Software Updates from Ford to improve MPGs

[LASooner]

What, and we're supposed to be monitoring the Empower gauge too? :drop:

 

I wonder what the average mpg's for the FFH in the various major cities might be.

 

I'm getting about 36, I live at 1500ft and work at 24 ft, so I get great mileage on the way to work and not so great on the way home. This is my first week commuting since I got the update and have noticed only moderate gains so far.

 

My route is 14 to the 5 to the 405 through the valley into west la to the 10 in Santa Monica, it's a pretty rough commute most days especially during all this construction.

[B25Nut]

John Voelcker at Green Car Reports needs more feedback about how the software update has improved mileage for FFH owners before he will mention anything on the web site. He can be contacted at http://www.highgearmedia.com/contact

If he hears from enough of us, he says he will do another test drive report.

[Fastronaut]

Just had the PCM update done his morning while I waited. It took about 45 minutes plus another 15 minutes for the dealer to wash the car and do paperwork. I didn't get a chance to drive on any highways, so can't tell about the performance; however, I did seem to get better MPG on the way home averaging 46.7 MPG on the 6.8 mile return trip.

[GrySql]

I just force charged the HVB to 100%, then disconnected both batteries (again). I'll follow Drew's suggestion and baby it for a day, then my 1,500 mile trip starts Saturday.

The first leg of this trip is up and over the High Sierra Mountains, over 11,000' with many ups and downs. Some Mojave Desert driving thrown in for good measure.

-

LASooner, you do have a very nasty commute, I know it well.

[GrySql]

My first 13 mile mixed drive after following Drew's 100% HVB Hard Reset was over 50mpg, a good start.
I'll post a picture later, haven't figured out how to do that on an iPhone.

My braking could be better, but that shows what a topped off HVB can do.

 

Edited September 13, 2013 by GrySql

[Skydogz]

My first 13 mile mixed drive after following Drew's 100% HVB Hard Reset was over 50mpg, a good start.

I'll post a picture later, haven't figured out how to do that on an iPhone.

I like the White, have not yet seen one on the road.

[acdii]

My first 13 mile mixed drive after following Drew's 100% HVB Hard Reset was over 50mpg, a good start.

I'll post a picture later, haven't figured out how to do that on an iPhone.

So do you think that your car is going to be OK now?

[Fastronaut]

Had the car out today for limited high speed test and noticed that it went into EV mode at 70 MPH on the highway. Still hasn't learned where home is yet.

[dkegel]

Had the car out today for limited high speed test and noticed that it went into EV mode at 70 MPH on the highway. Still hasn't learned where home is yet.

How do you know when the car has learned where home is?

 

Dave

[murphy]

How do you know when the car has learned where home is?

 

Dave

As you approach home the EV in the left display will change to EV+.

[Fastronaut]

EV to EV+ -- The same is true for frequently visited places, like work.

[jeff_h]

EV to EV+ -- The same is true for frequently visited places, like work.

 

Or in the case of acdii with this 'Take One' 2013 FFH -- his dealer's service dept.

Edited September 13, 2013 by jeff_h

[GrySql]

So do you think that your car is going to be OK now?

It's way to early to know that but I am ever hopeful.

Our 9 day trip starting tomorrow will produce some findings I'm sure.

To be continued....

[acdii]

 

Or in the case of acdii with this 'Take One' 2013 FFH -- his dealer's service dept.

True, Oh so True!

 

I got My Girl back and she is looking so Purdy now! That whine I hear apparently is normal, I never noticed it in the first one, or in the 2010, but they seem to feel not abnormal for the car. They didnt replace that trim piece on the door, so next time it pops just going to epoxy that sumbiotch on. The bumper looks good, I can tell it was repainted only because I know it was, and can tell with Polariods on, the flake count is just a slight lower than factory and shows with the sunglasses on, but if you didnt know it was painted, you wouldnt know by looking at it, so 100% satisfied. Now that I have the tints, last thing is the bumper protector for under the trunk lid.

 

My driving the Flex though has affected my Fusion driving, forgot twice to slow down early and hosed the brake score and MPG. Even so, I still did over 40 on a short trip and cold engine. Glad to have it back after being gone 8 days. Oh and it did not go into EV+ on my return trip after the road test with the SA. :)

[IraF]

I have done a hard reset, but not with the Hyb fully charged and the mpg was around 44.mpg.
so today 9/13 I sat in the car with foot on gas pedal till the Hyb was 100% capacity. Turned off engine and then disconnected the Hyb and then disconnected the negative end of 12V bat and waited about 10minutes. Reconnected negative end of 12V battery and then reconnected the Hyb battery, the instructions were to baby the first 10 miles.
I drove thru some streets where speed was 35mph and adhered to that and then got on a highway that circles the city in an area where no stoplights were and adhered to the 55mph and the total time was about 32 minutes.

