nsteblay

I bought the C-Max Hybrid last October and am loving it. It feels like a cross-over to me (also own a Honda CRV) but I'm getting 47+ this spring and summer. My kids have named it the Cardis after the Dr. Who TV series Tardis - it's larger on the inside than on the outside! (Sorry we're kind of geeks.) The tech has really stabilized and has many cool features. It is spunky. I travel for work and get rental cars quite often. Rented a Prius once, great mileage but I felt like I was driving an appliance not a car. I also rented a VW Jetta and was surprised that my little C-Max had snappier acceleration and better handling. The only downer at this point is the hit MPG takes in the winter (live in Minnesota). There was a recent software upgrade that is suppose to help in cold weather. We'll see this winter.

Has anyone successfully sent a text message through their smartphone using MFT? I can receive texts post 3.6.2 with my iPhone 4S but can't send them.

No picture but I did get 58 MPG on my trip from work today - 21 miles. 70 % freeway 30% highway. Drove normal freeway speeds when available - lots of congestion.

I didn't need to configure anything on the iPhone. I connected to SYNCH just like I've connected to any other bluetooth device. Make sure you're on the latest IOS. I did have to enable texting on the C-Max. I don't remember offhand what I did. I'll check it out on my ride to work this morning and comment tonight.

I have had all the updates. I would recommend them. I've been getting great mileage, MFT has been solid, really liking the car, has met all my expectations this summer. Jury is still out on how winter will impact MPG. I am anticipating a huge hit to mileage in the winter but I might be surprised. Ford is saying the 13B07 improves cold weather mileage.

Getting good MPG on the C-Max is very dependent on how you drive. On my commute to work I can vary from 50+ to high 30's if I drive aggressively. It's just the nature of how Ford implemented the hybrid technology. Good mileage is function of the percent of time in EV mode. You can definitely drive the car in way that percent in EV mode is low. I rented a Toyota Prius recently to compare. Toyota took a different approach to implementing the hybrid technology. In the Prius you don't need to worry much about how you drive to get your mileage. The tradeoff is in power and styling. I didn't like the driving experience in the Prius and much prefer my C-Max. The other day I was in a hurry in busy traffic that required some aggressive acceleration and maneuvering. The C-Max performed great in this situation. When testing the Prius I purposely tried some aggressive moves - wasn't happening. To be fair for average driving the Prius has adequate acceleration but there is a significant tradeoff in power.

Yes, incoming works fine. Haven't tried outgoing yet. Will try tomorrow.

Car manufacturers (and Ford) pay dealers for warranty and recall work whether they admit it or not. They're not doing for it free, I guarantee it.

It would be great if Ford would allow us to configure the threshold for when Negative Split Mode kicks in. That way depending on the type of driving we could configure our cars appropriately. It is probably some type of flash memory that holds the programming so I would imagine this isn't possible with the components they've used.

It sounds like you were in Negative Split Mode. Instant MPG will vary depending on hills and the wind - torque required to propel the car. I've seen instant MPG vary and get into the high 40's if not 50's. The charge arrow will change depending on whether power is needed or taken. You could easily see the arrow up and instant MPG increase. On a perfectly flat surface with no wind there would still be a cycle of charging though I doubt you would see the phenomenon you describe. I figured with the update I wouldn't be seeing Negative Split Mode anymore. I am really only using the car for commuting to and from work - congested freeway driving. For my 21 mile commute this evening I got 54.6 MPG - that's stop and go with periods of 65-70 MPH - the CMax seems engineered for this type of driving. With the type of driving I am doing the update was positive. For consistent high speed freeway driving I really couldn't say if the update is positive or negative (no pun intended).

Hmmm... I'm not aware of any specific gauge indicator that shows if you're in Positive or Negative Split Mode. Positive and Negative Split Modes are only active when ICE is engaged. The way I've determined the mode is by the instant MPG. I can tell when I'm in Negative Split Mode when MPG goes between 40 - 50 and the battery is charged 3/4 to 4/5. When in Positive Split Mode the battery is less than 3/4 charged and I see MPG between 20 - 35. How were you determining which mode you were in? Are you sure you're not in EV mode?

