EC4 2024 - Energy economy mode activated every time i start the car

[ostage]

Hi all,
Not sure if it's normal but I'm getting this message "Energy economy mode activated . The system is going to shut down" every time I start my car.

I have a battery monitor and it doesn't look like that the 12V is dying. The 12V start charging every time I start my EV, the lowest energy level registered by the 12V monitor was 12.48V.

I'm having problem with the app as well ,doesn't send any update about charging status. I've tried using Tronity app as well but it was the same and after few days troubleshooting I've discovered that updates were sent only if I open one of the door of the car and the car is waking up and send an update to the server.

I'm wondering if I'm missing any software update or patch and if all this is a software bug. Is there anywhere I can check if I'm missing anything? There are no new software update offered via OTA.

Thank you for your help.

[Paul-R]

If it's only a year old then it must still be covered by the manufacturer's warranty. I wouldn't mess around with it, get it back to a dealer soonest.

[CitROeNALD]

I've had this issue for a while with my C4 Grand.

My conclusion is that citroen have very aggressive battery protection. This is in combination the the fact that they seem to have poor battery management when the car is not in use. Poor energy management of standby systems. Something drains the battery over a short period of time enough to panic the ECU.

If you do not drive the car often, it will very quickly damage a new battery and will struggle to recover. Or there is some kind of memory issue with the ECU so that once it decided a battery might be too low, it never gets out of putting on max economy settings to protect it.

Basically, if you get a new battery under warrantee, get a 5v smart charger and any time you do not plan to use the car for a week or so, ensure you top it up. Especially during winter.

My car has been giving me the economy warning for 2 years now. Stop start stopped working long ago. I have just accepted it. No more listening to the radio with the car off. I keep it trickle charged as much as I can, but the charger always indicated pretty good health. It has never failed to turn over or had a prolonged turn over.

It's a weird weakness that a lot of modern citroens suffer from it seems.

In summary, if you get a new battery, you have to treat it very nicely and plan for any downtime.

[Richard_C]

My C4 Hybrid is just the same. 6 months old. Does it frequently, OK for a couple of days after a long trip. Based on previous experience with a C4 Picasso I don't let it bother me, there is the minor inconvenience of mot being able to use the radio if you are parked waiting for someone but 20 years beyond school pick up years that's infrequent.

I think Citroen have a very conservative approach to battery conservation, especially perhaps when Stop-Start engines came along. Couple that with all the stuff that runs all the time like alarm, listenting out for OTA demands from the app, and the stuff that comes on before the engine starts - welcome lights, big display screens, 'listening out' for the hands free unlock, recognising the key for push button starting all sorts in background, some but not all of whihc you can switch off via the menu, its a wonder the car starts at all

[Richard_C]

I'm having problem with the app as well, doesn't send any update about charging status.

That is likely to be a separate issue. It seems a poor app, mind isn't electric so doesn't show charging. If I open the app, do an update, it records the latest trip(s) but still shows where the car was parked the day before. BUT, if I close the app and reopen it - just that, nothing else - its all as you would expect. That strikes me as a problem with the way part of the app integrates with Android, but who knows and its not important enough to find out. But I can see that charging status would be important to a user.

Try opening the app, refershing car data, closing app and reopening.

[ostage]

Just an update from me.

The battery issue has been fixed by the dealer(they have fitted a new battery) but the app issue remains.

Now it's 3 months I'm fighting with the app to just check my charging status.

I did a lot of tests, developed a new app that fetch CAN bus messages from the OBd port. It works till the car goes to Deep sleep and messages stops.

The only way to make it work is keeping the car in "ON" state while Charing and close the door with the key.

I don't want to tap directly on the CAN wires because my car is still on warranty, but that could give a lot of additional data that at the moment is blocked while using the ODB and Deep sleep.

I'm not aware of a way to wakeup the car if I'm not there, but if I can find it I'll share.

I assume at this point that the Citroen app doesn't work because the veichle goes in deep sleep even while charging (this is a software bug).

Has been pointless speaking with Citroen, they just don't care.

In 3 months the official Citroen app was able to report only 1 time a single 100% status.