ICE running to warm up the car and to optimize the emissions profile and a different part of the software that operates the start-stop feature that kicks in after the engine is warmed up to save fuel.

I am hoping that after the car has been off for several hours, it will go back to normal operations. I am assuming this is a pure software issue, but if those more knowledgable than me can shed more light on this behavior, it would be appreciated since I don't think this is a problem unique to my car.

Update: Took my car out at lunchtime and it worked perfectly: No ICE activation, no hiccups, etc.

 

[smoothoperator]

Do you have an OBDII reader? There may still be codes even though the MIL does not illuminate. I would guess an emission issue- perhaps a stuck EVAP Canister flap. Do you notice any sort of smell?

 

[Ira]

I experienced this same issue shortly after I purchased my Karma 6 months ago. I discussed it with the Service Manager at the dealership and he had no answer other than car was trying to pressurize the fuel system. The problem resolved itself shortly thereafter. Fast forward 5 months, when I finally filled the tank. This was the first time it was fueled since the car was topped off by the dealer and guess what? I started having random ICE issues again.

Here's what I found: There's a fuel lid sensor switch that became loose. It's a snap-in design and there's nothing to keep it in place except two plastic guides.

With a loose or intermittent fuel lid sensor switch, the ICE can act the way you're reporting. If you find that it's loose, you can push it back into place from inside the trunk. Here's how: With your fingers, carefully pull out the trunk lining on the right side. You'll find a fairly large access port for that switch. Push up on the switch and it should snap back into place. It's pretty easy.

If you can't get it to remain seated, you can pull the switch assembly out of the access port and add a tiny tad of plastic glue to each end of the housing. (But don't use too much in case you have to replace the switch in the future.) I haven't had to use any glue, but then again I probably don't fuel the car as much as you do since I don't have to commute anywhere.

Please let us know what you find. This is a "Karma Gotcha" and like most of the others, pretty easy to deal with.

 

[Fabulist]

Do you have an OBDII reader? There may still be codes even though the MIL does not illuminate. I would guess an emission issue- perhaps a stuck EVAP Canister flap. Do you notice any sort of smell?

I Do. Will check to see if any codes showed up.

[Edited to add:] No, did not notice any smell.

Thanks.

 

[Fabulist]

I experienced this same issue shortly after I purchased my Karma 6 months ago. I discussed it with the Service Manager at the dealership and he had no answer other than car was trying to pressurize the fuel system. The problem resolved itself shortly thereafter. Fast forward 5 months, when I finally filled the tank. This was the first time it was fueled since the car was topped off by the dealer and guess what? I started having random ICE issues again.

Here's what I found: There's a fuel lid sensor switch that became loose. It's a snap-in design and there's nothing to keep it in place except two plastic guides.

With a loose or intermittent fuel lid sensor switch, the ICE can act the way you're reporting. If you find that it's loose, you can push it back into place from inside the trunk. Here's how: With your fingers, carefully pull out the trunk lining on the right side. You'll find a fairly large access port for that switch. Push up on the switch and it should snap back into place. It's pretty easy.

If you can't get it to remain seated, you can pull the switch assembly out of the access port and add a tiny tad of plastic glue to each end of the housing. (But don't use too much in case you have to replace the switch in the future.) I haven't had to use any glue, but then again I probably don't fuel the car as much as you do since I don't have to commute anywhere.

Please let us know what you find. This is a "Karma Gotcha" and like most of the others, pretty easy to deal with.

Thanks. This is a good tip. I will take a look. Do you by any chance have a photo of what the switch looks like? That would be most helpful.

 

[Ira]

I don't have a photo. Just open the fuel lid and you'll see it inside. It's a small, black rectangular module with a button switch that's engaged when the lid is closed. See if you can wiggle the module with your fingers. It should be tight as a rat's ***. Also, I noticed that the button was a bit stiff so I lubed it with some silicon grease. Now it moves up and down freely. (Please no "off-color" references from all of you dirty-minded "Buzzers" out there!")

