Hypermiling the Ford Escape Hybrid ...

[08EscapeHybrid]

I was wondering, I know the thermostat is supposed to be a 180F, but what's the normal real-world engine operating temperature? The other day when I was driving on the highway it stayed in the 160's. This morning, the engine warmed up to 130 very quickly, then actually started cooling down again when I was sitting at a light. I think my thermostat may be partially stuck open, or opening way too soon. The outside temp was 57F.

[rdprice64]

My commute is 14 miles on mostly 35-45 mph streets. My FWT goes as high as 172, but is usually between 128-161. It drops every time I'm in EV mode, which is a problem in the winter because if it drops below 128, the ICE will kick on to warm it up, even at a stop. The grill block helps, but heat is still lost. Running the cabin heater increases the decline, so some of use also employ the DWG technique (Driving With Gloves)

[08EscapeHybrid]

This morning the ICE did not shut off until I turned into the parking lot at work. The heat and fan were barely on, and the engine was still dropping in temp as I sat at a light. I may just drop it off at the dealer had have them look at it. I bought a 7 year 125,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Might as well start using it. The temp seemed to hover in the 130's, and the SoC was at about 53%. I tried once to just shut the engine off at a red light, but then found out the hard way you can't start the car in Neutral. I had to go to Park to restart

[GaryG]

Originally Posted by 08EscapeHybrid

This morning the ICE did not shut off until I turned into the parking lot at work. The heat and fan were barely on, and the engine was still dropping in temp as I sat at a light. I may just drop it off at the dealer had have them look at it. I bought a 7 year 125,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Might as well start using it. The temp seemed to hover in the 130's, and the SoC was at about 53%. I tried once to just shut the engine off at a red light, but then found out the hard way you can't start the car in Neutral. I had to go to Park to restart

The '09 FEH now has a sensor to detect a stuck open thermostat. There must have been a problem in the older FEH.

You can start the FEH in neutral, but you have to be moving at least 6mph. Below 6mph, you have to stop and put it in Park to start the engine. I learned that when I traveled in the FAS lane like Sean.

GaryG

[ACTION JACK]

GaryG,

I first want to thank you for your valuable information and effort to make this into almost a science to conserve fuel.

I am will try and keep this short and to the point. After a year and half, I finally found a used 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD with Nav System. I had researched the Escape Hybrid and was dead set on getting this vehicle as all the reviews and current reviews on the quality of this vehicle were outstanding. I was in a position last year that I could no longer continue to keep my SUV ( 2003 Eddie Bauer all the Bells and Whistles Expedition). It was in great condition and ran very well but killed me on gas. I waited for the right price on an Escape and was patient and now finally found one for the right price in my opinion. I got it for $9k with 97K on it. Any amount can be scary though if this battery goes out! But research shows the odds are against that happening due to the design of the Hybrid battery.

Two weeks ago I purchased the FEH after test driving it for over an hour two days in a row and everything worked perfectly and ran smoothly. However, it is now at 98,000k and I am just wanting to make sure I am doing your strategy correctly as I can NOT seem to get anything close to the results you did. I am averaging 24/27 in the city. I am sure I am doing something wrong. I am getting better MPG than my Expedition once did but it makes me wonder if my battery is still working okay. Obviously, big concern for me as I know how much Hybrid batteries cost! I thought the FEH had a 150,000 warranty on battery. I missed the fine detail that I have to live in a Carb state. I do not!

I am currently getting around 24/27 mpg in city depending on how cold it is and got 33 mpg on the highway last week and that was before I knew what I was doing. I noticed I got better mileage staying off the cruise control and used the 1800 rms to accelerate my speed before reading all your info.

I have read your information but maybe I am missing something so I thought I would tell you what I am doing and you can point out my errors.

I drain the battery at night on my last trip home by getting it to EV or N to park it for the night. I realize I am not going to get good mpg when I start it up until the FEH (ICE)warms up. I read your info over and over on how to do that but results are still not good:

I do not reset my Fuel indicator screen on each trip. Am I to reset it on each drive? It says in the owner's manual that it remembers so I assumed I am not to reset it for each drive or trip. Is this correct? Perhaps, this is why my MPG is lower. I thought you only reset it on every new fill up.

