The invention concerns a motor vehicle battery wear monitoring system (1,1A,1B) that includes an acquisition device (11) and a processing device/system (12,12A,12B). The acquisition device (11) is: installed onboard a motor vehicle (2) that is equipped with an internal combustion engine, a battery for providing a battery voltage (V.sub.B), an alternator, and a starter motor for starting up the internal combustion engine; and configured to receive the battery voltage (V.sub.B) and to output quantities indicative of said battery voltage (V.sub.B). The processing device/system (12,12A,12B) is: configured to receive the quantities indicative of the battery voltage (V.sub.B) from the acquisition device (11); and programmed to perform a battery voltage monitoring based on the quantities indicative of the battery voltage (V.sub.B) to detect an approaching battery failure. The battery voltage monitoring includes detecting for each start-up of the internal combustion engine: a respective first voltage value (V.sub.MIN) that is a minimum value assumed by the battery voltage (VB) just after the starter motor has started operating to start up the internal combustion engine; and a respective second voltage value (V.sub.2) assumed by the battery voltage (V.sub.B) just after the internal combustion engine has been started up, the starter motor has stopped operating and the alternator has started operating. The battery voltage monitoring further includes for each start-up of the internal combustion engine: computing a respective voltage rise value (ΔV.sub.R) indicative of a difference between the respective first (V.sub.MIN) and second (V.sub.2) voltage values; and detecting an approaching battery failure if the respective voltage rise value (ΔV.sub.R) meets a predefined condition with respect to a predefined voltage rise threshold (T.sub.ΔVR).

A method and system for operating a vehicle that includes a plurality of engine starting devices and an internal combustion engine is described. In one example, the method determines whether or not to inhibit automatic engine stopping so that a lifespan of an engine starting device may be extended. In one example, the inhibiting is based on a ratio of an actual total number of engine starts generated via the engine starting device to an actual total distance traveled by the vehicle since the engine starting device was installed.

A method and system for operating a vehicle that includes a plurality of engine starting devices and an internal combustion engine is described. In one example, the method determines whether or not to inhibit automatic engine stopping so that a lifespan of an engine starting device may be extended. In one example, the inhibiting is based on a ratio of an actual total number of engine starts generated via the engine starting device to an actual total distance traveled by the vehicle since the engine starting device was installed.

The invention concerns a motor vehicle battery wear monitoring system (1,1A,1B) that includes an acquisition device (11) and a processing device/system (12,12A,12B). The acquisition device (11) is: installed onboard a motor vehicle (2) that is equipped with an internal combustion engine, a battery for providing a battery voltage (V.sub.B), an alternator, and a starter motor for starting up the internal combustion engine; and configured to receive the battery voltage (V.sub.B) and to output quantities indicative of said battery voltage (V.sub.B). The processing device/system (12,12A,12B) is: configured to receive the quantities indicative of the battery voltage (V.sub.B) from the acquisition device (11); and programmed to perform a battery voltage monitoring based on the quantities indicative of the battery voltage (V.sub.B) to detect an approaching battery failure. The battery voltage monitoring includes detecting for each start-up of the internal combustion engine: a respective first voltage value (V.sub.MIN) that is a minimum value assumed by the battery voltage (VB) just after the starter motor has started operating to start up the internal combustion engine; and a respective second voltage value (V.sub.2) assumed by the battery voltage (V.sub.B) just after the internal combustion engine has been started up, the starter motor has stopped operating and the alternator has started operating. The battery voltage monitoring further includes for each start-up of the internal combustion engine: computing a respective voltage rise value (ΔV.sub.R) indicative of a difference between the respective first (V.sub.MIN) and second (V.sub.2) voltage values; and detecting an approaching battery failure if the respective voltage rise value (ΔV.sub.R) meets a predefined condition with respect to a predefined voltage rise threshold (T.sub.ΔVR).

The invention relates to a wheeled vehicle (1) comprising: a chassis (2) carrying an engine (4), a starter (5) of the engine and a device for actuating said starter (5), a control unit, and an activatable/deactivatable device for energising the control unit, said vehicle (1) having an economical operating mode in which, in the activated state of the energising device, the control unit is designed to allow the motor (4) to be stopped without actuation of the energising device, said stoppage being called energised stoppage of the engine (4). The vehicle (1) comprises a memory for storing data relating to the number of starts of the engine (4) and the control unit is designed to allow or prohibit the energised stoppage of the engine (4), in the economical operating mode, according to said stored data.

In one aspect, a method for controlling an engine system includes starting the engine system, activating an engine idling reduction mode allowing automatic shutdown and automatic restarting of an engine, disallowing automatic shutdown of the engine within the engine idling reduction mode if a state of charge of a voltage source is below a charge limit for permitting automatic shutdown of the engine, and modifying the charge limit as a function of a number of starts of the engine. Other aspects include a method for disallowing automatic shutdown of an engine if a voltage source has not achieved a fully charged condition, a method of triggering an automatic restarting of an engine, if the engine is automatically shutdown, based on at least two separate indicators of engine temperature, and a method of disallowing automatic shutdown of an engine if ambient temperature is less than a predetermined value.

An engine system and method for operating an engine that includes a particulate filter is described. In one example, soot loading of a green particulate filter is increased to improve efficiency of the green particulate filter. The soot loading of the green particulate filter may be expedited so that by the time a vehicle reaches a customer or testing facility, the green particulate filter may be operating at a desired efficiency level.

An engine system and method for operating an engine that includes a particulate filter is described. In one example, soot loading of a green particulate filter is increased to improve efficiency of the green particulate filter. The soot loading of the green particulate filter may be expedited so that by the time a vehicle reaches a customer or testing facility, the green particulate filter may be operating at a desired efficiency level.

A powertrain control system may include an engine and a controller. The controller may be configured to, responsive to a maximum difference in battery voltage values remaining less than a threshold value during a period in which a number of engine stop-start cycles exceeds a limit, enable an automatic stop-start system of the engine.

A hybrid electric vehicle includes a controller and control method to control position of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine when the engine is stopped and the vehicle is moving to balance bearing wear associated with road-surface induced vibrations or oscillations imparted to the bearings while the crankshaft is not rotating. The controller is configured to store information relating to a cumulative time stopped at a plurality of angular positions of the crankshaft while the vehicle is in operation and/or moving, and to control stopping or repositioning of the crankshaft to balance or approximately evenly distribute the stopping positions among the plurality angular stopping positions to reduce or eliminate the possibility of excessive wear at any particular position relative to the others.