PCM Update Success Stories

[B25Nut]

For some reason, the PCM update has given my FFH a bigger increase in MPG than anyone else has reported here. It is almost like Ford optimized it for my daily commute, which is a 20 mile round trip, 80% at 65-75 mph freeway speeds.
From the beginning last November, my FFH only did about 1 mpg better than Acdii's original "lemon". My average mileage, after a lifetime reset at 4,700 miles, reached a peak in May at 38.0 mpg. July's high temperatures brought this down to 35.9 mpg (the amount shown on the Engage display). When I brought it to my dealer three weeks ago for the latest updates, my FFH had 9,800 miles with a 37.0 mpg average since the reset. This average is now 39.2 mpg. There has been a lot of satisfaction watching the MPG reading increase by one tenth every day. In the 500 miles since the update, my FFH has averaged 44.3 mpg. A 32 mile trip last week to Pismo Beach that included an 800 ft drop in elevation got 52.3 mpg. The best for that same trip before the update was 44.0 mpg.
I was very fortunate with having a service department that took the time to research and get the details of the update done correctly.
Last weekend my FFH reached 10K miles. Months ago I called a Ford salesman an idiot for making the statement "Wait until you reach 10,000 miles. Then youll see EPA figures". Maybe he was right. Many of those here that report high 40s for their mileage have over 10K miles on their FFHs. Its great news that its possible a simple reboot can solve the mileage deficiencies of those that have problems after the update.

Edited September 6, 2013 by B25Nut

[jeff_h]

For some reason, the PCM update has given my FFH a bigger increase in MPG than anyone else has reported here.

 

Almost anyone... :) I had a trip over to Maryland today to my client site, terrain is really good so it normally yields good MPG on those trips, with I think the best was 64.2... until today was 66.6... on the way back (must be downhill both ways, opposite of my walks to school as a kid) I think the previous best was 55-56 (IIRC) but today was 58.7. Normal daily commutes are about the same as they were before the update, maybe 1-2 MPG better at times but most cases it's about the same but so heavily dependent on traffic conditions.

 

So my update seems to have taken pretty well... lifetime on the dash inched up to 50.3 today.

[corncobs]

 

So my update seems to have taken pretty well... lifetime on the dash inched up to 50.3 today.

This is almost unbelievable 50.3 that's nuts but awesome nuts ;-) very very cool.

[storksb]

The PCM updates seems to have helped with my car. The first tank since the update yielded 46.2 whereas my fuelly running average was 43.5 approx. Keeping fingers crossed it was not an isolated tank.

[MaineFusion]

I'm yielding a 2-3 mpg improvement in overall fuel economy. For the two full tanks since the update, I averaged 52.6mpg (1,166.1mi) while for the three tanks prior to the update I averaged 50.0mpg (1,582.7mi). This was under similar driving conditions (I commute around 300mi/week to work).

[B25Nut]

I think there are a lot of early buyers who have never seen an average MPG in the 40s. The fact that the update has increased my mileage by more than 7 mpg, without driving that much differently than a non-hybrid vehicle, is great news for this group. My major change in driving habit since I purchased by FFH is that my average speed is now 68 mph instead of 72 mph.

[hybridbear]

So my update seems to have taken pretty well... lifetime on the dash inched up to 50.3 today.

That's truly amazing because you never reset yours, correct?

 

In the 1000-1500 miles since the update (I can't remember the odometer reading when it was done and I don't have my file handy with the receipt and it's easier to type an approximation here than log in to Ford Owner to get the odometer reading off there :confused: :chairshot: :hammer_self: ) our new Lifetime Average is just under 52 MPG. It seems that overall in the summer between my driving and my wife's driving we will average low 50s. I hope that this winter we can improve upon last winter's average of only about 38 MPG. I'd really like to see 47 MPG as our year-round average excluding any long road trips.

 

Glad to hear B25Nut that your MPGs have gone up!

[majorleeslow]

I think there are a lot of early buyers who have never seen an average MPG in the 40s. The fact that the update has increased my mileage by more than 7 mpg, without driving that much differently than a non-hybrid vehicle, is great news for this group. My major change in driving habit since I purchased by FFH is that my average speed is now 68 mph instead of 72 mph.

