Got Active grille shutters? Buzzing/humming sound when switched off?

[2014FordFusionSE]

I didn't know where to post this so moderators, please feel free to move.

 

One of the features on the FFH website says: Active grille shutters close to reduce drag

(It's in the Aerodynamic Design section: http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/trim/hybrid/)

 

Anyone know if it's standard? I read about it on another forum but no one knows for sure.

 

I'm trying to trace a buzzing/humming sound that seems to come from the front of the car after I switch it off.

Seems like there's a motor closing/opening something. Sounds like the motor on the driver's seat, except it's coming from the outside.

 

Thanks.

[GrySql]

This year old Topic might be what you are hearing.

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/6346-shutters-buzzing-or-something-else/?p=47695

[SteveB_TX]

I can't speak for the non-hybrid crowd, but grill shutters are standard on all 2013-14 MKZ and Fusion hybrids. :)

[Easy Rider]

Oh crap. Just something else to break and cause trouble.

THIS "innovation" falls into the category of "not worth it" for me, given the TINY effect and large potential for aggravation.

I hope it at least has some easy way to force it open permanently if and when it fails.

[inco]

I can't speak for the non-hybrid crowd, but grill shutters are standard on all 2013-14 MKZ and Fusion hybrids. :)

 

I am not aware of them on my FFH, but assuming the information is correct, what happened in the winter when people stuffed their grilles with foam to help with the car heating up faster? Did that affect the shutters? Seems to me it might and so I am asking.

[hybridbear]

GrySql is right that the buzzing you hear is not the shutters but is the brake booster pump. Numerous members confirmed this by watching the shutters open & close without making a sound.

 

As far as shutters & grille blocking - the shutters don't do much to keep the ICE warm, their primary function is aerodynamics. This is per Gil Portalatin who is responsible for hybrid powertrains at Ford. The shutters will open if the ICE coolant exceeds a certain temp or when the A/C is on to provide maximum airflow across its radiator.

 

Shine a flashlight through the grill slats to see the shutters. They're black and look like blinds that you might have in your house.

Edited April 29, 2014 by hybridbear

[Easy Rider]

 

I am not aware of them on my FFH, but assuming the information is correct, what happened in the winter when people stuffed their grilles with foam to help with the car heating up faster? Did that affect the shutters? Seems to me it might and so I am asking.

 

Depending on how and where they put the foam, it might interfere with the shutters .....BUT......

 

The shutters are a brand new gizmo.

The haven't been used on ANYTHING prior to a couple of years ago.

And they serve an entirely different function, claiming to cut down the aero drag just a TINY bit at highway speeds where a little airflow won't be missed.

I think it's a stretch.

[corncobs]

Every little bit of reducing the drag help the FE.

There is very interesting video link somewhere around the forum where the details about the Fusions aerodynamics are explained.

[corncobs]

I found it. It was originally post while talking about mud flaps I believe.

 

Since we're talking aerodynamics here, check out this video about the FFH aerodynamics. This explains some of what we see with the dirt.

 

[acdii]

Grill covers increase aerodynamics more than the shutters do, but when closed they block a lot of the turbulent air that flows through the radiator into the engine compartment and redirects the flow to under the car. Every little bit helps. It is also not new technology, shutters have been used all the way back to WWII on fighters and bombers. When they need cooling they open the shutters on the oil and radiator coolers, and close them when they dont to help improve airflow.

[Waldo]

 

Depending on how and where they put the foam, it might interfere with the shutters .....BUT......

 

The shutters are a brand new gizmo.

The haven't been used on ANYTHING prior to a couple of years ago.

And they serve an entirely different function, claiming to cut down the aero drag just a TINY bit at highway speeds where a little airflow won't be missed.

I think it's a stretch.

 

What's your definition of TINY? If you look straight at the front of a car, the grill opening represents a pretty large portion of the frontal area. And how much of a "gizmo" is a Venetian blind with an electric motor. It's not exactly rocket science. Compared to all the real "gizmos" on the FFH, the grill shutters should be the last thing you're worried about.

[SteveB_TX]

Just don't get water on Gizmo after midnight! :)

Edited April 30, 2014 by SteveB_TX

[Easy Rider]

 

What's your definition of TINY? If you look straight at the front of a car, the grill opening represents a pretty large portion of the frontal area.

 

And there is still a fair amount of nooks and crannies left to create air turbulence OUTSIDE the influence of the internal "shutters".

 

As someone else said, a grill block would (or could) be much more effective.

 

Just simply angling the vanes into the flow of air causes some drag.

Maybe not as much as what it would hit next if the shutter wasn't there but the net difference can't be THAT much.

 

It probably gains about as much as the "fake" spoiler on the back looses for you. ;)

[ptjones]

I saw an improvement of about 1-2mpg at Fwy speeds when I tested LEXAN Grill Covers on 2014 FFH. :)

 

Paul

[Waldo]

 

And there is still a fair amount of nooks and crannies left to create air turbulence OUTSIDE the influence of the internal "shutters".

