raadsel

Next you'll be telling me that I can't go to McDonalds, buy a Hamburger, Fries, and a Drink, and get change back from a dollar. Hmm... what about 5 cent Hershey bars, can I still get those?

One other thing to consider, part of the reason for EV+ working the way it does is actually to prolong battery life. The idea is that a Lithium Ion battery, when in "storage", does best between a 40-50% SOC. Part of the idea of EV+ is to lower the battery charge to prepare it for "storage", since the HV battery is disconnected while the car is parked. There is also the idea that much of the time, the engine is going to run when you start the car cold -- and typically when you go home you are going to be parking the car for a few hours. So by depleting the battery when you go home, it allows the battery to charge more once you start the car cold, when the ICE comes and stays on to get to normal operating temperatures. It does appear that hybrids will, eventually, use navigation to plan for the terrain -- such as discharging the battery before a long hill when it can charge the battery. BMW has the technology in some of their cars, at least early forms of it; I'm sure this will start filtering down to "lower end" cars as the technology matures -- and I'm guessing Ford already has plans to develop the technology. At this point, however, it is still to costly to add the technology without adding a few thousand dollars to the price of our cars. As for trying to accelerate in EV mode, I wouldn't worry about it. How hard you can accelerate without turning the ICE on is based on the battery SOC. As you have noticed, if the SoC is low, then you have to accelerate very slowly to keep the car in EV mode. Instead, I wouldn't worry about it that much. Despite the obvious issues with terrain, the car largely does a good job of staying efficient. Instead of worrying about staying in EV when you accelerate, my recommendation is to find a rate of acceleration you feel happy (and safe) with that provides the level of acceleration you want, but is low enough to provide some extra fuel efficiency; then let the car worry about how to get the best fuel economy. Just because the ICE turns on when accelerating is not necessarily less efficient.

I had a chance to try the other key today. I hadn't realized that I had set it up, likely from when I brought it home with both keys in the car. It was set to power+threshold and the coach. So, I'm still not sure what is going on; guess I'll wait and see if it comes up with a different MyView, and then see if that persists over multiple car starts.

My understanding is that ETIS is the site for European Ford dealers -- which is why US models do not show up correctly.

I believe it means they have a hybrid/electric certified mechanic, as well as the necessary extra tools/computers needed to fix/upgrade them.

Yes, but I am always using the same fob to start the car. That is a thought, though, I may use the other key and change MyView, see if that makes a difference.

Yes, you do have to press OK. From what I recall, you have to press OK just to get it to show, as you are selecting the right option and the left option is grayed out until OK is pressed. Regardless, the system is remembering it over a day or two, through the various on/off cycles, but then just randomly "forgets" after 2 or 3 days. I'm going to "test" what stevedebi stated, the next time it switches again I'll not change it and see if it switches back again on the next start up.

This is likely caused by an outdated (or maybe an error since it shows 74) on the Map SD card, particularly since the speed limited was raised to 80 in September of 2013. The speed limit information is taken from the maps SD card and will not updated if the speed limits change. I'd try a newer SD card, either the A5 or A6, and see if that corrects the issue. You can find the A6, the most recent map, on eBay for under $100 and the A5 typically for $35 or so.

I'm fairly certain this isn't that because it at least about 5 keystrokes to change MyView. While I can see myself pressing a couple of buttons, I can't see it being enough to actually change what MyView displays. Instead, I would think it would be more like changing from MyView to Engage.

Wondering if anyone else is having this issue or an easy fix. Basically, I set up MyView to display the information I want (typically power+threshold on the left and fuel economy history on the right). After setting it up it will stay for a couple of days but, at seemingly random times when I start the car, it will have reverted back to what it was when I bought the car. Any thoughts why it might be doing this or how to keep it from changing back?

That isn't quite true. While the base gas is the same, the difference is the extras added to the gas. Typically, lower end gas stations and many gas stations only have the EPA minimum, which many experts claim is insufficient. Top Tier gas has a level of detergents that meets higher standards, which do a much better job at keeping injectors and fuel lines clean.

