Copyboy, the position of the gas pedal gives the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) what power the driver is requesting. No more linkage or cables on vehicles today. It might be the Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) sensor is no good. It might work great for all the other functions which it is used for like regulating fuel and spark through the PCM. The diagnosis equipment your dealer has may not look for problems in the pedal sensor or PCM that may be causing the problem. Also, does the dealer tech have the 2005 Escape Hybrid Powertrain Control / Emissions Diagnosis Service Manual?

On page 1-113 "Torque Based Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)" it says there are 3 pedal position signals. From what I read, one of your signals may be faulty. If two are faulty, a value is substituted for a faulty switch. The PCM can control the Torque with the remaining signals but it also may cause your problem. The first signal (APP1) gives only negative voltage. The other 2 (APP2 & APP3) give positive voltage. I would guess the APP1 is faulty.

Otherwise, try taking your big shoes off and drive barefoot.

BTW, you can buy this manual at "helminc.com" for $45.

I doubt there's a faulty signal. Anything like that would store a trouble code in the PCM and probably light up the check engine light.

It's really a learned thing, and from what we've seen in the long run it's really not that big a win anyway. As has been said before, Just Drive It and you'll likely do fine!

If I was to blame the driver, I would say maybe. Your wrong to assume this is the case. Many people are reporting bad MPG. There can be problems and thank God I don't have them!

A trouble code? I stated that 2 signals would cause a trouble code in the PCM, not one. And if you think it will show up on the trouble light display, your dreaming.

Steve, lets make fools of the foolish, these are FEH owners, their smart!

I've dealt with Electronic Throttle Module failures in other vehicles. What happens is that the accelerator stops working. You go into "limp home" mode which is just enough power to move the vehicle but still allow for the brakes to stop it. Think about it. The accelerator pedal sensor just sends a pedal position signal to the PCM. (OK it sends three such signals, but for the moment that's irrelevant). Either the PCM gets the signal(s) or it doesn't. If the vehicle is responding to the accelerator properly, no matter what the combination of electric and ICE power is, the accelerator pedal sensors are working.

The magic happens in the PCM, folks. It's the only place that controls the ICE and the motor/generators.

If you are not seeing idiot lights on the instrument panel or messages in the LCD display chances are the system is functioning as intended. Try not to worry about when the ICE starts up. You saved much of the fuel you are going to save by sitting at the red light without idling the engine. Most of us don't routinely stay in EV mode for long stretches, and it is very difficult to stay in EV off a standing start. You're much more likely to be able to stay in EV if you are decelerating then coasting along at a speed below 40-something miles per hour.

Steve, The FEH is not other vehicles, you must admit that. Let me say, you are helping all of us with your experience. You may be completely right. I'm not convinced yet based on the information I read in the FEH PCM/ED manual that there may not be a problem with the APP sensors or PCM in the "copyboy" message.

The limp mode would not be a problem with one sensor in the APP. The FEH has a redundant computer system in the FEH that can adjust to the problem and many others which is talked about in the FEH PCM/ED manual. Have you looked at or do you have this manual?

Also, I think the reason I can get 40MPG is because of my use of taking off in EV and getting to 31 miles per hour and setting the cruise control for about 1.5 miles. Don't get me wrong, hitting the brake pedal at below 40 and setting EV mode below 35 MPH is the best way to save gas.

I really don't know if "copyboy" has a FEH or a problem because there are no other post from "copyboy". Therefore I don't know this is a real problem. I'm just tring to help him out if he does.

Yes, I have the CD-ROM which includes the workshop manual, the PC-ED manual and the wiring diagrams.

Several classic Prius owners have experienced an accelerator pedal failure. It's been referred to as "giant hand syndrome" as in it acts as if a giant hand is preventing the car from moving.

My point is that the accelerator pedal is the only input the driver has to the hybrid system. Since you cannot specify where you want the power to come from, electric or ICE, the PCM makes that decision on your behalf, and it does so AFTER the accelerator pedal position has been determined. So a fault in the accelerator pedal system would result in an inability to accelerate using any means at all...it would not change when the ICE would cut-in.

There's not necessarily anything the driver is doing wrong. Most of us have observed that the EV ability becomes more usable after the first 5000 miles or so of driving. This may be the battery pack being conditioned, it may be that we've been trained by our vehicles on how to better exploit it.

The only sure-fire way to extract maximum efficiency from the FEH or any vehicle is to drive as gently an smoothly as possible, avoiding any unnecessary braking or hard acceleration. Extended use of EV mode doesn't necessarily help because eventually that energy will have to be put back into the battery.

Only driving gently and avoiding braking and hard acceleration will not give me 40 MPG. I find that the best way to increase my MPG is to Max the time in the EV mode. As far as putting the energy back in the battery, I find its like climbing stairs to get to the top (MPG). Sure, you give up some of the steps you made while in the EV mode, but you don't lose all of them when you are moving and charging the battery back. I find that between 30 to 35 miles per hour you lose less steps in the process. Slowly I start increasing my 15 minute average to the peak for me which is between 42-43 MPG on the Nav. computer. The further down my average is, the longer it takes to to get back up the stairs. Without being able to run and drain the battery in the EV mode, I would never see 40 MPG.

A big reason I can drive this way is because I have all the time in the World most of the time to get where I'm going. I've put 5,500 miles on the FEH since Feb.12. I've saved about $500 in gas during this time from driving my 14.5 MPG V8 Explorer.

BTW, I had no problem from the first 20 miles taking the FEH to 33 miles per hour in EV from a dead stop. Thats why I think "copyboy" has a problem with his FEH. Now, I have the FWD and know nothing about the AWD in the EV mode.

Ford has told us twice there's nothing wrong with our FEH, although I don't know if they specifically checked everything you mentioned. I'll make sure to ask next time. Thanks for the tips.

Right now, the only way I can really get into EV at speeds above 5 miles per hour is to accellerate quickly up to speed, then coast. After about 5 second of foot-off-the-pedal coasting, the engine shuts down and I go into EV. Only then (if it's flat or downhill) can I feather the pedal super-lightly and keep my speed (below 20 miles per hour of course).

Copyboy, when my FEH falls below 40 miles per hour, I can tap the brakes (sometimes more than one) and I go it EV. If I stay off the gas till I'm around 31 MPH, I can set the cruise control and remain in the EV mode till the battery is drained and the engine starts. I also can keep it at 35 sometimes with the gas pedal, over 35 it starts back up for sure.

Can anyone else do this or better in the FWD or AWD?