So my long delay has come to an end. I installed the rear sway bar about 1.5 months ago and you can tell a difference. Because I installed the strut brace and sway bar at separate times, I would have to say the strut brace makes the bigger difference of the two if you have to make a choice. The rear sway bar is most noticeable in long sweeping corners both flat and banked. While I didn't feel that my car was twitchy at the least, it has a smooth entrance and exit to a corner, but it is in the middle of the corner where it is most noticeable. When you come upon the apex as well as just part it.

 

Hope this helps.

I wish I could. Work has been so busy that I haven't had time to install it. In fact thank you for reminding me it is in the garage waiting. :)

There are no stealth TSBs. None I repeat.

A tow dolly swivels in two places. The hitch itself and the base plate that the wheels ride on. I know from experience when I tried to back up our 38' Allegro approx 50 ft with out disconnecting the car and dolly after pulling in head first at a shop to get a tire replaced on the bus. The car turned slightly on the dolly while the dolly was straight behind the bus. Put a dent in the car door. Went to a tow bar with a Ford Edge and haven't looked back.. Convenience is a big plus, not having to mess with trailer tires that blow out, straps that wear or magically loosen.

 

To the OP.... no idea on how to work around your issue.

^{Sorry for the confusion. The focus should be on different blends of ethanol and gasoline versus 100% gasoline.}

 

^{1. Octane rating has nothing to do with efficiency or performance at the wheels. It is about controlling the ignition of the fuel. The resistance of the fuel preigniting.}

 

^{2. The higher the ethanol blend, the lower the BTU output of the fuel. BTU output = HP and efficiency.}

 

^{My discussion goal is this..... does running no ethanol result in better mileage versus running an ethanol blend. It is measurable in the real world with these cars? Either it is huge or miniscule in comparison to regular ICE cars.}

TSBs and software updates are not free after warranty, unless part of a RECALL. Recalls are free for the life of the car, not the owner. :)

If you are on good terms with your service guys, they MAY do a software update for free. One of the techs at my Ford dealer updated the PCM on my Mustang for free after I upgraded my wheels and tires.

 

SteveB is right on the mark.

If it is the one stored in the trunk, here it is. fm5z-10b706-a. Thanks to Russell and Smith Ford for the info. 648.14 was their cost.

Only the dealer can pull up the factory access code with their IDS system. No other scanners / diag tools can do this. They can only pull up the factory assigned code and can not change it. From my understanding this code is no where on the vehicle and is only printed on the access key code cards that came with the car. You can not order or get these cards from a dealer.

Great question,

 

I can tell you from experience that having a Ford rep here in the forum make the first contact through FMC 360 (the system they use) is perceived by the dealer to be the abrasive approach. Let me give you some background on the FMC 360 program. It was formerly called CUDL (pronounced Cuddle) and its primary use was to resolve customer complaint when they (dealer and customer) had exhausted all resources at a dealer leading them to call Ford. It was Fords way to manage problems and issues kind of like the BBB, but from an internal standpoint (remember all dealers are independent franchises). CUDL produced a lot of good thing for customers and was a place for dealers and FoMoCo to find common ground in settling problems that were outside the norm. FMC 360 is a much more advanced site that allows better information flow and quicker resolutions. Since Ford has been making a positive effort to reach out to consumers online, like ourselves, they have taken FMC 360 under their wing using it in a manner that CUDL couldn't be used. FMC 360 is reviewed daily via emails by GMs, Directors, and Managers at dealerships as the "claims" are submitted. When Ford submits a claim from the site here, they use mileage, VIN and customer complaint. Then the dealer gets a FMC 360 notification stating that there is a customer or potential customer of theirs has a problem. How would you like to find out your customer has a problem for the first time via email? Kind of like your GF breaking up with you via text and now you have to fix it, but where do you start?. It takes the relationship completely out of the equation. There is pressure for a dealer to keep the FMC 360 slate clean. While it is there to remedy problems, many of the problems we are experiencing can be remedied just the same by us driving into the dealership on our own. As it sits right now, the Ford reps on here are scheduling appointments with a viewing window that allows them to review your specific issue and see the resolution as the dealer is required to respond. While this is good in several aspects, just think about you trying to do your job and someone is watching over your shoulder and then asking you to report on what you find and how you resolved it. I know I wouldn't want to work in this manner.

