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Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan

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Comments

  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    When the ignition is on, the pump is always running. Running motors produce heat. Heat damages motors. Never, never, never, never run a fuel pump dry, NEVER. This is WHY car manufacturers have the 50 miles til empty alerts. Not only can you run the pump dry, if you do it often enough, you can cause it to burn out, produce a spark and say goodnight gracy. You probably have never heard of someones car going boom for no reason, thats because most people arent dumb enough to run the tanks dry all the time. You do not need to run a tank dry to know how far to go. It really is no harder to do than to use simple math. Run it down to 0 on mile to empty, fill the tank, subtract what you put in from what the book says the tank holds, and that tells you how many gallons are in reserve. Do this a few times and average it out, and dont put yourself at risk of major damage by running the tank dry.
    I had a fuel pump malfunction in a 1992 Crown Vic once. I inadvertanltly ran out of gas, the car did not have the miles to empty alerts. A few months later the car came to a dead stop as I pulled into my driveway, and I smelled smoke. I shut the car off, and opened the trunk to find the entire wiring harness melted from the fuel tank back. The pump had not shorted, but drew enough amps to cause the wires to overheat, which then caused a short and burned all the wires. Thankfully I had a nearly full tank. I have never gone below empty again in any fuel injected car I drove. To me it isnt worth the risk, just to know how far one can go when it hits E. Just fill the sucker when you hit 1/4 gas left and be happy.
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    I have never, NEVER heard of a tank blowing up due to a faulty fuel pump, whether or not it's a brand-new vehicle or a '92, because when fuel pumps die, they usually do just that, die. They don't throw sparks and cause a bomb to go off, or else there would've been massive recalls and news reports that would've made the Toyota fiasco look like a walk in the park. Your wiring problem is the first I've heard of it happening to ANY vehicle, and it also happened outside the tank, and months after you actually did ran out of gas.

    I had a S-10 pickup in college that had a gas gauge with a mind of its own, and there have been multiple time where I unintentionally ran the tank dry due to the faulty gauge. I finally did kill the fuel pump, and had the gauge fixed at the same repair so it didn't happen again. No sparks, no boom.

    Again, I'm not recommending everyone to do this EVERY time they drive, and even though we know that the Fusion/Milan has about 2 gallons left, not every one knows the amount of fuel left for EVERY car they drive. I've also heard of instances when the "calculated" fuel left in tanks is actually more than when the car ACTUALLY runs dry (up to 1.5 gallons worth) due to tank baffles and the location of the fuel pump pickup in the tank itself.
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    I didn't think about it before, but I guess the best thing the car mfgr's could do, is tell you the cars fuel capacity, and also the useable fuel, with a little disclaimer explaining why that extra 2 or 3 gallons are in there. Problem solved.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    If you read it closely I said you probably never would have heard of it happening. The motors are well insulated, but plastic does melt, and if you expose that little motor to heat enough times, you can cause a potential issue.

    I will say it again, the pump was NEVER designed to be run dry, PERIOD! If it was designed to run dry, they would mount it outside the tank. It is at the bottom of the tank, covered by a couple gallons of fuel for a reason, to stay cool. I mean, really for what purpose would you intentionally run your tank dry, and risk damaging things? If you are going on a road trip, and you feel you may run out of gas before you reach a station, you really didn't do too good a job planning the trip. I bought a TomTom for $95, a whole lot less expensive than replacing a fuel pump, and this little bugger will tell me where every gas station is.

    OR do you run it dry just to say, well looky here, Ford screwed up, you can git 50 more miles before its empty! :P
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    If you also read my post closely, I said that it's only something that should be done once, that's right, ONCE! I'm not suggesting it be done every time one needs to get gas, where the motor would get exposed to multiple instances of heat.

    And since your last sentence seems to infer that I'm some kind of inbred redneck, I'm done.
  • podpod Member Posts: 176
    My new 2010 Milan has a high trunkline and a spoiler so that the rear view (when driving in reverse, as in parking, or exiting a driveway) is very limited with respect to anything that is low and immediately behind the car. Certainly you cannot see the bumper of other cars when parallel parking and worst case there is a 10-15 foot blindspot behind the car at all times. How have owners adapted to this limited view? I have reviewed the back up camera options which may be satisfactory. I wonder if fitting a rectangular convex mirror at the correct position and angle of view on the rear headliner just at the upper window edge would provide a view of the area behind the vehicle. Any other solutions or work-arounds? I think the car is great. I'm trying to correct the few aspects that make me say "I wish that was better".
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    There's not a car on sale that allows you to see the bumper of cars you're parallel parking with that I'm aware of. That would require the back window being lower than most people's taillamps.

