Software Upgrades

[jmckinley]

Picked up my C-Max last week, 12/6/2012.  Just as we were leaving home, got a call from salesperson informing us that the Synch system needed a software update and they hadn't done it yet so did we want to wait a day to pick it up. We decided to go on and pick up the car and get the update later.

 

I'm suspicious of this upgrade. As delivered, our MPG, like everyone else's, sucks.  Avg 36.8 since delivery, tough to get instantaneous of 40 mpg at 65 mph on level ground.  Dealer says the update takes 2 hours.  Everything I've read says the Synch update takes 1 hour.  I wonder if the "Update" includes more than just the Synch system.  Like maybe major changes to the Hybrid system computer programming to tweak it to something more optimal for normal driving instead of to show big numbers on the EPA cycle. 

 

This would make some sense.  Ship all the cars with EPA optimized programming just in case the EPA buys one off the floor for testing.  When cars are sold to private owners, reprogram with something more optimized for real world driving. This makes sense since my car was built last week, so if there was new programming, it should have been in the car unless they were afraid the EPA would buy it.

 

Will report on this after I get the car back later today.  By the way, I know mpg is supposed to get better after break in but I doubt it will ever get to 47/47/47 unless I only drive downhill all the time.

Edited December 11, 2012 by jmckinley

[ptjones]

I doubt their doing anything to engine cpu and you will gain about 1mpg after 3k. The problem is temperature, you lose 1.5-2mpg per every -10degress drop in temp. so at 70 degress at 65mph you would be getting approx. 46mpg. Check your Speedometer and Odometer with a GPS to make sure there accurate. If you are interested in improving your MPG's email  paul@star-instruments.com  and I give you a phone# to call me.