[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by JediKnight

1. Effect on engine longevity. I have a feeling that the "eco" mode may not have been tested as thoroughly as the default mode. If you search the forum you can find an Innova Crysta engine failure and the OP was using "eco" mode extensively.

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Is this true or Backed up scientifically ? I have a habit of using Eco mode usually when I drive as I am mostly a sedate driver.

Can anyone else also explain the drawbacks of using such a mode, especially for prolonged use ?.

ECO mode can mean slightly different things for different manufacturers, but I believe the basis is still the same for all:

Technically, it inhibits the performance of transmission and engine, by reducing the throttle response in favor of fuel economy. Consequently, the acceleration of the vehicle becomes less responsive and leads to less fuel consumption.

In addition on some cars, it might change the way the car shifts, sometimes lowers the use of AC and lights etc.

I would not be able to think through why driving around in ECO mode would have any negative effects. If anything there is a small positive affect. Every component in the car and the engine is likely to get a little less stressed.

Depending on your car/engine you might find ECO mode is not very useful on the motorway and when driving in mountainous terrain. At motorways the ability to accelerate at a good pace is important. In the mountains I guess in the worse case can cause engine lugging.

To a large degree it is identical as driving with a lighter right foot!

Jeroen

[AmitRavi07]

I have a question that has been in the back of my mind for some time now. How does a remap affect these drive modes and terrain response modes. Do these remaps completely overwrite the original maps with new values, if so, how is the car tested after a remap?

[saikarthik]

Originally Posted by JediKnight

1. Effect on engine longevity. I have a feeling that the "eco" mode may not have been tested as thoroughly as the default mode. If you search the forum you can find an Innova Crysta engine failure and the OP was using "eco" mode extensively.

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I would not be able to think through why driving around in ECO mode would have any negative effects. If anything there is a small positive affect. Every component in the car and the engine is likely to get a little less stressed.

Jeroen

@ JediKnight I don't know the background of the issue that you have mentioned. But as @Jeroen rightly said, it would only help more due to lower stress and rate of change of rpms are controlled in "eco" mode.

But point that made me think from you is for BS6 diesels for which there are SCR exhaust treatment systems where the whole operation of particulate filter de-sooting and effectiveness on the reaction itself depends on exhaust temperature and therefore sometimes higher rpm is needed to burn the soot off. If one drives sedate and lower distances constantly there might be DPF tell-tales lighting up on Instrument cluster. But this doesn't concern the engine.

Are there any BS6 diesels with "Eco" mode?

[AmitRavi07]

Originally Posted by saikarthik

Are there any BS6 diesels with "Eco" mode?

Harrier, Nexon, Kicks are a few that I know have dedicated eco drive modes. Although I have not heard anyone using eco on a regular basis, esp on Harrier, its really sluggish.

[raghukodali]

I have driven the past 35000 km of my Innova Crysta ZX on ECO mode and I am pretty happy with the eco mode. Never felt the need to go to the normal or the power mode.

This 35000 km includes bumper to bumper traffic in Bangalore as well as beautiful highways and quite a bit in the western ghats.

The power mode of Innova Crysta is "jerky" where passengers in the car will be pushed back when the accelerator is pressed and will be pulled to the from when the accelerator is released. I did not find the power mode comfortable at all.

I tested the normal mode a bit but pretty happy with the eco mode and it is always on in my car.

Checked with the dealer and Toyota as well and there is no negative impact on the engine in the eco mode. The manual also doesn't mention about any negative impact because of eco mode.

[TrackDay]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I would not be able to think through why driving around in ECO mode would have any negative effects. If anything there is a small positive affect. Every component in the car and the engine is likely to get a little less stressed.

Originally Posted by raghukodali

Checked with the dealer and Toyota as well and there is no negative impact on the engine in the eco mode. The manual also doesn't mention about any negative impact because of eco mode.

Thanks for the replies. This is indeed a matter of concern to me. The last thing I would replace on a brand new car would be the engine. Even if it is done by the manufacturer free of cost, I would faint at the sight of an engine transplant in a new car.

[TheVegabond]

Originally Posted by Samba

For off road-
ECU detects the wheel grip according to the terrain and supplies power accordingly.
Grip level differs in mud/slush, snow, sand, rocks. Hence different modes are given.

A good experienced driver can replicate any of these with his right foot. Correct accelerator modulation is whats needed.
I have seen an old jeep with no electronics in the hands of a good driver getting through, whereas a new gen SUV with all the bells and whistles getting stuck with a newbie driver.
Inexperienced drivers definitely get benefited from these modes. Am not against these modes, these definitely gives the driver some room for error on off-road.

Can't agree more. Few days ago, I was with my friend in his Nexon AMT and we had to go to a field which was a little off the road. There was a slope with no tarmac and the Nexon ran out of breath half way up the slope (merely, 20 meters). He put the car in sports mode, but it refused to climb despite revving it very hard. He had to roll all the way back down the slope and start again with real good momentum. Once we climbed the slope we saw a Wagon R climb the same slope without breaking a sweat.

While all these driving modes are useful in some way, most of these can be easily replicated manually with some practice.

[Bibin]

I use a 2016 Innova Crysta MT and I drive the car predominantly in the Normal mode and it resulted in better fuel efficiency than ECO mode, based on my experience. I'm a light foot driver and I found that number of gear shifts reduced tremendously while driving in Normal mode than Eco mode which in turn gave me better fuel efficiency. I always try to keep it between 70 to 80kmph during long drives which and have been extracting a mileage of 15.5kmpl consistently. This measurement is done on tank to tank refueling from the very same fuel station and its a Nayara pump and they offer Diesel with density above 830 consistently, which I think also matters as I get a reduced efficiency while filling from other IOC pumps where I saw the density is less than 820, but of course, when I push the pedal down further, I get the pleasure of swift acceleration and it will affect the fuel efficiency.

[x-o-b]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Is this some simple changes to ECU? Is there difference in BHP/Torque when I toggle modes? Is the implementation different in each model or manufacturer?

Recently, in my quest for ECU remapping, I spoke to a few tuners and I remember speaking to a gentleman from Cochin. He told me how his is the only Tuner service that provides "dynamically switchable ECU maps". A flick of a switch on the dashboard to switch between remapped and stock map. I guess, that's the trick with these modes.

My 2 cents of guesswork .