SnowStorm

Saw a new Prius V today - one ugly car. The styling needed some cultivation - not slash and burn! I know everyone's entitled to their own opinion - beauty's in the eye of the beholder (if their is any!) and all that, but really, what's with so many car stylists taking out all their aggressions and general ill will on the front of the poor car? Perhaps its to hold down on repair bills - you hit something, get out, have a look, shrug and say, "no worse than before"!

With the snow storm gone ( :sad: ), The Enterprise has been driven through a bunch of "driving cycles" (hopefully enough) and the warning has not returned. Sure hope it stays that way. The capless system is convenient but I'd hate to have a repair bill on it.

On mine, the sealant tube was clear before use and the sealant was white. No guarantee, but if your tube still looks clear, it may not have been used yet. In any event, you may still want to consider getting a "standard" can of sealant that is designed not to ruin the TPMS sensor!

Well, Paul, that's good to hear as there is so much controversy and, IMO, misinformation about tire pressures. One guy at my Michelin dealer gets torqued up when rotating them and finding elevated pressures - "they will wear out in the center" (really? are they bias-ply? - then why did my 1st set wear out on the edges even though I ran elevated pressure??? - and go over 70k miles???), or he says "Michelin won't honor the warranty if they're run over 44 psi" (really? - with the sidewall rated at 51???). I think you're right about most people not noticing the difference but there is a difference. I can feel a bit more "thump" going over sharp ridges but all the rest of the time you get better handling. I like the feel of the car better at higher pressures. (P.S. For those who aren't aware, there are two versions of Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires; the 93V (C-Max OEM rated at 51 psi) and a 94V (rated at only 44 psi). Make sure you get the 93V.)

OK, its "off topic" for sure but couldn't help noticing the term - "C-Max Technology" in AGM batteries. So now you can have a C-Max battery in your C-Max!

Going smaller, Ford should bring over the B-Max as a PHEV and BEV with batteries under the floor! :drool: Check out those wide open side doors and panoramic roof!

You can get it from OBDII with the free Forscan software (search for other posts about Forscan and OBDII interfaces). The GPS data is in the APIM (Accesory Protocol Interface Module). You can get Heading, Latitude, Longitude, Speed, Fix (whatever that is) and Altitude (which reads 0 for me).

Thanks to all for answers and links (search function doesn't work on my computer). I hooked up ForScan and got: Module OBDII code P0457-P - EVAP system leak detected (fuel cap off/loose) Status: - Pending - malfunction is expected to be confirmed Module PCM code P0457.00-E4 Status: - Previously set DTC - Not Present at Time of Request - Malfunction Indicator Lamp On for this DTC - Test not complete I reset the DTCs, heard a couple of faint clicks (?) and now the message is gone when restarting the car. I suppose, though, that it may still take "driving cycles" to prove if the problem is really gone? That won't happen for a while since the all-wheel drive vehicle will get driven next due to the big snow storm SnowStorm is getting now. Winter at last.

You would do it because you may have the MPG going from, say, home to work and, separately, the MPG from work back to home. If you used the Trip meter to get the mileage each way, then you don't have the mileage for the round trip - so you have to calculate it. The other trip meter may be tied up for the whole tank and the Trip Summary (at car turn off) won't work either if you made a stop along the way! Whatever the reason, a lot of folks need to do the calculation but often grab the wrong equation. (BTW, mathematically, its the "harmonic" mean, not the "geometric".) Again, the equation is only for equal distances only.

Now getting the "Check Fuel Filler Inlet" warning every time I turn on the car. Filled up and its still there. The manual says to check it, so I did. Looked OK for all I could tell. The manual then says that: "the message may not reset immediately. It may take several driving cycles for the message to turn off. A driving cycle consists of an engine start-up (after four or more hours with the engine off) followed by city/highway driving. Continuing to drive with the message on may cause the service engine soon lamp to turn on as well." Does anyone know: How many is "several" Definition of "city/highway" driving Can the "service engine soon" situation degenerate into a forced shutdown of the car Is there any way to "force" a system test that would immediately remove the message if the filler is now OK?Any help is appreciated.

Lowest seen here is 1.599 I think, but I use E0 which is at 1.999. Using E10 would come to about 3.5 cents per mile! An electric car would cost that much at normal electric rates.

Please note that we can't average MPGs with the normal "average" equation of Avg=(A+B)/2. We must use Avg=2*A*B/(A+B) or if you prefer, Avg=2/(1/A + 1/B). (And, of course, the distances must be the same.) Take an extreme example. I can "coast" down a mountain and get 1000 MPG then go back up and get 20 MPG. My average is certainly not 510 MPG! It is, in fact, only 39.2 MPG. The nice thing about using L/100km is that you can use the (A+B)/2 formula.

We specifically didn't want the touchscreen because we liked the "shelf" that is in front of the small screen. We put our GPS there and it works out great since we use the small built-in screen very little. If the 2013 doesn't have navigation, I don't see much advantage in the touchscreen. We've never questioned our choice - and we factory ordered. Of course, its quite a personal thing.

No - at least not on a whale watching cruise! "What’s the difference? About 10 shivers per minute. (Okay, so that’s not scientific. But you get the idea.)" But I like the concept - an SPM Meter! Could be the next great smart phone App! (If you have a passenger, you could also measure Complaints / Minute! :rant: )

Some "short trip" experiences recently in the cold (at last): My wife filled up and then made a number of trips (about 8 miles one way) and had about 38 MPG after 30 or so miles. (SS wasn't overly congratulatory.) Today made a shopping trip with a number of stops on each end and two 20+ mile runs (55 to 65 mph) in 22F temps. Got mid 40s. Made a round-trip of 18 miles total in 20F temps (45 mph max) and got 52 MPG. I had carefully returned the battery charge to the same level. Car had been sitting outside for several hours after the previous trip so was, no doubt, still a bit warm. Seat heat was used the whole time and moderate cabin most of the time (see below).I'm convinced a big factor is managing that cabin heat! You must keep it on Recirc and limit its use if the ICE isn't staying warm (a problem for city driving). If Frank's "shivers/minute" meter stays on a solid Zero, your mileage may suffer! I don't have grill covers yet but I'm sure they help. Truly glad we have seat heat - now if only we could add heated floor mats, pedals and steering wheel....