Yes mine too im averageing 56+ from 52+ earlier. But I haven't filled up since the update. So like I said in another post, that I'm logging every trip like a hawk to compare the real fuel consumption to the sum averaged on each trip from that last tank fill. And I sincerely hope this isn't another cheap number trick from Ford to avoid another lawsuit. (first one being 47-47-47 and I say that's a trick because if you compare gmpg of fusion energI its 44-43-41) same exact car specs on everything except for couple minor differences in gas tank size and hvb converter for charging. which means we got ripped off by the window sticker lie.

 

needless to say I'm going to be very pi@$3d if I find a big variance.

Edited September 7, 2013 by majorleeslow

[B25Nut]

How can you still think "we got ripped off by the window sticker lie" when you're averaging 51.4 mpg before the update? The difference in the mileage of the Energi when in hybrid mode is mainly from the substantial difference in the weight of the cars due to the much bigger HVB.

[majorleeslow]

I got the 52+ number after a lot of effort changjng the way I drive. it wasn't automatic achievement because the vehicle simply isn't designed for that that in normal driving conditions.

I'm seeing a lot of buyers getting same mpg as the non hybrids. And that's not a small group. which is why I felt that way. Plus I'm being greedy that if the average user got closer to epa number the theoretical achievable high mpg number would automatically be a lot bigger. But mostly complaining about Fords ethics they could have requested a retest from epa and avoid grief (cmax and ofcource Fusion). Come on where's the Ford's punchline customer satisfaction first. Em they are falling a bit short in the mpg number satisfaction area.

Edited September 7, 2013 by majorleeslow

[majorleeslow]

How can you still think "we got ripped off by the window sticker lie" when you're averaging 51.4 mpg before the update? The difference in the mileage of the Energi when in hybrid mode is mainly from the substantial difference in the weight of the cars due to the much bigger HVB.

There is no weight difference in battery or its capacities between fusion hyb and fusion plug-in. it's just the way both use the battery and its programming. I've confirmed that from ford customer care hybrid and energy experts.

[B25Nut]

There is no weight difference in battery or its capacities between fusion hyb and fusion plug-in. it's just the way both use the battery and its programming. I've confirmed that from ford customer care hybrid and energy experts.

 

This would be true if we were talking about the 12v battery. Do some more research on the weight differences between the Hybrid and the Energi HVB. That way you can avoid losing credibility among other forum members by changing your last post before most of them read it tomorrow.

Edited September 7, 2013 by B25Nut

[corncobs]

 

This would be true if we were talking about the 12v battery. Do some more research on the weight differences between the Hybrid and the Energi HVB. That way you can avoid losing credibility among other forum members by changing your last post before most of them read it tomorrow.

Too late!!!

 

Weight difference ~ 300 lb

HVB capacity difference:

FFH - 1.4 kWh

FFE - 7.6 kWh

Edited September 7, 2013 by corncobs

[MaineFusion]

Too late!!!

 

Weight difference ~ 300 lb

HVB capacity difference:

FFH - 1.4 kWh

FFE - 7.6 kWh

A good rule of thumb is that each extra 100lbs of weight reduces MPG by 1-2% (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drivehabits.shtml). In my case, since I've been averaging over 50mpg for the past 3000mi, an extra 300lbs would reduce my fuel economy 1.5 - 3mpg. Likewise if all else were the same, but the FFH weighed the same a Prius (which weighs 573lbs less), I could be getting 3 - 6 mpg better fuel economy, which would be way better than the EPA MPG rating for the Prius.

 

Personally, knowing how much space batteries take up, I would have liked to seen the FFH come with 2 kWh of HVB capacity. I think given my driving habits, this would provide a noticeable increase in MPG in spite of the extra weight.

[majorleeslow]

 

 

This would be true if we were talking about the 12v battery. Do some more research on the weight differences between the Hybrid and the Energi HVB. That way you can avoid losing credibility among other forum members by changing your last post before most of them read it tomorrow.[/quote ]

Hey B52NUT and the rest. My bad sorry for the miss information. I could have sworn on that info. in that case the ford cs led me wrong. I asked them how much is ev range on ffh and she said 20mi and she also said she banks are same in both. She insisted bothh are 30 kWh but their charge levels are different to each due to the way they get charged and discharged. Sorry if I was incorrect.

Edited September 7, 2013 by majorleeslow

[corncobs]

OMG I hope this person isn't longer working for Ford CS. Not a single information she gave you is correct.

[majorleeslow]

She probably is.