 

Some things I have read on here that could use the structure of FMC360.....Engine issues, transmission issues, major electrical issues, multiple failures of a part

 

 

Some things that I have read on here that don't need FMC 360....

This thread about the keyless entry not working sometimes, minor first time repairs, squeaky trunks, rattles,etc.

 

We forget that our vehicles primary goal is to take us from point A to point B. The rest is just convenience and luxury. The Ford reps on here are doing a great job and serve us in an awesome way, but we too can serve ourselves by making a phone call and setting up and appt. or driving into the service lane and building a relationship while explaining how important your cars issue(s) are and getting the almighty feedback. To summarize, there is noting but upside in making your visit with the dealer in person.

I was just reading some EPA testing mumbo jumbo and it made me think about the gasoline we put in our tank. Some of us could really be benefiting from 100% gasoline where others are getting a blend of gasoline and ethanol which is proven to have less BTU resulting in less power and economy.

 

I have been using 85/15E and getting 41.5 avg per tank. I am wondering if I switch over to 100%, which I will have to seek out around here in Houston, will it bring my mileage up any and how much?

 

What blend of gasoline are you using?

 

Buzzes created by the ICE eCVT combo? What are you talking about.

 

The ICE eCVT combination has nothing to do with the drivers side B pillar rattling...

 

And yes the build quality is quite poor, I've got access using HELM to all the TSB's and they're what, 21 or something already? Smelly AC, headliner problems, rattles, ting click pop noises, fuel tank problems, fuel pump problems, radio problems, seat problems, battery charging problems, shall I continue?

 

That's quite a broad brush you are painting with. While I don't denounce you have any issues with your car, it is far from a poor build quality overall. Your interpretation of TSBs and how they relate to a car is completely inaccurate. TSB's don't have anything to do with build quality. TSB's are technical service bulletins that are designed to help technicians fix problems. They have no correlation to quality of work by a manufacturer. Example given..... You have a rattle issue. There is only one SSM (special service message) on "Fit/Finish/Body" and it tells the tech to disable the active noise cancelling system before starting NVH diagnostics. There are ZERO TSBs currently on "Fit/Finish/Body." I have read some of your other threads before this one and they all seem to be negative towards the FFH in general including this one. If you want to be a valued in this community, complaining about your car on every thread you can post on doesn't help your case and won't make the ownership and enjoyment of your car any better. We should be here supporting one another to make our experiences better owning a FFH the best it can be and finding solutions instead of validating our gripes and complaints. I have access to anything and everything a dealer has access to for the FFH and I challenge you to do the same as I do and take the time to use the resources you have at your fingertips (HELM subscription) and inform our fellow hybrid users.

 

Respectfully,

When I'm doing this on the highway I switch back & forth between Empower & Engage. I like Empower because that allows me to make sure I keep the power demand above the EV threshold. But, I like Engage so that I can see when the car is using EV assist along with the ICE.

 

 

I see what you are doing there.... :) I use the empower along with the battery SOC arrows to see if the car is using the ICE and EV together.

 

I understand what you guys are saying, my car just doesn't seem to behave that way.

I don't mean mine goes in EV mode to drain the battery, it uses EV assist (both ICE and EV at the same time), even on flat terrain, until it depletes the battery about 10%.Then recharges. It's like it constantly wants to cycle. During the EV Assist on flat terrain, I see instant MPG at around 50 or so, but it's also depleting the battery and needs to recharge so it's a wash. And there doesn't seem to be anything I can do to make it ignore EV assist. If I give it more gas, it assists more, if I back off on the gas it goes into full EV. Granted I only tried it 4-5 times on my 900 mile trip to Boston over the 4th, so maybe I wasn't doing it quite right.

 

Make sure you are using the Empower gauge. With the wrong gauge you are just herding cats (chasing the impossible).

So what was the result of taking it into the service department?

My dad and I went to the Twin Cities Auto Show today. I was disappointed in the Ford display. They had one Fusion Hybrid S (out of 4 Fusions), one C-Max Hybrid, but no Energi models at the Ford display; and there was one MKZ Hybrid at the Lincoln display (out of 5 MKZs). In the special "Green Room" they had a C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi (but the Fusion Energi was locked so you couldn't get in it :cry:). I sure wish they would display more of them. I overhead a number of people asking the Ford employees about the hybrid/Energi models. I listened to couple of the Ford employees explaining about them and, while they did better than most dealership employees, they didn't do a very good job selling the potential customers on the advantages of the hybrids. One even just reverted to talking about the Ecoboost Fusion, ignoring the request for information about the hybrid. When the Ford employees won't even promote the hybrids when a potential customer asks for information about them, that says a lot and is extremely disappointing.

