Ford's total lack of accountability
My 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid has averaged 35 mpg since I bought it (13000 miles) The best any Ford rep (3 of them using their own computers) could do was 39.9 driving downhill with no AC on and never going over 55 mph. One of the things I liked about the car was that the computer in car actually gave really accurate readings about mpg and gals used. Never off by more than 2% one way or another. Since the programming fix of last summer, my car now shows I am getting 44.5 mpg on average when in reality it is still getting a bit over 35. SO, the fix was to change the computer? To top it off, I have been promised SEVEN times that my complaint would be elevated to next level of engineering. 13 months later, no such thing occurred. Ford is deceitful, and fraudulent, and the approach is to hide behind the EPA. Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Road and Track, and Consumer Reports have all debunked the myth behind Ford's mileage claims. When will they do something about it? Probably never. Funny about how Ford re-did the mileage claims on the C-Max and sent everyone who bought one a check. Three of my closest friends loved the look of my Fusion but because of the way I have been treated, one bought an Avalon, one bought a Buick, and the other a Honda. Any of them would be a much better choice than the Fusion Hybrid.
Actually I do like the car. And realistically it is difficult to complain about 35 MPG, but Ford continues with their fraudulent claims about mileage. I have joined a class action lawsuit.
For the record, those of you who claim you are getting these ridiculous mileage claims because of what the computer tells you...actually check. Divide miles by gallons used to get the real picture, even if someone from Ford actually told me that is not the accurate way to determine mileage. This came from the Regional Customer Service manager.
Comments
I have the same issue with my 2013 Fusion Hybrid. The dash computer is too generous on the MPG. The average difference between the dash MPG gauge and the actual MPG (by filling the tank up and dividing it by the recorded mileage) is around 6 MPG less that the dash gauge reads. I contacted the Ford Satisfaction Division to express my disappointment and they replied that the calibration of the computer is controlled by EPA. Which I know for a fact that this is a lie to avoid taking responsibility.
Seems like it's not only Ford having this problem. Here's an interesting article on the subject:
http://blog.caranddriver.com/why-your-trip-computer-isnt-giving-accurate-mpg-readings-and-how-to-fix-it/
I have a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and I generally love it. I never expected to get 47MPG - I think everyone knew that wasn't realistic.
From April 2013 until October 2013, I was averaging around 39.x MPG overall (according to the car's computer). I commute 110 miles round trip, three days a week, or around 25K miles per year, mostly on the highway at 75 MPH. So I wasn't too unhappy with 39 overall. On some trips home from work (55 miles), I was getting 42 MPG when I drove conservatively. Then in October, I accepted the Ford "fix" that changed the algorithm for when EV mode could kick in. Previously, EV mode went up to 62 MPH. After the fix, EV mode could go up to something like 80 MPH. In theory, that would give highway drivers better gas mileage, if the engine could switch to EV at higher speeds. And it was indeed the case that I saw the engine occasionally switch to EV mode at the higher speeds, so that part worked.
However, after I accepted the fix, my overall gas mileage started to decrease. I have a very consistent driving route and conditions. Each time when I stopped the car, I looked at the mileage for that trip, and the numbers were lower than before the fix was applied. This continued for the next 5 or 6 weeks. I mentioned it to the Ford dealer shop and they said to keep an eye on it. Well, after the weather started getting really cold in November and beyond, the mileage decreased even further, but that always happens with hybrids (and most cars) in the winter - the battery isn't as efficient in cold weather, you run the defrost and heat more, you let the car warm up, etc. So I couldn't really prove after that what was due to the Ford algorithm "fix" and what was due to the cold weather conditions. This has been a particularly cold, harsh winter, and now my overall gas mileage is down to 36.9 MPG (according to the car's computer).
I haven't tried the manual gas mileage calculations, partly because I think there are so many variables in that process. The Car and Driver article linked above refers to them: how full do you fill your tank each time? how do you know how full it is when different gas pumps are calibrated to cut off with different amounts of back pressure? what about different manufacturers of fuel? differences between summer and winter fuel? heat and cold? The article suggested a particular approach to try to minimize some of the variables, but I'm not usually able to be that consistent, so I end up relying on the car's computer numbers.
I am biding my time until warmer weather an more optimal driving conditions return. Then I plan to consistently measure my MPG again and see if it goes back up closer to what it was before the fix. I do plan to go back to the dealer and keep this issue in front of them. They seemed sympathetic, but they are limited in what they can do. I would like to hear from any other 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid owners who have accepted the EV mode "fix" and to hear the experience of others gas mileage after that.
Unless I'm mistaken - if you're driving 40 plus mph - the gas engine will be in use, and whatever you get in gas mileage is what you get.
The 'hybrid' electric motor will only power the car in 'city' driving (40 mph, and lower).
Averaging 35 miles per gallon isn't too bad - that is if you're driving over 40 mph on a regular basis.
I never use the car to figure MPG. I generally fill up at the same station, and often at the same pump. I record the pump location and number in my spreadsheet. Hand calculating is the only reliable way in my experience. It is quite possible that Ford changed the way the MPG is calculated by the computer, or that the ECU changes were not matched by changes to the calculations. You will know how much you use when you record the miles vs. the gallons. I'm driving a 2008 FEH AWD myself. Lifetime MPG around 29 (right at EPA), although here on the LA freeways it actually gets around 30-31, better than in town (around 28-29).