Econoline (Don), it appears your question was deleted here at the forum, so I'll quote you and give my answer.

"Gary,

Can you give me any information on the warm-up procedure you referred to?

And is there a link to the video? Thanks."

The warm-up procedure is automatic and all you need to do is let it take its course. When you first start your FEH/MMH, the strategy put your engine in a special idle mode and the PCM retards the timing to heat-up the CAT to reduce emissions as soon as possible. The electric motors provide the torque during this strategy to keep the engine in this procedure from breaking from this special idle to warm-up the CAT. If you request more torque than the battery or the electric motors can provide, timing is then advanced and heating the CAT is delayed. The trick is to allow the strategy to do its job and keep the torque request at the accelerator at a minimum during this period to avoid ICE assistance. You will go EV much sooner with the engine emissions system at operating temperatures.

The video is over an hour long and sites like You Tube limit videos to 10-15 minutes. I've sent a DVD to those that have requested, but I just gave my son a copy to try and post it on the internet some how.

GaryG

 

Thanks Gary. Actually I deleted my post when I found the answers over at cleanmpg.com. But thanks for the extra details.

But I do have a followup question. Based on what we now know about the warmup, should I let the ICE idle when cold at a very long stop light, or turn it off until the light changes and then restart? This is a traffic light that I hit within one minute of leaving my garage so little warmup has occurred. Thanks.

 

It all depends on how long you stay at a stop. If it is a long light, I recommend going to "Park" and shutting the engine off. The strategy will resume where it left off when you restart and go again. After a key off restart, you must always wait 30 seconds for EV to be possible.

I have a light where most of the time I go EV before it, so I wait a few second to go EV with the ICE running if it doesn't. The extra charge pays off in EV when the light turns green again anyways. It's all a matter of timing and judgment IMHO.

GaryG

 

I just had my AWD 2005 Hybrid in and out of the dealership for the recall. The file attachment shows the details of this "repair" which includes the software flashing of the battery control module (BCM). This is exactly what Gary G. stated in his post. Even more interesting is I copied Gary's post (seen above), photos of the HV battery case opened via Gary's reference in the past few days and gave it to the service manager at the local Ford Dealership. When I picked up the vehicle after work, the Service Manager thanked me for providing the information and was going to sent it to his regional higher ups--if not Ford Motor Company! We have to thank our experienced posters (Gary G) for sharing their documents and educating not only the owners but evidently personal at Dealerships!

The software update made the transition from ICE to EV and the reverse again much smoother. The previous temporary "lateral shaking" at this transition has been eliminated. It is too early to tell if the MPG has improved.

 

I never got a letter for the 07B48 program, and when I checked genuineservice.com, the only recall for my VIN was the 06C12 headliner one, and it was supposed to be performed prior to delivery. I guess I won't get the new and improved BCM software.

UPDATE - I called and found out that both program 06C12 and 07B48 are listed for my VIN. They didn't know why the 07B48 wasn't listed on genuineservice.com. I'm scheduling for next week. So I WILL get the battery software update!

 

I called Ford after my local service dept knew nothing about 07B48. It's not a recall but a "Customer Satisfaction Program". The letter says to call to have the service scheduled, service dept know nothing about it, Ford says they will only replair it if it's a problem. It's all a little confusing. I hope I'm not in the middle of nowhere if/when it happens.
Shari
Austin Tx

 

Yeah....I'd be finding another dealer.

If your model is one of the ones designated for 07B48, you're supposed to get the update. You shouldn't have to wait, the whole point is to get this taken care of so you're not stranded on the side of the road (b/c of a false "stop engine now" warning).

Nate

 

Just got my FEH back and had a long talk with the Hybrid Tech. It turns out I had a very long list of codes stored in my Pcm , so they were having a hard time locating the problem. Because of so much talk about plug-in conversions, Ford thought I had attempted or was plugging my FEH in to charge the Hv battery. They ask the Tech to take pictures of my SG11 and see if he could tell if I was using it to program my Pcm for a plug-in charger. The codes were saying my battery and everything else were bad, and they still could not get the ICE started.

Finally they found the fuel injector coil with carbon on the contacts which explains why my engine had been running poorly for months. It would diesel when I shut it down some times. After replacing the injector coil, the engine still would not start. Ford and the Tech determined that the SG11 was not used to program the Pcm , and all the pictures they took did not indicate I had made a plug-in FEH . Ford then ask the tech to replace the Power Sustain Relay (PSR) which is wired in parallel with the electronic engine control (EEC) power relay. The Pcm and the transaxle control module (TCM) use the PSR to keep the modules powered with the 12V system. The PSR has a lot to do with key-off and normal power down and key-on sequences and power to coil/injector relay. After the PSR was replaced out of warranty, and all the man hours of locating the problem, this set me back $722, which included towing.

Ford and the Hybrid Tech said this is the first time they've seen this problem. Just a little research and I'm very convinced that repeated Fas caused the PSR to short out.

My FEH had the most testing of any FEH the Tech as ever seen and is in great working order now. The Tech did the "Customer Satisfaction Program" (recall) on the Hv battery and up dated the firmware in the Battery Control Module. Others had notice a change in EV and I can confirm things are much smoother now. The PCM's did not get a reflash as part of the recall as I suspected as I talked to the Tech for about 45 minutes and I took him for a long drive to explain Hypermiling and test the vehicle. All in all, a nice bunch of folks.

GaryG

 

I chose not to respond until the result of Gary's svc visit before spreading any more of my far fetched conclusions.

Q1: Yes. But I was wrong, it was the excessive FAS that caused the problem, not excessive FS.

Q2: The warranty absolutely applies, unless you either use the vehicle excessively or use it in a unintended way. Ford designed this vehicle to drive as much like a "normal" Escape for a reason....

Gary G has made the choice to try some hypermiling techniques. That's fine and his choice. Good for him. Where I have a problem is where he tried to pin this problem on the non-recall recall, by concluding that: "Ford has identified a serious fix needed for the HV battery" (post#92). I tried to point out that (after GPS man did), that maybe it was his techniques that caused the problems, unrelated to the recall program (see my post# 94), and got blasted for it..

My concern isn't for Gary, he's made that choice, but that a newbie discounts the FEH as an vehicle option after hearing "Ford has identified a serious fix needed for the HV battery" (post#92), or "Would you want to pay $8,000 for a new battery after 100,000 miles and only got 30mpg?" (post#98). The fact is that battery/hybrid system failure is very, very, rare and we have several normal use vehicles approaching 75-100k miles; and taxis surpassing 175k miles.

Or concern#2:

Someone tries these hypermiling techniques and either gets in an accident (drafting too close, rear ended for braking using the L--no brakelights, etc.) or voids their warranty/trashes their FEH trying some of these techniques. Just want to be sure we're not highlighting these lofty mpgs without sharing all the facts(the pros AND the cons).

I apologize if I've offended anyone, but I see more and more newbies or lurkers who join a coversation that we've been having for 3yrs or more (I joined in fall'04)

Nate

 

Interesting what happened. I'm glad this is resolved, as it is never fun to have to drag a vehicle in on a trailer. No matter the cause, it lends the impression that the vehicle is unreliable. It tends to stick in one's craw, so to speak.

It sounds like the key-off activity might have caused some carbon build-up, which is no surprise. It's all a balancing act and we are "learning as we go".