car battery connector replacement saturn vue

#Car battery connector replacement saturn vue generator#

The total number of GM hybrid models that have been built with the mild hybrid system has only been about 15,000 vehicles per year due to limited battery manufacturing capabilities. The same BAS system that is used in the Saturn VUE has also been used in the 2008 Saturn Aura hybrid, and the 2009 Chevy Malibu hybrid. The transmission fluid pump is powered through its own relay, and controlled by a separate transmission fluid pump control module.

#Car battery connector replacement saturn vue generator#

Power for both pumps is controlled by the generator module, and routed through a single 10-amp hybrid pump fuse in the fuse block assembly.Ī third pump is also used to keep transmission fluid circulating in the transmission when the engine is off during start/stop mode. The generator coolant pump shares an electrical circuit with a second electric pump that keeps coolant circulating to the heater core when the engine is off in start/stop mode. The high-voltage generator control module runs hot, so it has its own separate coolant pump to keep engine coolant circulating when the engine is off during the start/stop mode. The output through the auxiliary module is used to meet the vehicle’s electrical needs and to maintain the charge of the regular 12-volt battery (which is used for initial starting).

It converts the alternator’s 36-volt AC output to 12 volts DC. The auxiliary control module, on the other hand, functions like a conventional regulator. In start/stop mode, the generator module also converts 36 volts DC from the hybrid battery back into 36 volts AC when the BAS unit requires power to restart the engine, or to provide some extra kick when accelerating.

In normal driving mode, the generator control module converts the alternator’s three-phase, 36-volt alternating current (AC) output to 36 volts direct current (DC) to keep the hybrid battery charged. The BAS alternator’s output is controlled by two modules: the main generator control module, and an auxiliary control module. The 36-volt cables are color-coded orange. On the back of the BAS unit are three large cable connections that carry the 36 volts to the battery pack.

The BAS alternator actually outputs two different voltages: 12 volts for the vehicle’s electrical system and conventional battery, and 36 volts to maintain the charge of the nickel-metal-hydride hybrid battery pack located behind the rear seats. The “Belt-Alternator-Starter” (BAS) system used in the VUE is essentially a bolt-on hybrid conversion that uses an oversized, belt-driven alternator/starter motor mounted on the side of the engine. Wind resistance and rolling resistance affects fuel economy, too, so you can’t expect to get maximum fuel economy bucking a strong head wind or driving on underinflated tires. But nobody is going to get good fuel economy with jackrabbit starts and a heavy foot. With a light throttle, the VUE is fully capable of achieving its claimed fuel economy, or even better. Of course, a lot depends on how the vehicle is driven. It is better than what a regular VUE gets, but not as great as what they thought it would be. In fact, one of the major complaints Saturn VUE hybrid owners have had about their vehicles is disappointing fuel economy. The mild hybrid system in the VUE adds about $2,000 to the base price of the vehicle for a rather modest gain in fuel economy.