The C-Max uses what's called "Powersplit" architecture. It consists for 3 motors - Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), an Electric Traction Motor and a Generator Motor. People will refer to the Electric Motor and Generator Motor as the EV which is short for electric vehicle. The diagram below shows the components. The Planetary Gear System allows the motors to power the vehicle simultaneously. Ford has employed a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) for the C-Max transmission so it has no gears. If you search for these terms in Google you find multiple articles describing the technologies in detail. There are four modes for how the C-Max uses the three engines. The three major ones which are straightforward to understand: Series Mode - When the car is stopped and the ICE is running to charge the batteries or keep the car warm.Positive Split Mode - When the car is moving and the ICE is running to move the car and charge the battery.Electric Mode - When the car is moving but the ICE is off and the EV is moving the car on its own.The fourth mode is a bit more difficult to explain. It is called Negative Split Mode or as some refer to on the site as ICE High. Negative Split Mode is used to aid the ICE when traveling at high speeds. In this mode the Generator Motor is actually used to help power the car allowing the ICE to idle as low as possible. This mode is only possible when the batteries are almost fully charged. This mode kicked in above 63 MPH before the 13B07 update as Electric Mode was only possible less than 63 MPH. Post 13B07 the threshold was raised from 63 MPH to 85 MPH. The following diagram is useful for understanding the 13B07 upgrade. The ECM and HPCM are essentially computers that control the car's ICE, EV and gear components. They contain the algorithms that determine how the various components of the car will work for a given situation. The software that determines these algorithms was updated by 13B07 to allow for better MPG while driving. Post 13B07 when in ECO cruise and below 85 MPH the car will attempt to alternate between Positive Split Mode and Electric Mode for optimal gas mileage and will not use Negative Split Mode. By blipping (I am assuming pushing the accelerator briefly) while in ECO cruise it will make the car seek Negative Split Mode as opposed to alternating between Positive Split Mode and Electric Mode. I haven't tried this technique so I'll defer to those who have experience with it. Personally I don't use ECO cruise much. I find that I get better mileage by having full control over acceleration. Since the 13B07 upgrade I've been averaging 50+ MPG. It takes knowledge of the modes, an understanding of the gauges and driving discipline to achieve the mileage. The great thing is I am not compromising on speed as I am staying up with traffic if not passing others on occasion. I will say that I could easily do worse if I didn't drive smartly. The C-Max definitely allows for acceleration and driving styles that won't achieve optimal mileage. Weather has been optimal though and I expect a hit in mileage as colder weather approaches. I rented a Prius a few weeks ago while traveling for work. Toyota has taken a different approach than Ford. They have made the engines and batteries smaller, styled the car for optimal aerodynamics, and tuned the control modules for optimal MPG. The Prius lives in its equivalent of Negative Split Mode as the ICE kicks in above 30 MPH and has achieved great mileage when traveling at 65 to 75 MPH. This results in great overall MPG but at the cost of acceleration, styling and handling. I got 50+ (about the same) with the Prius but didn't really have to worry about how I drove. The big differences for me that make me desire the C-Max over the Prius are the ability for quicker acceleration if needed, styling that is more comfortable with greater visibility and handling that is sportier.

It sure improved my iPhone connectivity. I can now do texting through Sync.

Hey, I think there is a tractor pull soon in NowThen Minnesota. Not too late to register!

Oh oh ... 17% better mileage than EPA rating - post the 13B07 - experienced during normal commutes this week! Does that mean I need to pay Ford $550?

First 120 miles after 13B07 update. Commute trips to work and around town at traffic speeds. By far the best mileage I've seen. Double what I get in my Honda CRV. 17% better than the official EPA of 43 MPG without even trying ;) More than half the miles in EV. I attribute that to the new 85 MPH threshold. Actual ICE MPG was 22.4. Obviously wasn't getting into Negative Split Mode often.

