FACT: If you just do everything you are told, you will miss out on a lot in life.

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

I can tell ya ... if SOC is not in the settings of a '20 FFH (and I'm doubting it), then the current car will be my last Ford. Oh well.

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.

It made me sad to part with my five year old Fusion SE. It had just under 50,000 miles and I felt almost the perfect car getting me avg 40 mpg.

But when my dad gave me his mustang and I drove it exclusively for a month, my left knee problem went away! Get back in my Fusion, knee ache returned! I do not get an ache driving my wifes Mercedes and not in my new (2017 used) Audi. So investigating my leg position in the Fusion I found that the left foot rest was closer to me than the brake pedal this caused an awkward foot position that took over four years to develop into a constant knee ache for me!

 

So my knee is now fine, I think the Fusion is a great car but if you have a left knee problem experiment for yourself

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.

I have the same noise and I believe that it is coming from beneath the car from the cover that seals the bottom of the car. They have to loosen or remove this cover for oil changes and there are some plastic push in clips that hold this in place and I have found that some of these clips are broken or have come loose from having to be removed every time the oil is changed.

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!

Now with the consistent 70-80+ degree temps and no significant rain my average on this tank is 57.5 mpg with 306 miles and climbing with speeds between 35-55 mph around home and no Interstate driving using my MPG Tips.

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...

Agree with mwr. I too read the OP as more than a small jiggle here and there.

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.

EV+ is on '17 FFH (mine) and as far as I know on '18 FFH as well. Check vehicle settings (left screen), I think it's a toggle setting I think.

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.

Because you under inflated your tires they lasted 10k miles less than mine so with tires costing $800 it cost you $100 more than mine plus $43 in extra gas for the loss in MPG's. Tire Manufacture recommends using tire pressure that gives you even tire wear for maximum range. As you can see I'm getting even as shown in post#2. BTW tires are more stable at higher pressures, because it takes out some sidewall flex, the cause for instability. I like responsive steering, less spongy felling when you are changing directions.

 

Have Fun Improving MPG's :)

Paul

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.

 

You said that " Other than being able to get heat a little sooner without forcing the ICE to run constantly" if the ICE runs less you are automatically getting better gas mileage. :)

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.

The only thing I did was add Gill Covers to the rental FFH and which I sold some sets to FFH owners and many more FFH owners made their own from foam and plastic. http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/7788-preparing-for-winter-with-a-comprehensive-strategy-to-improve-mpgs-including-grille-blocking-more/page-1 Again it is interesting to note that not a single user said they didn't work for the record. :) Most of the earlier main posters on this forum used them.

 

Paul

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.

How do you have Android Auto on your 2013 FFH?

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.

Had the car since October. Temps less than 50 F make it worse. Rain doesn't seem to matter too much.

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. ;)

 

Unfortunately, you don't get your money back because the car doesn't live up to the stated EPA numbers.

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.