While I totally get the "dead horse" sentiment... I really like this post. Good on pt for trying something different and being happy! On the other hand, I just don't understand the complete and utter obsession with posting about it and suggesting that others do the same. There is little way the benefits outweigh the risks... But, to each his own.

Here's my saga. My car was gently driven, too, but it still happened. It isn't an unusual problem... keep reading on here. I can't imagine you'll win that fight, but good luck. Despite the issue, I love the model so much that I ended up trading the 2013 for a very similar 2018. It wasn't worth the aggravation to me to fight it beyond what I tried. http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/11981-so-i-need-a-new-transmission

Sorry, but it makes me laugh when you make these proclamations! When you first bought a hybrid, was SOC display one of your "must have" requirements? I kid... ;)

Congrats! I love my 2018, too. Great car, so far. Previously had a 2013 for 4.5 years that was awesome for almost 100k miles, then took a nosedive (but limped, with a squealing, dieing transmission to 118k). My wife's 2014 is on 130k+ miles and doing alright. They are a comfortable, economical ride.

That's really odd, but whatever works for you! Enjoy the Mustang. I just purchased one as my weekend ride. Since it's a manual, both my legs will be getting a workout! ;)

Just like any car - MPG = (total)miles driven/gallons used. Calculating fuel use using such a small sample size can be very misleading. My guess is this was a one-way trip, with negative elevation change. Don't be surprised if your return trip is much different than that result.

Oh yes, I just remembered - there are actually two plastic clips - one on each side, but my guess is they were mainly for initial factory install. Once all the screws are in place, they don't seem to provide much in the way of structural support. I dare say you could even lose these and the shield would still remain unflappable.

The shield under the engine is fastened with screws. They don't break and shouldn't just come out on their own. It's a coarse thread into thick plastic inserts in the frame. The only possible way I can imagine would be if they used a powered driver and drove them so hard they stripped. I always use a hand tool to remove and replace them and stripping them that way would be difficult. If any are missing, it's the fault of whoever is changing your oil. I've done my own oil changes on three of these vehicles every 10k miles with total miles across all three vehicles of nearly 300k miles. I've never had an issue with these screws.

The drive system is covered for 100,000 miles. You need to get your dealer to acknowledge a problem and make a diagnosis before you reach that number. My dealer waffled and continued to say everything seemed normal. Once I went over, and I mean just over, they were suddenly able to diagnose the problem and tell me that I had gone from absolutely nothing wrong to needing a new transmission... Good luck!

Cool. FYI, that's pretty much what I get when under those same conditions, simply by driving at the speed limit... easy on the brake, easy on the gas. I was flirting with 58 about halfway through my last tank, but then we got rain. Oh well.

I'd prefer a leased vehicle over a rental. Only $1,600 less for more than twice the miles? Knowing nothing else, the 2016 would be an easy choice for me. Just don't look at the depreciated value of either car in a year or two...

I interpreted the use of "harmonics" to describe the issue as being more subtle and variable depending on certain conditions and speed. Not really rattles, per se, at least if my perception is the same as the OP.

@mes99194, I think I understand what you mean here with regard to harmonics. I also think that some people, maybe most, don't really perceive the issue. You're referring to slight vibrations that occur under specific circumstances. What I've noticed is that these circumstances change over time, possibly due to changes in temperature. I don't think it's a major mechanical issue, or even something like tires, as suggested above. Chances are you take it to a dealer, and they'll probably either not perceive it, or say there's nothing that can be done and it's not a problem. One theory I've had is that this occurs just as often in regular cars, but it's more perceptible under quiet EV operation. For the most part, I've been able to ignore most slight buzzes and hums, since they eventually seem to fade or go away completely. Others stop after applying some pressure to an area, but that's only when I can pinpoint an actual source. All in all, still the best three cars I've ever purchased, and that includes my experience with a failing transmission that my dealer conveniently couldn't diagnose until after the warranty expired. But, that's another story. ;)

Actually, the "meds" comments are uncalled for and inappropriate. Here's how I see it. Anyone is free to make a point, and I'm free to agree or disagree. And make a counterpoint if I so desire. If anything, PT is persistent. Personally, I wish he'd give it up, but I don't think it's justification to attack him personally.

I've never found it in my 18. I found it to be a useful feature in my 13. I could climb the ramps in the parking garage at work on just EV.

Uh, yeah. I forgot you're the resident expert here... I under inflated my tires? Your recommendations regarding tire pressure are out of line and irresponsible. You're recommending a pressure 40% higher than the car manufacturer. Come on man, give it up.

But my real point was, any difference was negligible, and not worthy of my effort. I've done very well MPG-wise without fussing around with any mods.

If anyone is interested, I've documented my success on here with the OEM Michelin tires. 75-80k, IIRC. And, it was not necessary to overinflate to that extent. Yes, I tried it briefly, and the car lost stability, and seemed inherently less safe to me. I do not recommend following ptjones' advice regarding overinflation.

I blocked my grill with foam for a single winter in 2013-14. Other than being able to get heat a little sooner without forcing the ICE to run constantly, I couldn't discern any significant improvement in full economy. The placebo effect was strong, however, and I may have posted that my experience was great, but really, it was... meh. Not worth the effort, imo. Haven't done it since then, and I really couldn't say my MPGs have suffered for it. I'm well above EPA sticker numbers on both cars I've driven over that time.Have fun with your mods, but folks should know that none of them are the key to higher MPGs.

2013 was gone by the time I posted that. I was replying to the post before that one, but now I'm wondering if I had misinterpreted it. No matter - not a very active thread!

The touch-sensitive buttons below the big screen in the early Gen2 models with My Ford Touch (13-14, I think) beeped by default. Generally, they are a little frustrating to use, because you have to touch them just right, or they don't respond. Ford switched back to real, physical buttons on later models based on customer feedback.

In my experience, rain is a SIGNIFICANT factor that reduces efficiency.

That's awesome @Sleddog! I loved the lifetime info on my 2013, but I can't remember where I was when I traded it in. I think my high water mark was 52.8, and would have eventually hit 53, if not for the transmission dying... The rolling average MPG numbers in my 2018 don't really mean as much to me.

You won't get the rated MPG if you do a lot of driving on highways at that speed, period. The car is most efficient at speeds somewhat lower than that. If the speed limit on your road is 70, well, you get what you get and you'll just have to live with it. If it's 55, slow down. ;)

I don't think you get it. It's not just the car. It's the drive, the driver, the climate, number of passengers, among other things... Think of the EPA numbers as an average, not a guaranteed minimum. Or, just disregard all that and keep complaining.