I put the FEH in "L" and drive for about a block or so up to 30 mph and quickly let off gas and then put it in "N" and coast down to 20mph and then do another shift to "L" and take it up to 32/35 mph and then release off the gas quickly and then shift to "N".

This charges the battery some but not 60%.....maybe only 25/30%. I use this strategy even after warm up as well and find the same results that the battery doesn't get as big of a charge unless I am doing it wrong or not reading the Nav System correctly.

The FEH does go to EV mode but only allows me less than a mile (maybe half mile) before going back to gas mode (ICE I believe). As soon as I go to ICE or right before I think it is going to ICE, I shift to "L" again and try to get it to 30 and release off the gas and do this FS (fake Shift) twice but it doesn't charge the battery enough to really stay in EV mode. This method may give me 25% Hybrid battery charge. So, I am thinking I am not doing something correctly. I have been doing this method for over 2 days and the temperature outside is 35/40 during the day and 25 at night and my mpg is still around 24mpg.

It seems to me that I was getting better results from just coasting or letting off the gas when I could and using EV whenever it allowed me to. I do not seem to be able to charge my EV fast after using all the battery.

After you exhaust your battery, do you not stay in "L" mode and do the FS until it gets charged to about 40%? I just don"t want to ruin this vehicle and would like my city mileage to go up which is why I bought it. I was shocked I got 33mpg on the highway.

I do know when the Hybrid battery is fully charged and I go into EV mode that I can not get it to a mile before battery is exhausted. I am driving EV in D most the time and staying between 25/30mph. Of course, I have noticed people honking at me now as I am under the 35 mph speed limit just to try and keep EV on. Is there something wrong with my 2005 FEH? Please say its operator error. I have big shoulders!

I have never been able to drive in EV up to 40mph. My best is EV in D up to 32mph. I think you suggested to keep it in "L" to get up to 40. I am just not able to run EV long or it isn't easy when your speed limits are 35 and 45 all the time.

There are other questions but perhaps this will do for now.

Thanks for your time~
Action

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Welcome to CleanMPG. Have you checked the 12V battery? I only suggest that because I know that in the Prius an aging 12V can make the mileage tank as the car spends its time keeping the 12V voltage up.

[GaryG]

Hi Action

First of all, I had an '05 FWD and hypermiling allowed me to take advantage of much better coasting in "N" than a AWD. Also, E10 drastically effects the 2.3L MPG which changed in the '09 2.5L FEH I drive now. Florida mandated E10 in April of '08 and I seen a drop in MPG of at least 5mpg and never seen anymore 60mpg tanks. I sold my loaded '05 FEH at 80,000 miles last May for $11,200, so you did get a good deal.

Next, you must set-up your FEH with Michelin Latitude Tours or other light weight LRR tires with at least 50psi. Don't expect much higher EV speeds with an AWD with heavy tires that are not LRR. Only use "L" to go EV or slowing down in a controlled regen mode. Do not drive at a steady state speed in "L". Going 40mph in EV is only possible in a glide coasting in "D" or "N" in the '05 - '08 FEH. Newer programming allows me to set the cruise control in EV at 40mph till the battery drops to 40% SoC in my '09 FEH FWD. I could only set the cruise control at 35mph in EV in my '05 FEH only with no headwind.

Get a Scangauge II and program SoC in the X-Gauge if you don't already have a SGII. This is also a Scan tool to provide DTC codes when your FEH has problems. I have at least one in every car I own and never leave home without one. CarlD has provided just about every X-Gauge programming at this site you'll ever need. The Nav system can't be compared to the SGII and the Nav average tank MPG in the '05 - '08 FEH is only good for about the first 200 miles of a tank. After 200 miles the Nav drops data and adds new data which will change your average. Always use gallons pumped divided by tank miles at fill-up for establishing a lifetime MPG average. Use the Mileage Log at this site for us to help you improve your mileage. Many of us here can interpret your Log over time and make suggestions based on weather and your conditions or problems. I don't think you have a HV battery problem from your post so far.

GaryG