Extremely low mileage in below 16 degrees

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#31

01-27-2009, 04:53 PM

wwest

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Location: Beautiful Pacific NW

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Re: Extremely low mileage in below 16 degrees

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimpias

I recently made the same trip to Kansas City. The temperatures were about an average of 28 degrees on the way there and 17 degrees on the way home. I tried to keep the MPH to about 68. I normally get about 35 MPG in 60 degrees. This trip I received 26MPG on the way there and 25MPG on the way home. The trip is about 4 hours long with no stops. The RPM's were regularly 3000 to go 68 MPH. In my previous post, I averaged about 20MPG and it was 6 degrees.

I have been to the dealer three times and they have no suggestions. I am ready to get rid of this car and it only has 7000 miles

I'd be willing to bet that were you to put a resistor in parallel with the OAT sensor/thermistor to fool the system into thinking the OAT is above freezing then your FE would improve significantly.

But the downside might be HAZARDOUS.

With OAT "above" freezing full regen braking would be used and that might result in loss of directional control on a patch of black ice during lift-throttle coastdown periods.

FYI....VW has just announced a technique for their stick shift FWD and F/awd vehicles. Should the driver inadvertently downshift too far, down to a level that engine compression braking is so great that (front) wheelslip occurs, the engine/transaxle ECU will automatically up-rev the engine to alleviate the loss of traction situation.

#32

01-27-2009, 09:02 PM

gpsman1

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Re: Extremely low mileage in below 16 degrees

Very well said Tim. Read Tim's post 2 prior as that describes what's going on well. And don't be discouraged by 20 MPG in sub-zero weather.
Non-hybrid cars are getting close to 10 MPG in the same conditions!
And non hybrid cars don't get the benefit of capturing regen brake energy at all temperatures like the FEH does. The FEH is probably the best hybrid car on the market for winter driving conditions. And you get electric assist for boosting MPG at all temperatures, with, or without EV mode.

Please don't get too hung up on "EV mode". You didn't buy an electric car, and Ford didn't build one either. EV is a "bonus".