eHybrid - "Engine needs to run longer"

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
Hi.
Close to completing a 100 mile journey yesterday, this message started to appear then disappear on the display. The car was running great - mixture of battery and petrol drive, and showing the battery percentage rising (to 8%) then falling back as is usual (to 1%). The journey started with a full battery. Closer to home it was noticable that the engine was doing more of the work and on arriving home, the engine warning light came on.
I've charged the battery to full overnight and the car starts and runs ok today, but the warning light remains lit - there are no indications in the displays or app as to why.

Car has done 2500 miles only, is 2 months old and drives a complete mixture of electric and hybrid with a bit of Cupra for variety.
Oil, water and fuel are all good - any suggestions?

Note: I'm (that same) 100 miles from the dealer.....
 

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
1633360470680.png
that took some finding in the manual.....
Can't find anything about the 'Need to run longer' message though.
Could this be an E5 / E10 issue. Each of the handful of fill-ups have been E10.
 

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
1,996
889
Fife
Wouldn’t think the fuel will be the issue, seen a post today re the ‘battery condition’ sensor system, we replaced a few when I worked in the garage but not sure if charging or stop/start was the issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jcbmally

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
I've read up on the Run Longer issue - it is reported mostly with VW GTE's and looks to be the car systems attempting to keep the petrol engine in good shape by overriding the electric drive. This is to drive out moisture by getting the engine to running temperatures for 15 minutes (from other posts). It was tipping it down when the messages came up, and we had a/c running etc., too, maybe that coincided?
Meanwhile a SEAT Assist visit just now reveals that an exhaust recirc valve is stuck - according to the computer readouts. Advised not to drive the car: a courtesy car is on its way and Listers (Worcester) will pick up the Cupra as soon as a truck can get here.
I have to say at this point, the speed of response to the issue being reported is very good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jcbmally

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
Soo... the Cupra is fixed and back, although we had to go get it from the garage - 2 hours each way plus the fuel, and a £40 charge for being late with the hire car (couldn't finish work in time yesterday after being notified it was ready to collect). Leaves a bit of a sting for a warranty fix on a 2 month old car.
However, I got a nice video showing that my tyres, brakes and suspension are all still ok after 2500 miles........
 
May 2, 2021
136
51
Lol those videos are hilarious, especially for a nearly new car.
I recall the one I had from Mercedes, my tyres were in great condition…amazing as they’d only been on there a month, tell me something I don’t know!
More importantly. Is your car sorted?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
I agree @bigcarpchaser - it would have been much more useful to show something to do with the work that had been done.
The journey home was uneventful but involved wading thru traffic on small A-roads, nearly all petrol powered as the battery was only 8% when we collected the car. A trip planned for Saturday should hopefully confirm all is well.
 

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
1,996
889
Fife
I would be seriously huffed about the £40 charge for the courtesy? car, it was a warranty fault not your request, fingers crossed it’s sorted.
 

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
Turns out the £40 has been refunded (Enterprise). No news as to why, but not questionning......
Car ran well on Saturday, all modes ;-)

Just seems to have lost my favourite desitnations on the Nav.
Also, if you go into the options to disable the lane assist (for example) when you return to the primary display, its reset itself to the first view - you have to toggle thru the views to get back to the one you had before.
 

Kaxolo

Active Member
Dec 23, 2021
69
14
Hi.
Close to completing a 100 mile journey yesterday, this message started to appear then disappear on the display. The car was running great - mixture of battery and petrol drive, and showing the battery percentage rising (to 8%) then falling back as is usual (to 1%). The journey started with a full battery. Closer to home it was noticable that the engine was doing more of the work and on arriving home, the engine warning light came on.
I've charged the battery to full overnight and the car starts and runs ok today, but the warning light remains lit - there are no indications in the displays or app as to why.

Car has done 2500 miles only, is 2 months old and drives a complete mixture of electric and hybrid with a bit of Cupra for variety.
Oil, water and fuel are all good - any suggestions?

Note: I'm (that same) 100 m
Hello,

Any news on the "engine needs to run longer"? I have a seat leon and lately i´m getting that message a lot.
 
Apr 13, 2022
4
2
I've been getting this "engine needs to run longer" every ten seconds on almost every journey since a recall and software update this week. Nothing else touched and the dealer can't find a problem when I took it back. Interested to know if anybody else has had the same problem since an update? Or found any solutions?
 

Stebb

Active Member
Dec 28, 2010
155
23
60
Machynlleth
Have you plugged in and recharged recently?
The only possible remedy on here is that your hybrid settings are too high for the battery to recharge - have you manually adjusted them at all?
If so, move the slider back to 20% and try again.
It seems wierd that the car allows the situation but there you are - it does makeit flexible.
 
Apr 13, 2022
4
2
Have you plugged in and recharged recently?
The only possible remedy on here is that your hybrid settings are too high for the battery to recharge - have you manually adjusted them at all?
If so, move the slider back to 20% and try again.
It seems wierd that the car allows the situation but there you are - it does makeit flexible.
I generally leave the slider on zero and charge at home so it uses less petrol! But will check the garage haven't messed with it, thanks
 

.Griff.

Active Member
Jun 26, 2021
87
42
Ours has just started to do this as well.

I haven't seen the message once since we got the car last June but it's suddenly started today. My working hypothesis is that my Mrs recently started driving and is using the car to travel to work and back. Unlike me, she's driving very sedately using the battery only so I suspect the engine needs a run?!?
 

DandyAndy

Active Member
Oct 14, 2021
36
17
Another cause of engine needs to run longer is a designed function for hybrid cars. This is a quote from the owners handbook under the refuelling section found by member SEALen1.

"Vehicles with natural gas engines and hybrids. Every 6 months it is necessary to run on petrol until the control lamp switches off, and then the tank must be refilled. This is necessary to ensure that the system works properly, as well as the fuel quality required for driving with petrol."

I've had it happen twice with 6 month intervals between occurrences. After approx. 30 to 40 minutes of driving on petrol only, everything goes back to normal. This happens even if you have used the petrol engine previously and / or refuelled and not just battery only.

It's on page 317 on my downloaded owners manual and i think page 321 on the printed version.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Stebb and .Griff.

.Griff.

Active Member
Jun 26, 2021
87
42
Thanks, both. I took the car for a drive last night in hybrid mode with the engine running for about 30 minutes and it's all good again.

I think the message coincided with the Mrs driving the car recently (she's only just been added onto the insurance) and she predominantly uses electric mode only so the engine probably hasn't started in the last 100 miles driven.
 
Sep 12, 2021
1
0
I had the same thing happen last weekend on my '22 plate (2000miles). Strangely coincided with putting in e5 premium fuel (only ever run on new e10).

Did a 20 mile round trip (in comfort mode as not sure if pushing it would be harmful) and with it "stuck" on engine with eMode deactivated and no joy.

Been like that all week and this weekend, driven 12 miles daily, until today where I found this thread.

Took it for a 50 minute, 20 mile, Italian tune up in cupra mode, battery told to maintain 100% and regen high.

Sure did the trick for me with no intervention!

So a big thanks in order as I have this issue booked in with jct600 cupra Menston in a month for a 3 hour "stay with car" appointment.
 
Adrian Flux insurance services - discount for forum members.