Hey all, I have a question I'm hoping someone here can help me with.

I have a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, bought it four years ago at 100k miles, it's now at 140k. I love the car, and it runs fine, but I am not getting the mileage of 30 city, 38 highway that the EPA ratings claim for this vehicle. I drive mostly local in my town and get 23 mpg. If i reset it before a freeway jaunt, it ends up being not much better, maybe 28 mpg. Another possible clue is that very rarely runs on battery alone. Previously it would do so some of the time, with the engine typically kicking in once I pass 20mph. It's also rather sluggish sometimes when starting from a full stop. This seems to have no bearing on whether the car is warmed up or not. We had a lot of engine work done on the car about six months ago, which helped a lot, but not completely.

I'm no mechanic or car enthusiast, I'm just asking if this is typical for a car of this age and mileage, or is this an indicator that I need to take it into the shop? Bonus, if you're in Los Angeles' South Bay area, any mechanic recommendations would be appreciated; I'm hoping for someone who's familiar with hybrids, and hopefully someone more reasonably priced than a Ford dealer.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

Barry

 

2008 FEH is rated at 34/30 city/highway.

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...n=sbs&id=24086

1. Did you document your mileage over the last 4 years?
2. Has your driving pattern recently changed?
3. Has this mpg change coincided with the recent increase in temperatures?
4. Is your A/C working perfectly at all times and phases of driving?
5. Please be specific about said "engine work done."

 

Did you document your mileage over the last 4 years?
No, but at fill up it used to predict 350 miles until empty, now it says 315
Has your driving pattern recently changed?
No
Has this mpg change coincided with the recent increase in temperatures?
I'm in Los Angeles, near the coast. Stable temperatures, 98% of the time
Is your A/C working perfectly at all times and phases of driving?
It doesn't work at all.
Please be specific about said "engine work done.
I thought I'd kept the records, but evidently I did not. I'll get that information. Sorry about that.

 

I have bolded your problem. Inoperative A/C kills FEH batteries.

 

So it would not be enough to recharge the AC? The battery would need repair as well?

 

It depends on how much damage has occurred.

 

The car won't go into hybrid with a/c not working once the battery gets too hot. I dunno if it will kill it per se because the car is supposed to stop using it. If you drove like that in LA for a year maybe.

 

The "D" cells are extremely sensitive to temperature. Prolonged use at elevated temps damages them.

Cooling is the fundamental difference between the FEH battery, which is among the best around, and the Honda hybrids... which have the worst packs.