Before the second reset I noticed that the level of the Hyb went almost to the bottom of the scale, after the second reset the level is slightly below half and never went to the bottom of the scale.

BTW no AC was needed since the temp was between 65 and 70F and both driver and passenger windows were about 1/4 the way down.

Edited September 14, 2013 by IraF

[Fastronaut]

 

 

 

I have done a hard reset, but not with the Hyb fully charged and the mpg was around 44.mpg.

so today 9/13 I sat in the car with foot on gas pedal till the Hyb was 100% capacity. Turned off engine and then disconnected the Hyb and then disconnected the negative end of 12V bat and waited about 10minutes. Reconnected negative end of 12V battery and then reconnected the Hyb battery, the instructions were to baby the first 10 miles.

I drove thru some streets where speed was 35mph and adhered to that and then got on a highway that circles the city in an area where no stoplights were and adhered to the 55mph and the total time was about 32 minutes.

Before the second reset I noticed that the level of the Hyb went almost to the bottom of the scale, after the second reset the level is slightly below half and never went to the bottom of the scale.

BTW no AC was needed since the temp was between 65 and 70F and both driver and passenger windows were about 1/4 the way down.

It would be interesting to compare with AC on. Nice results. Edited September 14, 2013 by Fastronaut

[MaineFusion]

 

Or in the case of acdii with this 'Take One' 2013 FFH -- his dealer's service dept.

My FFH is pretty close to adding my dealer to the EV+ list.

 

I still wish it would kick into EV+ mode twice as far from the destination than it does.

[TerrorTodd]

I just force charged the HVB to 100%, then disconnected both batteries (again). I'll follow Drew's suggestion and baby it for a day, then my 1,500 mile trip starts Saturday.

The first leg of this trip is up and over the High Sierra Mountains, over 11,000' with many ups and downs. Some Mojave Desert driving thrown in for good measure.

-

LASooner, you do have a very nasty commute, I know it well.

 

Is there any evidence that this "reset" does anything helpful??

[MaineFusion]

 

Is there any evidence that this "reset" does anything helpfuI??

I started a poll on this issue at http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/7532-how-did-battery-hard-reset-affect-your-mpg/

 

Five people who were getting less than 40mpg did respond to the poll and have posted their results of trying the hard reset. Three saw improved MPG. One thought it reduced MPG and one saw no difference.

 

I suspect that in order to get the most benefit from a hard reset, one has to drive their FFH fairly conservatively for the next tank or two so that the FFH learns good running habits. It is probably aggressive driving habits early on that caused the FFH to run in a less than ideal manner to begin with.

[LASooner]

 

Or in the case of acdii with this 'Take One' 2013 FFH -- his dealer's service dept.

 

Every time I drive past the dealer my + comes on. Must have been the 3 weeks it was sitting there waiting for a seatbelt fix

[Ric]

We had the update done yesterday. Now the "check engine" light is on again and mileage is on the slide. . This is the fifth time the CEL has come. Dealer has no idea why. It started when the fuel module was replaced. Getting frustrating. :sos:

[hybridbear]

We had the update done yesterday. Now the "check engine" light is on again and mileage is on the slide. . This is the fifth time the CEL has come. Dealer has no idea why. It started when the fuel module was replaced. Getting frustrating. :sos:

Have you run a Vehicle Health Report to see why the CEL is on? The VHR can be very helpful.

[GrySql]

 

Is there any evidence that this "reset" does anything helpful??

After the PCM upgrade my mileage went to below 31mpg's.

I did the 100% SOC Hard Re-set, drove like the best hybrid driver I could be for the next 300 miles (according to the OM) to re-train the computer and now my Lifetime Average is the same as yours, 40.1mpg's.

[Fastronaut]

I had my PCM update done on 9/12/2013 and the car still doesn't know where it lives. Has yet to go into EV+ mode after at least 7 trips to the garage. I did the resets but not the battery disconnects. Anyone else notice how long it took for your Fusion to figure out where it lives?

[B25Nut]

You're close. Ten times within two weeks is probably average. Acdii says you can turn your key on and off several times in your garage and have EV+ appear sooner. The computer thinks each time is a trip.