    Maybe one car from the 70s...
    image

    Sorry, not trying to brow-beat ya, but it sounds similar to the complaints of people not being able to see the front corners/hood of the Civic. Well, I'm 6'5" and can't see the full hood of any sedans, except something like this:

    image

    You just learn where it is. A good way to do it is to first parallel park in front of a store-front that is glass. Use the reflection to prevent a bump, but park, and get a feel for how close you can get. That's what helped me with my '06 Accord.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    You get used to it after a couple of months.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Should have sprung for the rearview camera and you wouldn't be having this problem. I love my nav unit and rear view camera as I can backup withing inches of where I want to go. Not only can I see the rear bumpers but the ground just behind me too. :shades:
  • donl1donl1 Member Posts: 112
    Picked up the 2011 Taurus Limited FWD today that has been on order forever. 31K on the 2007 Premier I4 with zero problems.
  • osaka75osaka75 Member Posts: 88
    Just got done with a 5-day rental of a Ford Fusion SE from Thrifty. I own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata GLS-V6 and would like to replace it somewhat soon so was glad to have the opportunity to try the Fusion for several days.

    I am not sure if this was a 4 or 6 cylinder version. I presumed a 4 because it’s a rental and because of the engine sound and rpm response. (I should have popped the hood.) I also don’t know if it was a 2010 or earlier but it had 26,000 miles so I figure it could be either. My best guess is that it was a 2010 4-cylinder. (Does anyone know if Ford sells 6 cylinders to rental companies?)

    Overall impression was very positive. The exterior and interior both looked great. The engine was powerful and made a nice sound. The ergonomics were fine for me. Didn’t really use the steering wheel controls. The suspension was firm. I thought I liked a softer suspension but this one was great in all driving. At home I would have bottomed out on dips that the Fusion took in stride. The transmission shifted nicely at all speeds. The steering was perfectly fine for me and I have none of the dissatisfaction that others above have mentioned.

    One complaint was the head rest position. There have been posts on this above.

    Another complaint was the gas mileage. I did at least 50% of my miles on the highway but only averaged just under 17 mpg. That doesn’t seem right at all, especially for a 4 cylinder. I was a little heavy on the pedal but not so much as to warrant such poor performance. There are many posts above exclaiming great gas mileage so perhaps mine was an anomaly.

    This rental was a great opportunity, as I will now definitely include the Fusion on my short list when ready to make my next purchase.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Did you reset the avg mpg? If not then it won't change much if it's been driven a lot of miles since the last reset.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Wouldn't it have had "V6" on the back if it were one?
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,304
    edited August 2010
    the 6 has exhaust pipes on each side, the 4 has 2 on the right side.
    if the headlight were sort of horizontal, it an '09 or earlier. the headlights on the 2010 are more horizontal. hope this helps.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    You had a dyslexic moment! If the headlights were vertical, than '09 or earlier. Happens to us all, but just wanted to make it clear.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,304
    yes, i meant to write vertical!
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    The SE usually is a 4 banger, but can option with the 6. If the engine was noisy, then its a 4, the 6 is a pretty quiet engine until you romp on it. 4's and 6's each have their own sound, so the only way to tell is go to a dealer now and test drive both, and see if you remember what which one sounded like what you drove. In any case, glad to see you liked how the car drove, they are a far cry above the others in the driving department. For those of us who like to "drive", its a good car, those who like to be a passenger behind the wheel, they can keep their mushy Camry! :shades:

    As far as MPG, its a rental and unless you disconnect the battery for a couple hours to reset the computer and drive it several hundred miles in your own style, you will never get an accurate reading. I rented a Prius once in San Jose, and owned the Prius and Camry Hybrid, so I'm very good at obtaining above EPA on them. After resetting the displays to 0, and driving it a week, the best I could get was 45mpg, far below what I would normally get in one. Too many drivers with too many different driving habits, and most tend to abuse the car since it isn't theirs.
  • temj12temj12 Member Posts: 450
    Yes, they do sell the V-6 to rental companies. I have a 2008 SEL V-6 that was a Hertz vehicle.
  • podpod Member Posts: 176
    One nice feature of the 2010 Milan is that the passenger seatback folds forward flat as can be (and level). It essentially converts to a flat table like surface. When I have no passengers, I fold it and move it as far forward as I can and it presents a surface for whatever. It also takes the seatback and headrest out of sight lines and opens the interior of the car up visually, making it seem quite large and uncluttered. Try it, you may like it. All the seats in the Milan fold forward (except driver's of course). This is a welcome feature in a mid-sizer. I must say I continue to be impressed with the engineering of the car. 2500 miles and 33 mpg mostly residential driving, about 20% highway. I selected it from the mid-sized herd because of it's quietness and my previous very good experience with a Mercury Sable. So far no complaints at all. In fact I keep discovering nice little touches that speak to the integrated engineering of the whole car. As for the "sync" system I have no cell phone so it is unavailable to me. My first experience with Sirius is that it is nice but I usually listen to local stations and am not a great traveler so I doubt that I will choose to renew the contract when it expires. One surprise is that the 17" wheels are steel with plastic covers. As for handling, it is better than my previous Sable in high speed turns and braking.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,304
    My '07 Fusion SEL also has the fold flat passenger seat. I think it was only available in SEL trim.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    edited August 2010
    10 Sport, same thing with the folding seat, the Flex does too. Since Mercury is going bye bye, wont be long when you will be able to get great deals on that line.
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    edited August 2010
    Since Mercury is going bye bye, wont be long when you will be able to get great deals on that line.

    I doubt it. The market system will not allow the Milan's price to drop below that of a comparably equipped Fusion, since the two are functionally identical. Right now there's only a couple hundred dollars difference in most cases anyway. So don't expect to pick up a Milan Premier for significantly less than a comparable Fusion SEL.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Mercury has $1500 in dealer cash available now. But they're not going to build a bunch of them so they won't be piled up on dealer lots so I don't expect the deals to get much better except maybe on a few oddball leftovers.
  • huddlerhuddler Member Posts: 6
    I am getting a new company car and must decide between the following 3 vehicles:
    1. 2011 Jetta Sportswagen S
    2. 2011 Ford Fusion SE
    3. 2011 Nissan Altima 2.5S

    I will keep the vehicle for 3 years or around 75K miles. Which would you choose between these 3 cars? Gas mileage isnt a concern. I do have a wife and 2 kids who will be taking a few trips a year in it with me as well as riding around town in it. Thanks for any input.
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    Fusion!!! Because I have one. :shades:

    Kidding! (Sort of...) Of course I'd be biased, but the Altima was on my short list when shopping, just the salesmen were SUPER pushy, and that dealership is like the only game in town, so they got checked off the list.

    Volkswagons never made my list due to higher prices and lower reliability from what I read, but I guess price is not that important on your list.

    I'll just say I'm very satisfied with my 2010 Fusion SE. Quiet, roomy. Had to adjust the seat right to be comfortable, though. That was an issue at first, but it's perfect now. The I-4 has plenty enough power, as I don't think my 4 door sedan is a race car. It will get up and go for the passing lane. Like the Sync. I also like that the Fusion is less common on the road than Altimas and Camrys and such.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I like everything about VWs except their repair costs and initially higher price. Since neither of those will matter to you, I'd take the opportunity to have the Jetta wagon. Lots of utility and european handling.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    The Fusion as I have the Hybrid plus it is an American Manufacturers car which helps this country. Why should I support another countries economy and schools, they sure don't help us.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The Fusion as I have the Hybrid plus it is an American Manufacturers car which helps this country. Why should I support another countries economy and schools, they sure don't help us.

    The people in my state manufacturing Mercedes-Benz SUVs, Honda Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline light-trucks, and Hyundai Sonatas and Santa Fes sure beg to differ. Tax dollars from those incomes benefit me as a taxpayer in the state of Alabama as well

    This belongs in the news and views forum, however, doesn't it?
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    edited September 2010
    Depends on how much your gov. gave up to get them there. Most likely 10 to 20 yrs. in tax givebacks etc. Bottom line many billions will/went back overseas where as if it would have been american car they would have stayed in this country. Of course if something ever happened and there was another big war I'm sure your car companies would step up and build war goods like all the american car companies did during WW1 and 2.
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    You do remember that the Fusion is built in Mexico, don't you?
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    You do remember the many thousands of illegal mexicans working in this country sending our money to mexico. This can be argued back and forth til the sun disolves. A larger percentage of the car sales goes back into the US economy. The other 2, GM and chrysler also have plants in other countries, including canada, but the bottom line is the money still stops here. Foriegn car sales, the money stops in the country the car manufacturer calls home.
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    I'd say the money ends up in the hands of the stockholders, who are all over the world.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    This can be argued back and forth til the sun disolves.

