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I'd give this a +1 but for the severe editing required to remove off-topic nonsense. It's the point of post #2 - very different stresses on the oil in a CVT than a multispeed hydraulic automatic, much more like engine oil. It's quite possible that the transmission runs fine with burnt fluid... or what we think we know about hydraulic automatics is wrong. We're quoting tranny cooler input temps, as that's where the sensor is. Instantaneous, local temperatures within the torque converter may be quite a bit higher, albeit in places where you can't put a sensor. I've always had a hard time with the idea that tranny fluid broke down around the boiling point of water. Oils, in general, don't break down at 100C. 200C is a different story. Any cook knows that... Have fun, Frank

As the gentlemen in DrD's video demonstrate by ommission, the thing that successfully frees cars stuck in snow is a shovel. As soon as they tried to pull (going wrong way) through/over the snow pile, from the wrong corner of the car, you knew they were going to get high-centered on a pile of really hard ice. The rest was predictable. My wife's car was stuck in our driveway. With yesteday's warm temps (almost hit freezing!), the snow was easy to remove from in front of the wheels and most of the ice came up as well. It took longer than it should, but for the same reason it was stuck in the first place; our plowing contractor is inept. I just hope your temps haven't tumbled yet... we're now 0F, not 0C Have fun, Frank

Actually, if you want to do something to prolong HV battery life, never let it get hot with a full charge. Overcharging and heat are the enemies of Li-ion technology. It's one reason to use EV+, so the battery gets drained just before you park it. If you read the whole article, you should recognize several of their key points are already built in - you can't charge it over about 70% - you can't discharge it more than about 30% - the battery has active cooling during use But Ford has no control over how you store it. I'm more likely to see -5F than 90F here in Rochester, but that's not the case farther South. A shaded parking space would seem a prudent addition to using EV+ to discharge before storage. HAve fun, Frank

This would explain why I got AutoZone-brand oil when I asked for 0W20 full synthetic... Ford doesn't have one!

I should have thought about this sooner. We're all thinking like it's an automatic, a hydraulic transmission with a torque converter that uses transmission fluid to convey power. Answers like "better to stay at 180F" and "you'll kill the tranny at 240F" are true for these devices (speaking as a former class-A motorhome owner who took it over the Rockies). However, if you look at the hybrid synergy drive, it's more of a manual transmission than an automatic, especially when it comes to the stresses placed on the transmission fluid (which is ATF, by the way). There's no torque converter, no gears shifting, no valves to get stuck, and a whole lot less bulk mechanical stress, even if the oil film stresses are high when the gears are in mesh. I see no reason to expect the kind of failure modes that plaque conventional automatics when their AFT heats up. Your thoughts? Frank

You're not happy with a 480 A A rating? Tough crowd! One thing to consider is that rolling resistance is a function of tread thickness, and so tread depth. The OEM tires are spec'ed with 9.5/32" of tread, so 6.5/32" usable tread. A tire with 12/32" of tread has 9/32" of usable tread, nearly 40% more rubber. It ought to last longer, but it won't roll near as easily as the OEM tire does. Lots of other factors involved, but I give the OEM tire props for making the life it does, while dissipating as little energy as it does. Have fun, Frank

We didn't buy ours, my Father-im-law did, and we inherited it when he passed away. I would never have considered it, so the changes it has wrought are even more surprising. The first reason to love it - an 8 foot long rail fits, with a millimeter or two to spare: Second, it's not a car, it's a toy! Mileage games, airflow mods, tuft testing, aero mods, grill block, chrome blackouts... lots of fun. Third, and most significant, it's changed by personality, shifting my driving style away from Type A behaviour. I'm more laid back (not that I needed to be), more patient with other drivers, and I'm accelerating slower in pursuit of fuel mileage (but driving faster when the opportunity arises - you can't beat kinetic energy!). The wife and kids wonder where their father went.... HAve fun, Frank

What, last year's never subsided? We're tying low temperature records these last few days.