Ah... grill covers, E0, 91 octane - sound great. A boattail is next!

No more Town & Country but Pacifica? Does it float? EPA ratings in Gallons/Nautical Mile? :lol: Well it does look nice but guess what? The PHEV has no spare and no towing! Where have we heard that before? I do wish it well and don't see why it shouldn't get 30 EV miles - at 80% discharge that's 427 Watt-Hrs / Mile. Sounds doable.

Ha-Ha, that's funny - an Escape alright. Other clues: (1) gray panel under rear bumper, (2) wheels and (3) shape of taillights from the side. Here's another picture. Its funny in part because after getting our C-Max we suddenly started seeing them "everywhere" - only to find out it was just another Escape! So, in defense, I've gotten pretty good at telling them apart. Of course Schaeffler's technology makes sense in the context of what is now an ICE only vehicle. They also did a Fiesta.

Awesome! How much could we sell one for? Back to those fins - and the late 1950s! I remember auto ads on cereal boxes of that era that claimed "fins save gas"! We laughed then, but maybe its true! No need to mess up the airflow with sunken windshields. Just think of all the styling possibilities - and two would be nice - swept out like the F18! It would sure turn some heads while keeping the car straight! If I may mix quotes: having fun keeps on getting better and better!

Hey Frank, me thinks you're havin' too much fun! Thanks for those links and photos - cool stuff. Now why can't we have a car like the "streamlining template"? I'd buy one! "Too long", someone says? Yes, its a bit longer than usual at about 19 feet but think of all that luggage space! Shucks, a lot of full size pickups are that long - and anything with a trailer - and most RVs - give me a break! Plus, the "tail" might even collapse some way at low speed. [Note: Length is from C-Max height X 2 X 1.8 = 64X2X1.8=230". The 1.8 l/d is from the graph where 2.0 was plenty good enough and 1.8 a bit of a compromise.] As to style, any stylist worth their salt (leaves out most presently employed) could dress-up that template quite a bit. But the real payback is in efficiency. At a Cd of 0.1 your "high speed" mileage might go from 40 to 100 MPG! 1300 mile tanks anyone? Even better, consider what that does to a BEV! Your 250 mile range goes to over 600 miles!!! 8 hour bathroom breaks anyone? And we were all worked up over "range anxiety". That will soon sound as antiquated as a "broken record"! We just need a new car named Cd-MIN!

Could be. If so, I sure hope the programmers don't pull the same trick - copy over the 2013 code that causes modules to wake up in the dead of night and run the 12V battery down! :lol2: (OK, sorry, that wasn't very funny - just an excuse to try out that lol2 guy!) Anyway, still waiting on a 2016 owner to test the EV limit. Nothing like some real data.

The Enterprise has gone from a sticker of $28k to a KBB "private party" "very good" at 45,000 miles of $12.3k. A 43% drop - down almost $16k. Shucks, for $17.5k drop I could have driven a Tesla Model S for 45,000 miles. New was $62.5k after rebate and KBB has it at $45k now.

If so, than Ford had better check out the upcoming competition! The new Chevy Bolt is to have the following functions which seem like quite a bit of manual control. Regen System Provides One-Pedal Driving "Regenerative braking has become more than just a tool to boost range, it’s also transformed into a feature that can provide an improved EV driving experience. The Bolt EV features a new regenerative braking system that has the ability to provide one pedal driving. “Interviews with EV enthusiasts indicated their desire for one pedal driving capability on the Bolt EV. One pedal operation boosts the thrill and uniqueness of EV driving,” Tavel said. Through a combination of increased regenerative deceleration and software controls, one pedal driving enables the vehicle to slow down and come to a complete stop without using the brake pedal in certain driving conditions. When operating the Bolt EV in “Low” mode, or by holding the Regen on Demand paddle located on the back of the steering wheel, the driver can bring the vehicle to a complete stop under most circumstances by simply lifting their foot off the accelerator, although the system does not relieve the need to use the brake pedal altogether. Operating the Bolt EV in “Drive” mode and not pulling the paddle while decelerating delivers a driving experience where usage of the brake pedal is required to stop."

It depends on terrain. At 65 mph with "rolling hills" I go into EV a lot, and with even a modest downhill slope the power drops to near zero. A 4% grade will cause regen at 65 mph. OTOH, flat land at 55 mph will keep the ICE on constantly. For me, an upper limit of 85 is certainly not needed but 62 is too low. I frequently drive a long Interstate grade that is about 4% with a 65 mph speed limit. ICE stays off the whole way down and I need the entire HV capacity for regen - sometimes it tops out completely and regen stops! It would be very disappointing to go the whole way down with the ICE running (or slow to 62 mph - most undesirable).

Ford's specs for the 2016 show a top EV speed of 62 mph! We're back to the original value for 2013s! What's going on? The 2015 still shows 85 mph! Can anyone confirm the following items: Does the 2016 model actually limit you to 62 mph maximum EV speed (as original 2013s did)? Would like to hear from someone who has a 2016 model. Has anyone had "updates" on earlier models go from 85 mph back to the 62 mph value? It wouldn't surprise me.If true, why the change? Is it related to the transmission problem? 2016 NRGs still have the 85 limit (but they have the tranny coolant pump).