 

[Sandy Eggo]

I don't have a photo. Just open the fuel lid and you'll see it inside. It's a small, black rectangular module with a button switch that's engaged when the lid is closed. See if you can wiggle the module with your fingers. It should be tight as a rat's ***. Also, I noticed that the button was a bit stiff so I lubed it with some silicon grease. Now it moves up and down freely. (Please no "off-color" references from all of you dirty-minded "Buzzers" out there!")

To sum up...

Stiff, grease, fingers, button, a55, lubed, wiggle, grease, freely, "up and down", tight.

HTH, Fab !!

 

[Fabulist]

I Do. Will check to see if any codes showed up.

[Edited to add:] No, did not notice any smell.

Thanks.

No codes.

 

[Fabulist]

I don't have a photo. Just open the fuel lid and you'll see it inside. It's a small, black rectangular module with a button switch that's engaged when the lid is closed. See if you can wiggle the module with your fingers. It should be tight as a rat's ***. Also, I noticed that the button was a bit stiff so I lubed it with some silicon grease. Now it moves up and down freely. (Please no "off-color" references from all of you dirty-minded "Buzzers" out there!")

To sum up...

Stiff, grease, fingers, button, a55, lubed, wiggle, grease, freely, "up and down", tight.

HTH, Fab !!

Sounds a lot like my last annual checkup.

 

[Ira]

This is a good tip. I will take a look. Do you by any chance have a photo? That would be most helpful.

Only if you're looking for a second opinion.

 

[Bert Yetman]

Stiff, grease, fingers, button, a55, lubed, wiggle, grease, freely, "up and down", tight.

My love life, in a nutshell.

 

[8AVGMPG]

so then engine would turn on for a second, shut off for a second then repeat this pattern? if so thats just a software bug that hasnt been fixed. it will typically happen when low on fuel.

 

[Ira]

so then engine would turn on for a second, shut off for a second then repeat this pattern? if so thats just a software bug that hasnt been fixed. it will typically happen when low on fuel.

Are you referring to Fab's original post or Bert's Post?:huh:

 

[Fabulist]

so then engine would turn on for a second, shut off for a second then repeat this pattern? if so thats just a software bug that hasnt been fixed. it will typically happen when low on fuel.

Yes, that's the pattern. This is the first time it has happened to me, but others have reported it before. I was at just under 1/2 tank when it happened. The system seems to be over reacting to pressure drops because the ICE comes on after as little as 24 hours of operating the car without using the ICE.

 

[smoothoperator]

Yes, that's the pattern. This is the first time it has happened to me, but others have reported it before. I was at just under 1/2 tank when it happened. The system seems to be over reacting to pressure drops because the ICE comes on after as little as 24 hours of operating the car without using the ICE.

Hard reset time.

 

[Lormax]

Hard reset time.

Sounds like I'm back at Quantum during Karma prototype days

 

[8AVGMPG]

Sounds like I'm back at Quantum during Karma prototype days

someone needs to create a meme.

Nail in the tire? Hard reset.

 

[Fabulist]

Sounds like I'm back at Quantum during Karma prototype days

Aren't we all driving prototypes?

 

[Weird Fishes]

Fabulist, it happened to me one day also. I don't remember how much gas I had, but it was likely around half a tank. The battery was almost completely full (range of 49 miles available as I recall). I stopped at a traffic light and the ICE began to turn on...and then off...and then on...and then off...ad nauseum. It was actually kind of embarrassing. I tried to put it in Sport Mode to see if that would solve the problem. It didn't. I soon got on the freeway and drove until the battery was exhausted. And that problem has never happened again. Knock on wood.

 

[Dr.GJD]

It is a software issue and Fisker was aware of it. You can solve it (temporally at least), two ways: 1. A soft reboot or 2. Open then close the gas fill door.
Fisker Dealer looked into it for me when it happened last March. Not much they could do.