It is not equivalent to the accessory position. C-Maxes with a key actually have a third setting, Accessory, which basically only powers the radio/MFT. It does not power the other displays on the dash, the climate control, etc. It then has an On position, which is similar to pressing the start/stop button without pushing the brake pedal -- this powers all the electrical systems but, as you note, does not provide propulsion. The key then has a third position, Start, which is like pushing the Start/Stop button with the brake depressed. As I understand the difference, Accessory does not connect the HVB, it runs solely off the 12V battery -- though it does have a lower draw since it is only powering the radio. By contrast, when "On" (without going to start, with the key, or holding the brake) the HVB is connected, just that it cannot be recharged by the ICE, but it will continue to recharge the 12V battery until the HVB battery's power state gets too low. How long the battery will last depends on the draw of the car and the charge level of the HVB, but since all systems are on -- radio, climate, all computers, etc. -- there is a much greater draw on the batteries. While I understand you might feel this is semantics, it can cause issues for some activities with an SEL. For example, if you want to add an address into your Nav unit, with keyless entry the car must be "On" to do this; with an SE you can put it in accessory and not have everything on. Another example is going to a drive in movie, where the sound is transmitted over FM radio; with an SE you can put it in accessory and easily play it through the car radio, with the SEL you will have difficulty using the car radio (since the car will be "on", including all the dash lights, even if it can't be driven).

As I understand it, the SEL has no accessory position. Instead, it is either "On" or off -- on in quotes because On is both ready to drive or all systems on but where the engine and motor will not turn on (depending on if you hit the brake pedal). It doesn't have an accessory position, like the SE, where only entertainment turns on. If I understand correctly, On but not ready to drive can kill the 12V battery, but only after it has drained the HV battery; the HV battery will keep the 12V charged until it runs out of charge. Of course, if the car is On and ready to drive (if you actually forget to turn the car off), then the 12V will stay charged until the car runs out of gas; since the car will keep turning the ICE on to keep the HVB charged.

Just to update, I finally purchased a C-Max. I ended up with a 2013 SEL and, for the short time I've owned it, am very happy with it. It seems to be in good condition, it drives well, and I was able to get a deal I was happy with. I actually found an incredible deal on a Fusion (actually a mistake in pricing, that they have now corrected) but ultimately decided I wanted the C-Max. Thank you all for your help.

Except CAFE is a fleet "average". While the Fusion Hybrid helps more, the C-Max still raises Fords overall number. Additionally, the Fusion Hybrid largely compensates for the other Fusion powertrains, which I believe are all in the mid 20s for combined fuel economy. The C-Max, to that end, still helps bring the overall average up, along with the Focus Electric. I also understand about the Prius but, again, even Prius sales are down because of both gas prices and increased competition. The C-Max does compete well against the Prius in a head to head battle -- I seem to recall seeing a couple of those recently, despite the C-Max's fuel economy issues. Additionally, Ford has to know that current C-Max owners love their cars. I would hope, and I think Ford has enough vision to do this, that the C-Max is improved using the new European C-Max design. I'm sure Ford has made some improvements in their hybrid powertrain over the last 3 years, since they finalized the powertrain for the Fusion and C-Max Hybrids. You introduce it as gas prices go back up (insuring fuel economy claims are accurate, this time), and push the benefits we all know the C-Max has over the Prius. Hopefully the C-Max will get similar fuel economy to a Prius V -- and if they lengthened the C-Max by a few inches the C-Max could compete closer in cargo capacity with the Prius V -- and they can advertise getting Prius-like fuel economy in a better driving car. We'll see what happens, just it is my guess that Ford is smart enough to know they shouldn't drop a fuel efficient car from their line up while gas prices are low. And, if I'm right, this is also why we don't see the C-Max advertised much; while there is a small market for the C-Max still, there won't be much more of a market until gas prices increase.