Agreed! I came from a Volvo 940. The C-Max is 16" shorter, with 5" less wheelbase, but the Volvo will run rings around a C-Max. FWD and tight turning circles do not go together! I'd wager the Fusion's no worse than a C-Max. I had one as a loaner and didn't notice a difference. Far more curb appeal, but I'm spoiled by the cargo space and the excellent driving position. HAve fun, Frank

That's why I provided attribution... and I I found lots of sites, but this was the best one. Every battery technology is different, so it's possible the sources were right about different battery types. This is specific to Li-ion, and from a site doing current research, in conjunction with a major university and national laboratories. Skepticism has it's value, up to a point. Have fun, Frank

Any input that's directed towards a specific individual, only, would be in a private message, by definition. When you post in a public forum, you are speaking in public to all readers. If that's not your intent, it's your problem to fix, not ours. Have fun, Frank

At my last change, I asked the Ford dealer to use "full synthetic 0W20." They went to AutoZone and bought house-brand oil. I've been doing oil analysis, after 2 changes using Ford 5W20 blend, and will not leave the brand of oil to others in the future. This looks interesting, but I suspect anyone's 0W20 synthetic would be similar, so I'm not terribly upset at my dealer, just surprised! They left the box in the car, with one partial bottle. Have fun, Frank

This is why I love EV+, and really miss it these days, as it hasn't found my place of business yet after the last PCM update. EV+ is a way to get more EV range out of the car at a time when it's very safe to do so - just before a rest. As Plus 3 notes above, you can't discharge the HVB fully, so there's no danger there. A little research reveals that EV+ may be a very smart thing to use! This comes from Battery University, reporting on research performed at Ohio State, in conjunction with Oak Ridge National Labs and NIST. You kill Li-ion batteries by storing them fully charged, and at high temperatures. Optimum storage conditions are 40% charged. Sound like EV+ is one easy way to consistently leave the HVB at a favorable charge level to minimize charge capacity loss during storage. That kind of trumps all the other arguements, don't you think? HAve fun, Frank

Get off the highway. I have a 15 mile, 30 minute commute. I'll see WT close to center at some point during the trip, but not when I'm parking... by then, WT is rarely high enough to get heat in EV without the ICE starting. This with full grill blocks, but an ambient temperature well below freezing. At 15F, the engine will only stay warm if it's running. If you're EV'ing a lot, operating temeprature will be a goal not often achieved. Last winter, I drove highways to stay warm. This winter, I've learned how to stay off the highiways, and still be comfortable, for the most part. HAve fun, Frank

+1 The plug in the console is switched with the ignition, the one in the trunk is not, so you have easily accessible options. The AC plug is also switched, I believe, but at 150W, you could get a reasonable charging current. Seems to me you need an additional current source, like solar if you can't plug in. Don't discount the performance of the latest generation of coolers. Block ice would easily last a week or more if the cooler's in shade. Conversely, a newer active cooler may be just as well insulated. Have fun, Frank

That's true for conventional, torque converter-based automatic trannys. The hybrid synergy drive is more like a manual tranny in that it's all gears, and they're always meshed. Paul's just heating the oil so it flows better, not so it overheats. Frank

Welcome! I find Ice Storm to be a very nice color for hiding both dirt and salt this time of year. It's also amazing how much stuff you can fit in one of these. If space is precious, you'll want to avoid the Energi plug-in, for it's space-stealing battery hump. 12V battery issues in SELs are rare, so we complain about other stuff. My service outlay in the first 30K miles has only been two oil changes, and all the recalls where at my convenience. The only real concern from a reliability standpoint is the lack of a spare, as I've holed a sidewall and been stranded once already. Easy to fix, as long as a spare tire fits will your other gear.. HAve fun, Frank

If you don't think you eco-cruise works, compare it to conventional cruise control by driving in pairs. My wife and I have done this, on occassion, and eco-cruise drives her nuts, because I'm always speeding up and slowing down just a little bit. Hard to notice when you're driving... Have fun, Frank

Wholely off topic, but... I bet you're thinking of the F-4. "A Navy investigating board later attributed the accident to the corrosion of rivets in the lead lining of a ballast tank, most likely caused by sulfuric acid. This corrosion permitted seawater to seep into the battery compartment. " HAve fun, Frank

