billyk24

The USA has different testing methods in determining vehicle MPG. European testing results produce significantly greater MPG figures. USA emission standards are tougher than the Euro standards and the diesel engines will not meet the USA standards.

The first generation Escape Hybrid (2005-08) had coolant lines running (there is a second radiator for this system) into the hybrid battery pack to manage heat. These coolant liines sometimes developed a crack. For extreme cold, these vehicles underwent a series of charges and discharges to warm the battery pack. In either the 09 or 10 model year, internal cabin air was utilized for this purpose. This change in system saved approximately 30lbs of weight. I'm curious on where the coolant lines run (internally or externally to the unibody) on the electric Focus.

My 2005 Escape Hybrid has the Intelligent 4wd system which was introduced in the 2005 year.

Will potential stock purchasers remember how the "old GM" stuck it to the stockholders during their Bankruptcy?

The mileage figures initially quoted for the VW Golf is from the European values not the USA/EPA values. When/if the VW Golf diesel is tested via the EPA method, the MPG values drops significantly due to different test methods. If and when the USA vehicles are tested via the Euro test methods, their MPG values increase significantly.

Holland Michigan will have two lithium ion battery plants. The Johnson Controls Saft will begin production in the Summer of 2011 and has a contract with Ford to supply the PHEV Escape. The LG Chem plant will begin production in 1st quarter 2012 and has a contract with Ford to supply the battery pack with the electric Focus. Holland, Michigan is going to have happy workforce.

This story about the blown engine with one of the posters on this thread has been discussed before here and elsewhere. This poster used Jiffy Lube for oil changes and 5w-30 weight oil opposed to the 5w-20 recommended weight.

If my memory serves me correctly, a Prius was driven from Chicago to New York in May 2008 by a famous "individual" who will remain nameless on less than one tank of gas. This individual averaged 47 mph on I-80 during this trip. A reporter for CBS News also drove a different Prius at an average speed of 57 mph on I-80 to obtain something like 55 mpg. There you go, some real world figures if you don't mind 18 wheelers on your tail.

I don't get it. You complained about your experience with the Escape Hybrid and continue to drive it? Why do you still drive this vehicle if it is a pain in the rear?

Did anyone question this politician on how he "knows" it is possible for vehicles in the future to use 1/2 the fuel and produce 1/2 the emissions? Does this mean no large vehicles and trucks? What fuel(s) was he referring to? Or is this another way of saying Plug in hybrid electric vehicles will dominate the market?

The Eco-Boosted engine in a 4600lb+ vehicle provided a real world highway mileage of 25. That is impressive. It is even more impressive to read about how the "whole" vehicle is tuned to each other as a statement of quality.

"here in Aus can get 3.7l/100km (~64mpg),"--The USA has a different method of obtaining fuel economy than the Europeans and other countries. The USA vehicles would see a significant increase in fuel economy ratings with the European testing methods.

I had a 89 Taurus Wagon with 238,000 miles and no automatic transmission problems. Sold it to a mail delievery person who put on another 30,000 miles before rust and age forced a trip to the scrapyard.

Cold weather will degrade the electric range by up to 20% (8 miles) via the head Volt engineer.: http://www.gm-volt.com/index.php?s=aggressive

Toyota is halting sales until a fix for the problem is found. This fix has got to be a change in the software and electronic stability control. I can't see them "redesigning" a new vehicle.

We can read about what the NHTSA did do with Toyota SUA issue 2002-2004 and then ask why they did what they did. Link: http://detnews.com/article/20100220/AUTO01/2200386/E-mails-show-NHTSA-investigating-Toyota-issues-in--04

Link: http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20100330/SHE0101/100330059 Read it yourself and take a guess on what happened. If it is true the vehicle's computer system received a "brake override software" then it is not suppose to be able to accelerate if one's foot is on the brake pedal. The broken sternum also raises the question on why the airbag (or did it?) did not deploy if the vehicle was accelerating and created a crack in the wall of the YMCA.

The last time I looked, only 300-yes three hundred- Mazda Tribute Hybrids were produced for a calender year. All 300 were sold in California only. There may be an issue with supply of hybrid components preventing greater numbers. The current Sanyo Hybrid battery and Asian ax eCVT are produced in Japan.

Toyota is covering up the facts about what they knew and what they let the public know.

Johnson Controls Saft is currently remodeling a plant in Holland, Michigan that is going to be used to supply Lithium-ion hybrid batteries for Ford Motor Company beginning with the 2012 year. They have the capacity to ramp up production from the initial request of 5000 units. These hybrid batteries are likely going into the new PHEV Escape but could spread thru the Ford product line. The electronic CVE by ASIAN AW is a different story.

This link: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/10/toyota.whistleblower/index.html provides information from a former Toyota "in-house defense attorney" about how Toyota operates. Interesting reading and it "fits" the pattern of Toyota behaviors and reactions to issues with their vehicles.

Many of the posters on the CR site do not believe these runaway vehicles have issues related to Toyota. Instead they believe the issues are "driver" related (regardless of who or age) as in putting the foot on the wrong pedal. There are several links in the CR site on what to do in an sudden acceleration event and frequent advise to practice in the parking lot now. These posters are also using the Ford cruise control and Firestone tire issue in an attempt to minimize the effect on the Toyota brand. This link indicates the CR recommendations for recalled Toyotas may occur soon: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/01/consumer-reports-may-restore-toyota-recommended-ratin Prius is still on the recommended list.

If one reads the driver put two feet on the brake pedal in an attemp to stop-impossible to do on the gas pedal-and the brake pads are hot/smoking/worn out then one has some form of evidence another Toyota issued occurred.

Did Jiffy Lube pay for your repair after servicing your vehicle with 5w-30 when the manual states 5w-20?

]This link: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/11/prius.cruise.control/index.html?hpt=T2 indicates issues with sudden acceleration in the Prius during "cruise control". It is interesting to note Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, is mentioned in this article as having this problem-meaning this isn't about some little guy/gal looking for money or attention. The article hints at a software issue which makes sense when one considers how complex the automobiles have become. It is unacceptable for Toyota or any auto maker not to have software that makes the brake override the throttle when both send messages.