I don't know when, what year, the FEH F/AWD system was revised but I'm relatively sure that the new ABS/VSC/TC/BA/EBD/etc, systems could NOT be functional if the old AWD system that used an electric clutch to engage, SOLIDLY engage, the rear drive were still in use. Additionally the VSC/TC systems cannot be functional absent having independent/individual braking and "unbraking" capability for each of the 4 wheels. So I wouldn't be at all surprised if the information via the link you so kindly provided proves to be mostly obsolete.

Does Ford have an on line document subscription service as does Toyota, techinfo.toyota.com...??

Isn't the 2009 back to full disc brakes..??

 

Please ignore Willard's statements. He does not own a Ford Escape Hybrid. He continues to twist and turn with any replies. Willard, do your children know where you are?

 

And "B" mode is?

With respect to the ABS stopping distance... I believe research shows that on some surfaces (fresh snow, gravel) ABS can extend the straight line stopping distance because when the wheels lock up without ABS they can plow the snow or dig in to the gravel, stopping in a shorter distance... but on most other surfaces, if you hammer the brakes in a panic stop and lock the wheels, your likely to slide further than you would if ABS were active and the wheels did not lock.

And back to the original issue of regen braking... no one who drives a FEH in cold weather seems to notice this "substantial" reduction in regen capbility... Is this just speculation on your part?

 

The theory is, no doubt VALID theory, that if you can "threshold" brake, apply just enough braking to each wheel individually such as to just barely, almost, be NOT locking/skidding, the shortest stopping distance will be attained.

The on and off "nature" of Anti-lock braking is NOT threshold braking, only a close compromise, a compromise limited by the mechanical delays inherent in the design of modern day anti-lock systems.

Look at your owners manual, most of the new, revised, ones will tell you quite bluntly that ABS is more likely to extend stopping distances than not.

Regen reduction. Let's forget, for the moment, that Ford was granted a patent that quite explicitly lays out the technique, procedure, and even a mathimatical formula for the rate at which regen is reduced as the OAT declines.

Let's approach this from a purely practical standpoint.

Absent a clutch would YOU downshift, severely downshift a FWD, FWD "only" vehicle if you were not certain, certain sure, of roadbed conditions. Say entering a long sweeping curve on a dark and stormy, COLD NIGHT...???

And here you are driving an FEH, FWD, the SOC is low, the OAT is below freezing, you lift the throttle fully, and you would have the system go into FULL regen...??

NOT...!!!

 

Please ignore Willard's statements. He does not own a FEH. He is known to frequently post inaccurate statements about the vehicle. He is not an automobile engineer.

 

LOL this is funny.....
All I know is, I drove cross country (Atlanta-LA) On I40, went through about 2 miles of black ice in between New Mexico and Arizona, saw lots of jacked up cars on the side of the road, flipped, jacked knifed, ditched...you name it, I saw it. Car did fine, I had it loaded down with my trailer mounted bike rack, a roof mounted cargo bag, back full of luggage, 110lbs Lab, wife and I. When we got to LA, we made a family trip to Big Bear for some snowboarding, they had got 60 inches of snow, both the FEH and Lexus RX330 did well, but the lexus needed the snowchains, while the FEH drove all the way to the cabin and slopes.
I don't know all the technical details you guys are fussing about, all I know is, the FEH drove fine on ice, snow, rain, and any other condition you can think of. I drove a total of 6K+ miles over this month for the holidays.
This means I got regen when i needed it, i did not slide, lose control, or anything of the sort.
Just my $.02

 

It is not obsolete to those of us who own the 05/06/07/08 vehicles. And, it is likely true that the regen/hydraulic braking "mix" still varies widely with the infinite combinations of inputs that can be received from the gas pedal position sensor, the brake pedal position sensor, and the vehicle motion sensor(s).

I was trying to address the OP's question, not confuse him with self-centered technical speculation and unrelated details from the Toyota HSD system.

 

The 2008 (and newer) has the advanced "intelligent" 4WD system. It is different from the 05-07 models.

 

Yes, but can someone describe it for us in detail, or point us to a good detailed description..??

 

FEH...Model year..??

The earlier FEH F/AWD had the ability to LOCK the rear drive to the front drive, automatically or under (CAUTION) driver control.

RX330...FWD or F/awd...??

Yes, the RX330 FWD would most definitely need chains. With a simple open center diff'l and only TC for awd implementation the RX330 F/awd might even need chains on all four. Mine does.