 

Auto shows are unique animal. We all want to see different things as consumers and Ford wants to show certain things as a manufacturer. Many of the cars you see on the auto show circuit are hand built cars. They were originally prototypes / first 10 cars built and they spend their life after testing / fitments / design changes as the manikins of the car world. then you add that aside from the major auto shows in Detroit and LA you wont hardly see a Ford person in sight. Even at the Detroit and LA, they are wandering around looking at other manufacturers models. Marketing groups work all shows. Ford has several of them that are divided up among different groups....trucks, cars, type of event, etc. For example there was one marketing group that had the trucks and cars that were outside at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. There was another marketing group that had some Ford trailers, cutaway engines, and special response vehicles. the vehicles inside the arena were manned by salesmen from local dealerships. Often the ones that a dealer can do without for that time slot. Tours and training are handled by different marketing companies.

For the 2013-2014 it's a plug and play kit. You can probably install it yourself. The only catch is the dealer will have to hook it up to their IDS computer and turn on the programming. Back to the original question....yes you will have a second small key fob with your remote start button on it. It will not integrate with the factory fob even if you go and buy the key that has the button.

Funny thing is the large diesel truck is more economical than a similar sized gas model. Power stroke vs the V10 Triton anyone? Diesel vs gas Ford Excursion?

 

 

30% to be exact....if the trucks are apples to apples (i.e. 4door, 4wd, same trim level, etc.). I used to work for Ford visiting dealers and customers (fleets and installers) as the Power Stoke Diesel rep. I could tell you stories....ohhh the stories I could tell.

Maybe I need to stop driving with one hand in my lap :shift: :) :) :)

Here. Either this will put this issue to bed or add fuel to the fire. :ohsnap:

IMO, since we rarely ever use more than 1/2 throttle, the black smoke thing doesn't seem out of line. Any vehicle not driven hard, then suddenly floored will smoke. Thats just carbon or other stuff that builds up in the cylinders being pushed out by the rapidly rising cylinder pressure.

 

I wouldn't worry...also I wouldn't do that very often...I'm just not sure that the Atkinson cycle engines are really good at full throttle long duration applications. They have huge valve overlap that pushes some unburnt air-fuel mixture back into the intake and on the next intake stroke, all that extra air-fuel has to go somewhere. I'd bet the charge is very rich after a few cycles, causing smoke. Adding that to the unburnt stuff and look at what you get.

 

The fuel that renters the intake is exhaust gas and not unburned fuel. This reintroduction of exhaust gas into the intake creates a higher mixture of inert gas / fresh air and fuel in the combustion chamber therefore making the combustion cycle more complete and lowering emissions.

Here is the GPS info.

 

 

tsb14-0037.pdf

Is there a way to recalibrate it? Maybe driving in a figure 8 or something? I have had phones that I have had to do this with.

I think the only way you have a case is if the dealer advertised the vehicle as having navigation. A check list stating the "navigation passed" is something you probably received after taking ownership of the car. That is not misrepresentation of the product. That is a mistake or difference of interpretation by the make ready / service department.

I am not a technician, but this comes from Oasis. I believe that the All Data representation of the codes are misleading. As you can see below, it appears the P0A3E is the initial code causing symptoms for your transmission. The P1A14 just tells you that your transmission is disabled. Sounds like there is an issue on your vehicle and I would take it in for service.

 

P1A14

Hybrid Powertrain Control Module - Transmission Disabled Description Possible Causes Diagnostic Aids Action Refer to the Description, Possible Causes and Diagnostic Aids for the DTC.

 

 

P0A3E Generator Inverter Over-Temperature Description Possible Causes

• Motor electronics cooling system concerns
• The vehicle was driven beyond its design specifications
• Damaged transaxle

Action

GO to Pinpoint Test TL

P0A3E Flowchart.pdf

I just pulled it back a bit and the wires fell right into it. Didn't have to remove the A pillar trim.