EPA statement ... http://www.epa.gov/otaq/documents/fueleconomy/420f13044.pdf The crazy thing is I'm getting good mileage now - 48 drive to work 53 on the ride home just yesterday. What they don't mention in any of these articles is the impact of temperature. That is the main reason the C-Max fuel economy varies so significantly.

Very interesting discussion. I am curious ... I rented a Prius last week. One observation I had was the ICE kicks in about 30 MPH - yet I was seeing instant 50+ MPG while driving 65-70 MPH. I think Toyota has nailed the Negative Split Mode so that the ICE is using very little fuel when cruising at high speeds. This approach also seems to reduce the variability in mileage. The downsides of the Toyota were very little power for acceleration and of course the other aesthetics related to the Prius. I didn't notice a huge delay in getting to Negative Split Mode with the Toyota. Why does the C-Max need a full battery charge to get to Negative Split Mode? The time to get to full charge with ICE at high speeds really brings down the overall MPG average.

I think I understand. I'll need to try it when I have a stretch of freeway to test. Minnesota has two seasons - winter and road construction :(

4 Modes of Operation Series Mode Used only when vehicle is not moving and the engine is runningEngine may be running for battery charging, cabin or battery temperature control, or catalyst warm-up.Positive Split Mode Engine is ON and driving the generator motor to produce electricityPower from the engine is split between the direct path to the road and the path through the generator motorGenerator power can flow to the battery or to the traction motorThe traction motor can operate as a motor or a generator to make up the difference between the engine power and the desired powerThis is the preferred mode whenever the battery needs to be charged or when at moderate loads and low vehicle speedsNegative Split Mode The engine is on and the generator motor consumes electrical energy to reduce engine speedThe traction motor can operate as a motor or a generator to make up the difference between the engine power and the desired powerTypical highway modeOccurs when the engine needs to be on, the system can not be operated in parallel mode and the battery is charged near its upper limitElectric Mode The vehicle is propelled by stored electrical energy onlyThe engine is turned offThe tractive torque supplied from the traction motorPreferred mode whenever the desired power is low enough such that it can be produced more efficiently by electrical system than enginePreferred mode in reverse because the engine can not deliver reverse torqueSeparate electric pump maintains power assisted steeringThe ICE High is Negative Split Mode. These modes are described in the OBDII Theory and Operation available here.

I've had all the updates. I can only say positive things about the FE update. 52 MPG driving to work and 48 MPG coming home today. Drive is mix of stop and go and freeway (70 MPH). I was driving in EV at 70+. The one thing I've wondered about is Negative Split Mode. This is when the battery is fully charged and the electric charging motor helps the ICE reduce RPMs when traveling at high speeds. This mode was effective when driving above 63 MPG previous to the FE update. Now that EV can happen up to 85 MPH I don't ever see this mode kicking in - at least not for me. The question is does alternating between Positive Split Mode and Electric mode at high speeds provide better gas mileage than getting into Negative Split Mode. So far I would say yes.

I am seeing EV mode now at high speeds. The car is more sensitive to acceleration at high speeds so for it to kick in at 65-75 requires mostly flat or downhill - at least that is what I've experienced to date. I got 46.3 on the way to work and 49.5 on the way back yesterday. I was P&G even when traveling at 70+ alternating between Positive Split Mode and Electric Mode. I actually like the change because most freeways in the Twin Cities are posted at 65 MPH. I think it will improve my mileage overall. I am not sure when the car will ever get into Negative Split Mode. Before the fix I was experiencing decent mileage once Negative Split Mode was achieved - low 40's. I suppose you need to go faster than 85 now to experience it - probably won't ever be driving that fast. I am also noticing the EV kicking in more often for powering up hills. I can't say for sure if that is a change. The new My Ford Sync update is fantastic. Texting on my iPhone is working now. Voice commands seem more reliable. Ford is doing a good job now getting regular updates and fixes out. If the car can maintain reasonable gas mileage when it gets cold I would say it is meeting my expectations that I had when I purchased the car. After having driven a Toyota Prius all last week (rental) I will say the C-Max is a much more pleasant ride, has more power and mileage, though somewhat less (got 50 on the Prius), is still very good.