Frank,

I've had a 2007 FWD FEH for a little over a year and started trying to apply techniques I read about here in early January. It took a good 2 months before I started seeing noticeable results (10-12 tanks). I'm sure some of that was cold temps. Late Jan - early Feb is usually the coldest time of the year here.

It wasn't until March that my numbers went up significantly. I went from 29-31mpg to around 34-35mpg. I know others have mentioned it, but the largest single difference I saw was tire pressure. I increased to 44psi and noticed a 3-4mpg increase on the next tank.

You mentioned rolling hills. I have quite a few here on 2 lane rural highway for about the first 10-12 miles of my daily commute. I usually coast in N downhill and then let the speed bleed off on the uphills if traffic allows. I try to keep 1800rpm if it's not too steep, or 2400 to 2800 if speed gets below 45mph (again if traffic allows). It's interstate after that. The limit is 65mph for the most part, but I try to do 60 most of the time, 55 if traffic is light.

-- Rick

 

I am a chicken when it comes to my car. I am overly cautious about everything. I was stuck at 33 MPG and then pumped my tires up to 40 PSI and jumped to 35, and even had a 36 tank. It's frigid now so I'm down to 31 (still a lot better than the 19 in my gas Escape) but who knows what it would be with lower air pressure? I probably will let it drop into the upper 30s range once the snow flies because good gas mileage is really nice but if I slide off the road because there's not enough tire surface area to grip it's not really worth it.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I will calm down a bit now and wait a little longer (until I hit 5k+ miles) before getting too excited about squeezing out more MPG. I will also adjust tire pressure this weekend and see what effect that has on the next couple of tanks.

To answer a couple of questions people asked:
1) We had no rain for the first month I had the car. We had quite a bit of rain the middle two weeks in October, and then we have had little or no rain for the last two weeks. We are entering rainy season, but I have not noticed any difference in MPG between rain and non-rain periods so far.
2) Commute is short, but I do get into EV mode about half way through the commute. The car is always garaged, which I assume helps it to warm up faster.

Thanks again.

 

Frank, I now run my tires at 50psi, but I was getting 40mpg tanks after 1,000 miles on my new '05 FWD FEH with less than 40psi. EV was the key now that I look back at my then new FEH. A two mile commute is the answer to your problem. Be glad you only have to travel that far to work, but it is not the fault of the FEH/MMH it can't do better in that short travel distance.

Many have reported faster EV with a block heater and I have explained in prior post the Ford patented procedure to go EV the fastest with warm-up.

You don't have to drive slower as some here may imply, you just need to drive smarter.

You said you tried FS, "N" coasting, "L" gear advantage and that didn't work. It will work as I was the person who posted those threads and prove them at the Hybridfest MPG Challenge with over 60mpg.

GaryG

 

Frank,

I've been meaning to do this for a while but finally remembered it tonight. I looked at my scangauge to see what my trip mileage was after two miles on a cold engine. In thirty-something degree weather I was at 18.1 mpg, so I would think your high twenties is pretty good for the damp cool air of Seattle.

As others mentioned, shoot a little more air in the tires, drive five under instead of five over, etc etc.

Kudos to you for living so close to work. Although my average MPG is much higher, you are probably only using a fraction of the gas, and that's all that matters.

 

I also have a short commute to work--something like just over 4 miles one way and no more than 6 the long way. The short drives will not allow you to obtain exceptional milage as some of the other well known posters. Hardware such as the scangauge II units can provide much needed feedback during your longer rides (weekends?). Enjoy your vehicle.

 

Short trips are the mileage killer. I drive my son 3.5 miles to daycare and back in the mornings from cold start and pick him up in the evenings from a cold start. Nowadays I probably average about 26mpg (I have an AWD 06) on my local drive. I only work about 1/2 a mile from home....its the daycare that gets me! Only long trips and the occasional drive to suburban NJ that bumps my average up around 28mpg.