I wouldn't worry about it, yet. The new Focus was recently introduced, so it is getting a lot of the attention in Ford's advertising. Additionally, SUVs (with the low gas prices) are what are selling. Ford also got a black eye from the C-Max, when they had to lower the fuel economy numbers twice. The Fusion gets attention because of its gas powered models -- I'm seeing little on the Fusion hybrid and I doubt that is going anywhere. Additionally, the C-Max is in the "middle" of its model year so doesn't merit much attention for being "new". Ford is smart enough to know that gas prices will, at some point, go back up and people will again want fuel efficient cars. The C-Max is also due to have the model refreshed, with the C-Max in Europe just having its new design announced a few months ago. I doubt Ford gets rid of the C-Max, one of its biggest purposes is helping Ford meet the CAFE standards for its car lineup; for that reason alone, I don't think Ford will kill the C-Max in the US. I suspect (or at least hope) that Ford is doing some major work on the C-Max, to use the model refresh to reintroduce the C-Max in the US. I'm sure one of the plans is to make it a tougher competitor for the Prius. I suspect the plan for Ford is to "ignore" the C-Max until the new model is introduced, they "hope" fuel prices are more normal, and that a media blitz at that point will drive sales. I can't see Ford adding the C-Max into the Transit line up. First, trucks CAFE standards are different than those of cars and the C-Max helps Ford meet CAFE standards, both now and hopefully in the future. Next, as was pointed out, hybrids have relatively poor cargo (weight) carrying capacity -- at least in part due to the batteries. Diesels make far more sense for helping truck meet CAFE standards, as they provide the improved fuel economy while also providing good weight carrying capability.

It appears page 55 of the 2014 owner's manual talks about how to change the unlock button on the remote to either unlock all doors when you press it, or only the driver's door with the first press and the rest of the doors with a second press. This apparently also determines how the door handle button operates. The instructions, "Press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the remote control for four seconds to disable or enable two-stage unlocking. Disabling two-stage unlocking allows all vehicle doors to unlock with one press of the button. The turn signals will flash twice to indicate a change to the unlocking mode. The unlocking mode applies to the remote control and intelligent access. "Intelligent access at the driver door will unlock all doors when you disable two-stage unlocking."

Ford markets the C-Max? ;)

You should be able to get Ford's ESP extended warranty. You can check online for pricing, it seems most on these forums recommend Flood Ford.

There is a thread on a new customer service program that is battery related. It seems a bit unclear, from what I've seen so far, about what it actually does; it appears it could be a fix for it. I think we'll have to see what others report once they get this service done.

Ford's Certified Pre-Owned cars have a few benefits. First, though I'm not sure how useful it is, the car must pass a 172-point inspection, which is to ensure the car meets Ford's standards. It provides 12 months/12,000 miles of comprehensive warranty, and then 7 year/100,000 miles of powertrain warranty (from when the car was sold as new). It provides roadside assistance for the length of the warranty, along with 5 days of rental car reimbursement. And it provides a three month trial of XM radio (for cars equipped with XM). Last, the CPO warranty is transferable to subsequent owners. The good about the warranty is that it is added on top of the original warranty, so the 12 months/12,000 mile comprehensive warranty only starts after the original 36 month/36,000 mile warranty expires. The negative to the warranty is a $100 deductible for warranty service done under the CPO warranty (my understanding is that it is not charged if the car is still covered by the original warranty). You can find information on Ford's CPO program here, though unfortunately it doesn't provide most of the details.

What if the 2013 has a Pano roof, and the 2014 doesn't?

I've been looking at two different C-Maxes, one is a 2013 and has almost 40,000 miles, the other is a 2014 with 27,000 miles. Other than that, they are very similar; both are SELs with the 302A package, both are CPO so come with the 100,000 mile warranty. Because of the model year and mileage differences, the 2014 is priced over $1,500 more than the 2013. Given this information, which would you buy?

It almost sounds as if the A/C froze up. You might have the dealer check the refrigerant level in the car.

I'll admit the height ease of entry/exit of the C-Max is an attraction, as well. I don't think I'm quite as old as Kelleytoons but I am old enough that easy entry and exit are a clear consideration. The C-Max is nice because, while you have some height, unlike most SUVs or trucks, the seat is still a normal height.