Adjusting Motor Torque to Enable Slip of Torque Converter Clutch to be Maintained when Accelerator Pedal Released in Hybrid Vehicle

A controller and a control strategy for a hybrid electric vehicle having a traction motor between an engine and an automatic transmission include maintaining a bypass clutch of a torque converter in an engaged position and applying a motor torque from a traction motor to the torque converter such that slip of the torque converter does not otherwise reach zero while the bypass clutch is maintained in the engaged position.