I have one of each, '05 and '06, and I get better mileage in the '06 than the '05 no matter what I do, how I drive, where I drive, what the weather is like, and so on. My wife gets better mileage driving the '06 and she has never even heard of GH or any of the others and she drives them like she has driven every other car she has ever driven - like a little old lady. No offense to the little old ladies out there - my wife is a great driver.

The programming in the '06 is different than the '05. End of story.

And by the way, driving a car for any amount of time doesn't make you a veteran. Find a more appropriate word.

 

John:

I can support what you are saying about "tweaks."

In the '05, when you let off the gas there is a tendency to do some regeneration, and thus you have to slightly depress the pedal to remove the arrows. In the '06, you just get off the gas to remove the arrows. (This of course assumes the battery is "happy" to start with and is not looking for charge.)

Something that Ray can look at is the cold idle. It looks like the '06 cold idles around 1,500 so it warms up faster while the '05 is lower (perhaps 1,250?), but my '06 only has 1,000 miles on it so I can't confirm for sure.

Also, on a hill that I use "L", the '05 revs to 3,500 to 4,000, the '06 revs to 2,500 to 3,000 for engine braking/disipation.

 

I used a perfectly good word, and in correct context. Thank You.

VETERAN
From Merriam Webster
Main Entry: vet·er·an
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin veteranus, from veteranus, adjective, old, of long experience, from veter-, vetus old
1: an old soldier of long service b: a former member of the armed forces
2 : a person of long experience in some occupation or skill (as politics or the arts )

From American Heritage
NOUN: 1. A person who is long experienced or practiced in an activity or capacity: a veteran of political campaigns. 2. A person who has served in the armed forces
ADJECTIVE: 1. Having had long experience or practice: a veteran actor.

From Cambridge Online
NOUN
1. a person who has had a lot of experience of a particular activity:
2. (U.S. INFORMAL) someone who has been in the armed forces during a war:

ADJECTIVE [before noun]
1. having been involved in a particular activity for a long time:
She's also a veteran campaigner for human rights.
2. UK old: as in "He collects veteran cars."

 

Really? You guys are feuding about the word veteran?

gpsman, since you don't have both the '05 and the'06, it doesn't seem like you are qualified to answer anything about the FE differences. That is something nitramjr is uniquely qualified to report on.

Certainly you agree that there were changes in the program. Why is it so hard to believe that these changes might affect FE?

I would personally love to get the changes in my '05. If anyone figures out who to talk to about this, please let me know!

 

You are right, Salsbr.

If Nitramjr wishes to complain to me, he could / should do so with a personal message. If I want to respond, I can also do so with a personal message.

Sorry all.

 

I had to take my FEH in to the service dept when the 'Service Engine' light came on and the display said 'Check Emission System'. They had to replace what was called a management valve.
When the service manager called to say it was ready for me to pick up I asked about a software upgrade etc and at first he said he didn't know of one then within 15 mins called me back and said that there had been a change but didn't know if it would do anything to my FE - I said go for it. They usually charge $89 for a refresh but waived that an put it under warranty.
Haven't had time see if the change makes any difference but I will keep and post an update. I did notice that it seemed to stay/pull in EV (Should we call it ED and not EV since it is actually Electric Drive Mode) a litte better.

After I get into my subdivision I have to go about 1.5 miles to my home so I try and stay in ED that distance - knowing that I will not have to building the battery back up with the ICE. There is a small but steep hill in our subdivision that before today I could never pull without the ICE kicking in then after the hill tap the brakes and shut the ICE off - but twice today after the software refresh it pulled the hill with ease and I was able to make the rest of the way (about a 1/2 mile) to home without going back to ICE.

I talked to a different service person when I picked it up and inquired about the software flash and she said that it should be standard opperation procedure to upgrade to the latest anytime service is done. We will see.

Keep you Posted,
Phillip

 

sorry... I skimmed this thread...

I for one am happy that FINALLY someone else has asked a question I asked earlier..


If/ when I get my FEH I am all for modding/changing/improving it...

I asked this question when I was considering a prius on another site and I was laughed out of the room by a bunch of tree huggers who couldnt fathom someone actually wanting to improve on a product.

 

Phillip-
You may have already stated this before, but for my benefit, do you know when your '05 Escape was built?

Somewhere between the very first production, and late fall, 2004, there was indeed a published software update.

No FEH's after some date ( late 2004 ) need an update.
If yours was VERY early, then maybe this was good for your car!

I have been told it IS standard procedure ( SOP ) to check for updates / upgrades any time you are in for service. I don't see why, or how they could charge for this.

I do know that the R&D engineers have long since hung the current Hybrids out to dry, so to speak, and are putting full time resources into the next generation, the 2008's, and beyond. They already put 5 years into the FEH, and feel it's as good as it can be.

The only "updates" you can expect are only those that deal with grave safety concerns. Ford is not going to spend 5 minutes or $0.05 on performance enhancements for exsisting vehicles.

Now, there were minor changes to the MMH at the time it came out... since it is pretty much the same vehicle, I am VERY curious ( arn't we all? ) if this is the update in question, and perhaps it can be applied to all FEH's as well?

As always, as many details as possible are appreciated!
Especially if your dealer's service dept. went out on a limb and did something not traditionally done.
Thanks!
-John

 

Here's a thought. Using the LCD you can determine the version number of the firmware running in the system.

I don't have the codes in front of me, but here's how you access it.

Before you start your vehicle, press and hold the trip reset button for the odometer. Start the vehicle while holding it in. Very shortly the word 'test' will be displayed on the LCD. You can let go of the button now.

To switch between test items, press and release the trip reset button.

One of the items is NVF (I believe, but will correct this later today). There will be a four digit hex number to the right of the screen. Copy this number down.

That should be the firmware version number, and then we can settle the question of the same software.

To exit this mode, press and hold the trip reset button, or just shut off your truck.

To those who already knew how to do this, why didn't you think of it sooner. Myself included!

EDIT...

Ok, two of these codes are relevent, and I'm not sure about the other two but figured they were worth mentioning and recording.

r 0401
nr 0401
EE 01
dt 7C56

That should tell us who has which software.

 

Great thought, and the Firmware version may be in there somewhere, but all four of those codes are probably not it. EE is a candidate though. ???

r = reset code for all MIL ( malfunction indicator lamps ) 0401 = all normal
nr = status of MIL lamps, again 0401 if all are off ( normal )
EE - well, I'm not sure what this means, but mine is 01 also.
dt = build date code. I'd sure like to know how to decipher this one.

If someone ( a few people would help more ) knew their exact build date, and dt code, perhaps we could reverse engineer and deciper. It is Hex for sure, but I couldn't figure out how to make 8631 = 12/??/2004

My build date was 12/2004.
My dt = 8631
( I don't know the day, but hopefully dt will tell me some day! )
-John

You can bring up firmware version number on your Nav screen, but that's gotta be just for the audio / navigation software, right?