Yep; that's it! Has me wondering if I need a battery heater more than I need an engine coolant heater... Engine's warm in a few miles, while the battery's taking about 10! Maybe I ought to turn up the cabin heat so the HVB heats up faster? Learning to drive in negative split mode an awful lot, but minding the RPM (in Myview) got me over 40 MPG today (3F overnight). Have fun, Frank

Yes, Paul, that's coasting. Scott, I'm going to disagree with fotomot... glide is coasting by definition. Keep in mind that hypermiling greatly predates when hybrids hit the market, but some techniques are so much easier with a hybrid drivetrain they're become associated with hybrids. Pulse and glide is one of them. Have fun, Frank

I'll post some data once I fill in the sub-20F range, but early data says that 35F isn't really "cold" but rather on the threshold. I'm seeing MPG start to fall below the fair-weather temperature-mileage trend line at that point, but the interesting stuff is at lower temps. Stay tuned. Yes and no. There are times when WT isn't the only criteria, though I doubt you'll ever see it. I've had three cases of sub-zero overnight lows, followed by a morning commute where ICE is on well after WT is mid-gauge. It's taking at least 10 miles to warm up to normal operation. I suspect it's a battery issue; I can only EV after cycling the battery through some charge-discharge cycles, and at first, it's limited, like with a cold ICE. Very hard to EV when you only have 0.1 bar! Negative split mode is the only option, but a useful one... Anyone in the northern states been following this thread? Any of you see what I'm describing? Only happens after zero-ish or lower temps, during the following morning's commute. Have fun, Frank

Actually, you can't coast in a C-Max without pressing the gas... To my mind, "coasting" occurs when neither the drive train, nor the brakes, are connected to the road wheels. No energy in, purely parasitic losses out. When a C-Max is moving and your foot is off the pedals, a C-Max is regen braking, not coasting. That little charge-up arrow is the tell-tale. You're only coasting to my definition when neither charge nor discharge arrow are shown, achieved by a very, very gentle press on the gas, and dang hard to maintain! And there are times I'd like to actually coast... Have fun, Frank

I'd wager the car has lots of mechanical noise suppression... Remember that quiet interiors have been a selling point of luxury cars for decades. Seems highly rational to use a belt-and-suspenders approach once new technologies, like electronic noise supression become available. In fact, in noise suppression that's the only way to do it. As to the noise produced with one window open, blame aerodynamics for giving the rear windows smooth air flow. You're just blowing a large whistle, with you inside. Have fun, Frank

Based on my 22K miles... No spare isn't a problem until you hole a tire. That kind of severe damage had been a rare thing over the ~40 years when I did carry a spare, but sure enough, I managed to hole the RF sidewall on the C-Max turning into a parking lot. That said, I still don't carry a spare, although I do watch for sharp curbs. The biggest change for anyone used to a clutch is the CVT. Engine speed is no longer related to road speed in any sense, and there are no gears to shift. It took a while, but I now drive with an eye to running the engine at an efficient RPM, and focus on ways to store any excess energy, so engine load remains high and specific fuel consumption minimized. If you play the "hybrid game," MPG is far more than "all that." The hybrid game is simply learning how to get the most distance out of your fuel, without becoming a pariah on the road. There's lots of info on the forum on how to play, and proof of what's possible in the high-miles-per-tank thread. When folks ask about mileage, I say: "Somewhere between 30 and 60, depending on outside temps and how you drive it." SELs like mine have a far lower rate of 12v battery issues, and the root cause, to my understanding, is related to SE-unique configuration. As to the TDi, consider a diesel if you do lots of long-distance, highway driving. What becomes obvious playing the hybrid game is that hybrids perform best at low speed and there's darn little you can do at high speed to improve mileage besides slow down. The opposite is true of a well-implemented diesel. My brother-in-law gets 45 mpg at 75, where my C-Max has a hard time breaking 40, but that's the best he ever gets. If you do a lot of highway driving, the TDi may be a better choice than a hybrid. And Welcome! Frank