    Not here. We have other forums for that. If this keeps up, the hosts will force us to move the conversation anyway. Just sayin'... :shades:
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    edited September 2010
    Exactly, Grad. That was the point I was trying to make to dmathews3, albeit clumsily, by noting that the Fusion is no more "American" than the Camry et al. Making any automotive decision on the basis of where the car is made, or where the parent company is headquartered, no longer makes sense in a global economy, unless it has the potential to disrupt the supply of replacement parts (which aren't necessarily made in the same country where the finished product is assembled).
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I have no facts but from what I've read most of the Big 3 stockowners are in America with a lot of them being your retirement investors. BMW stockowners for example I'm again guessing most are from Ger. or other nearby Europiean countries. I just wonder how much of your stock whether your personal or 401 or other retirement is in BMW or those other car companies in your state? Again, how about American companies who do business with the Big 3.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Stockholders get dividends, employees on the assembly line get paychecks as do the employees working in engineering and design, suppliers get paid for parts and pay their employees and stockholders with some of the money, employees working at dealerships get paychecks too. It's a big world and a complicated economy.

    Since I don't resent folks in other countries having jobs, I do not care where any car I buy is assembled, where the parts come from, or where their headquarters is and I most certainly don't care where the shareholders live.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Maybe your grandkids will be able to find a job in one of those countries when they grow up.
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    I have no facts but

    'nuff said.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Is this helping determine whether or not the Fusion is an adequate car (it likely is) for the OP's needs?

    NO.

    For the love of all things automotive PLEASE move on. :sick: THIS IS NOT THE PLACE for this conversation.
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    Click me!

    As good as the current Fusion is, this'll only make it better.

    Don't know why it won't be available until '13, seems kinda long just to create a US version of a current car.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I just posted this in the midsized sedans 2.0 topic:

    They had to merge the development schedules of both vehicles - the U.S. Fusion and the European Mondeo. Even thought it might be a 2013 model it will probably debut around March of 2012 which is only 18 months away.

    This is all part of Ford's global platform campaign - build one vehicle and sell it everywhere just like the Fiesta and the upcoming 2012 Focus due in March.

    Don't expect the new Fusion to look exactly like that. These are Mondeo testing mules. They wouldn't be showing the new body style now. Given what they were able to do with the Fiesta and Focus I expect a similarly stunning design.

    It's also very likely that the next Taurus will be built on this platform (stretched and/or widened). And the new Fusion will likely only offer 4 cylinder engines including at least one ecoboost (direct injection turbo) model.
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    Thanks for the update Allen. Much appreciated.
  • pcguyspcguys Member Posts: 24
    My mom is 77, and doesn't need one presently, but I'm about to do a 3 year lease on a 2011 Ford Fusion, and it just occurred to me:

    WILL A WHEELCHAIR fit in a fusion?

    Thanks,
    Mike
  • pcguyspcguys Member Posts: 24
    Does the NAV on a 2011 Ford Fusion speak street names (e.g. turn right on Chestnut Street as opposed to turn right in 500 feet)?

    Also, is it DVD based or does it get the maps from a persistent internet connection? (I guess it's probably DVD, because if you didn't have internet signal, you wouldn't get maps), But figured I'd ask to be sure.

    Thanks,
    Mike
  • pcguyspcguys Member Posts: 24
    What's the ground clearance? Every search I do yields 'N/A'.

    It does seem applicable to an AWD vehicle.

    Thanks,
    Mike
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    You realiza AWD doesn't necessarily mean off-road? There are AWD Lambourghinis, and I don't mean the LM002, I'm talking Diablo, Mucielago, Gallardo. So in this case the AWD is for handling, and perhaps for slippery road conditions, but not going over obstacles.
  • pcguyspcguys Member Posts: 24
    Thanks for the reply.

    I wasn't planning on going off road, but will I get stuck in 4 inches of snow?

    Mike
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    No
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Take a test drive that includes putting a wheelchair in it, perhaps. The dealer won't have a problem with it; they want the sale. It's like putting in a car seat or your bag of golf clubs; people buy a car to meet needs, you should test how well it meets the needs before purchase.

    That said, I've watched my grandparents put a full size collapsable wheelchair in the trunk of their 1997 Civic, which is a subcompact car. I'd hope the Fusion could beat that. :)

    image
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    edited September 2010
    Consumer Reports' regular evaluations address this question for all tested cars. Based on their findings, a folding wheelchair should not be a problem in the trunk of the Fusion or any other midsize sedan. On the other hand, if there's any question of the ease of maneuvering a wheelchair in and out, it's worth borrowing one and trying it on each car you test-drive.
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