Maintaining the optimal performance of your Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV involves ensuring accurate battery capacity readings. Over time, the estimated battery capacity might drift, affecting the accuracy of your range estimations. Using a diagnostic tool like a Thinkcar scan tool, you can reset these estimations and ensure your PHEV operates at its best. This guide provides a step-by-step process on how to perform a battery capacity reset on your Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV using a diagnostic scan tool.
Before you begin the reset procedure, it’s crucial to prepare your vehicle properly. The first step is to minimize the battery’s state of charge. Ideally, the battery should be nearly empty. Driving your car until the internal combustion engine (ICE) engages is generally sufficient to achieve a low state of charge. For a more precise reading, you can use an app like PhevWatchdog to monitor the battery state of charge. If you need to expedite the discharge process, you can run the air conditioning or heater with the windows open while parked. Once the battery is sufficiently discharged, park your Outlander PHEV near a charger, keeping in mind that the reset process can take several hours. It’s important to note that while older procedures suggested a reset time of up to 12 hours, newer guidelines indicate it could take up to 72 hours, depending on battery temperature and whether your vehicle is equipped with a battery heater.
With your car parked and prepared, do not connect the charger yet. Plug in your Thinkcar diagnostic scan tool and put your Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV into ready mode. If you have any charging timers set, disable them to prevent any interference with the reset procedure.
Now, turn to your Thinkcar scan tool. Open the Thinkcar app on your Android device and navigate to the “ALL SYSTEMS DIAGNOSTIC” section.
Initiate the process by selecting “VIN Decoding.” Allow the app to automatically identify your car model. If prompted, download the necessary Mitsubishi software to proceed.
Once the VIN decoding is complete, proceed to “System Selection,” then choose “BMU” (Battery Management Unit). Next, select “Special Function” and then “Battery Maintenance Function.”
Within the Battery Maintenance Function menu, locate and select “BATT. Capa. Estimated Info. Reset”. Confirm your selection to initiate the reset of the estimated battery capacity information.
After completing the first reset, select “Control Information Reset” and confirm this action as well. In some instances, the ICE might start after these resets. If this occurs, simply turn the car off and then back on again in ACC (Accessory) mode.
Navigate back to the BMU screen on your Thinkcar scan tool and select “Read Data Stream.” From the data stream options, choose “Battery Current Capacity” and confirm. The display should now show the original factory battery capacity (e.g., 38Ah for certain models). If the tool still displays the old capacity, repeat the reset steps until the original value is shown. While in the Data Stream, you can also observe the “Battery Remaining Capacity” to understand the current state of charge, which should be low, ideally around 24% or less.
Once you have verified the reset and confirmed the original battery capacity is displayed, turn off your Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and connect the charger. The charging process should commence, and you should see the charging indicator illuminate on your dashboard.
Return to the “BMU” menu in your Thinkcar app, go to “Special Function,” and select “Battery Auto Capacity Measured.” Initially, the “Execution Status” will likely show “Not Run” (or “Complete” if a capacity measurement has been previously performed). Click on the “Perform” button and confirm your selection. You should then hear the vehicle’s AC compressor and fans activate, indicating the capacity measurement process has begun.
The “Execution Status” should update to “Executing,” and “Capa. Measured Discharge Current” should display “Ok,” confirming that the battery auto capacity measurement is in progress. Following these steps will help ensure your Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has an accurate estimation of its battery capacity, contributing to more reliable range predictions and overall vehicle performance.