 

As someone else said, a grill block would (or could) be much more effective.

 

Just simply angling the vanes into the flow of air causes some drag.

Maybe not as much as what it would hit next if the shutter wasn't there but the net difference can't be THAT much.

 

It probably gains about as much as the "fake" spoiler on the back looses for you. ;)

 

Actually on most cars the rear spoilers reduce drag.

What the vanes do is build up pressure in front of them. That forces air up over the hood and around the sides of the car rather than through the radiator, around the engine and into the dash. I don't have Fusion data, but on another sedan it's worth about 0.015 on the Cd, which isn't HUGE, but it's far from TINY. For reference, that's about 3 times as effective as an under-engine panel and about twice as effective as a 10mm ride height reduction. Also on that car the spoiler reduced the Cd by 0.005.

[acdii]

1" diameter increase in tire size has a much larger impact than a spoiler would ever have(unless its one of those god awful ricer ones). Hybridbear knows what I am referring to with tires. His first one had 17" his new one 18", and different tires too.

[Waldo]

1" diameter increase in tire size has a much larger impact than a spoiler would ever have(unless its one of those god awful ricer ones). Hybridbear knows what I am referring to with tires. His first one had 17" his new one 18", and different tires too.

 

The two available tires on the FFH aren't different in diameter by 1", only the wheels are. Overall tire diameter will make a big difference in how it affects the overall gearing, but the wheel size has nothing to do with fuel efficiency by itself, it's all depending on the tire construction and compounding.

[acdii]

 

The two available tires on the FFH aren't different in diameter by 1", only the wheels are. Overall tire diameter will make a big difference in how it affects the overall gearing, but the wheel size has nothing to do with fuel efficiency by itself, it's all depending on the tire construction and compounding.

I meant to say wheel size, not tire. The larger wheel has more mass to overcome, plus the tires on the 18 aren't as good LRR wise as the 17" Michelins. Both of these factor in to lower fuel economy over the 17" equipped FFH.

[chajones]

I can't speak for the non-hybrid crowd, but grill shutters are standard on all 2013-14 MKZ and Fusion hybrids. :)

Is this true? It says "Available active grill shutters" on Ford's website which leads me to beleive it is an option or part of a package.

[jonessoda]

I meant to say wheel size, not tire. The larger wheel has more mass to overcome, plus the tires on the 18 aren't as good LRR wise as the 17" Michelins. Both of these factor in to lower fuel economy over the 17" equipped FFH.

 

I can personally attest to this. I bought a set of the 18" wheels that came on the sport package and put some nice touring tires on there. It changed the way the car rode, but it also took a significant chunk out of my fuel economy. The extra unsprung weight was murder on the electric motor, so it would eat through the battery a lot sooner. I'm talking about losses of up to 10mpg overall. So, I put the stock 17s back on and am now sitting on a $2000 set of wheels and tires. Win some, and lose some, I guess.

[Easy Rider]

 

The extra unsprung weight was murder on the electric motor, so it would eat through the battery a lot sooner.

 

I don't think your assumption about the extra weight being the most significant factor is right.

 

The biggest factor likely is the tire compound and construction.

 

The larger tires probably are built for sticky performance......and as such have a high rolling resistance, a bigger contact patch and shorter tread life.

[Waldo]

I don't think your assumption about the extra weight being the most significant factor is right.

 

The biggest factor likely is the tire compound and construction.

 

The larger tires probably are built for sticky performance......and as such have a high rolling resistance, a bigger contact patch and shorter tread life.

 

I actually agree with you for once! True, the rolling resistance is likely a bigger factor than the weight.

 

And since we're being picky, unsprung weight doesn't affect your fuel economy, rotational weight does. Unsprung means anything on the road side of the spring, so the knuckle, ball joints, brake caliper and such are all unsprung weight, but they won't affect your fuel economy any more than the same weight anywhere else in the car. Unsprung weight will certainly change the ride of the car though.

[jonessoda]

Oh, you're right. I wasn't thinking it completely through. I remember reading a lot about unsprung weight when I was selecting those wheels (since they are quite a bit heavier than the 17s, by about 10lbs per tire/wheel), and got caught up in thinking that might have played a role in my fuel economy going down so much.

 

I don't remember off the top of my head the tires I put on there, but while they aren't LRR tires, they were not super sticky either. They were a touring tire with a relatively long tread life, I wasn't trying to make it so I'd be winning any races. I did my homework when I got the ones I did and thought they would be similar to what came on the car. I was really surprised by how adversely my economy was affected.

[swingdj]

 

I am not aware of them on my FFH, but assuming the information is correct, what happened in the winter when people stuffed their grilles with foam to help with the car heating up faster? Did that affect the shutters? Seems to me it might and so I am asking.

 

I stuffed my grill with foam (black foam water pipe insulation from Lowe's) this winter and the foam isn't anywhere near the shutters. The vertical grill supports keep the foam from going in too far.