2006 Fusion SEL V6 issue - rough idle / high RPM

[SVT_MAN]

Hi Guys -

 

I'm wondering if anybody else out there with a Fusion V6 has noticed when the weather is colder that the car tends to idle rough and churn out some high RPMs (1500 +) at idle to maintain smoothness. I don't understand why my car should need that much RPM to idle and warm up. I had a 95 Sable LS with a lousy 3.8L V6, but at least that engine didn't sit there idling at a ridculous RPM to maintain smoothness. It seems that ECU controllers should be better these days, not worse? Then again my 95 Sable had ABS and my Fusion SEL does not .

 

The dumb thing is that if I shift into neutral, it will settle the RPMs down. I sometimes do this so I can shift into reverse without the "jerk." I really love this car overall, but the engine revving up like a monster every time I start it is annoying. I've had service bulletins and ECU updates performed on the car, but nothing really seems to help. I guess that's what I get for buying a first year model.

Edited March 7, 2010 by SVT_MAN

[nardvark]

Lots of newer cars will idle higher. They have to warm up faster to meet emissions requirements (they have to get the catalytic converter hot for it to clean the exhaust). I'm guessing it's related to this, not something that's broken.

[theDuff]

I would try getting your throttle body desludged. Should be pretty cheap. Cars don't have idle valves anymore, everything is done with the electronic throttle body and the sludge confuses the computer sometimes. The early adopters, F150/Five Hundred/Explorer, didn't even have sludge strategies built into the software and would actually turn the engine light on for "idle too low". It sounds like yours has a strategy, just not a very good one. I bet if it gets cleaned it'll be fine. Make sure they clear KAM after their done. Or if you do it yourself, unplug the battery for a while.

[springforfun34]

Hi SVT_MAN,

Sorry to hear about your car complaint. Unfortunately, a throttle body cleaning won't help. If you've had the car from new, you know that it's done that since new (when throttle was clean).

 

As the other poster stated, it was done for emission laws. On a cold start, it rev'ed the crap out of the engine to heat up the catalyst & quickly improve emissions. A cold catalyst does nothing to help. Believe it or not some cars are even worse than yours. Some GM/Toyotas cars go over 2000 rpm on cold start! Your 95 Sable polluted much more than your 06 Fusion, so it didn't need it!

 

Ford made some improvements and newer Fusions are much better for this. Unfortunately, due to govt regulations, a 2006 is different than a 2009. 09 Catalyst might even be different . Your best bet is take it back to dealer and see if new ECU level is available. If nothing is available, then no dealer actions can change it. Also, it has nothing to do with "first year" Fusion. I've been in a lot of 2006 Fords and many had this characteristic design to meet emissions. The newer Fords were continually improved, likely due to customer feedback, like yours. 06 Fusions are great cars and one of best quality built Fords (see Consumer Reports!).

[SVT_MAN]

Hi SVT_MAN,

Sorry to hear about your car complaint. Unfortunately, a throttle body cleaning won't help. If you've had the car from new, you know that it's done that since new (when throttle was clean).

 

As the other poster stated, it was done for emission laws. On a cold start, it rev'ed the crap out of the engine to heat up the catalyst & quickly improve emissions. A cold catalyst does nothing to help. Believe it or not some cars are even worse than yours. Some GM/Toyotas cars go over 2000 rpm on cold start! Your 95 Sable polluted much more than your 06 Fusion, so it didn't need it!

 

Ford made some improvements and newer Fusions are much better for this. Unfortunately, due to govt regulations, a 2006 is different than a 2009. 09 Catalyst might even be different . Your best bet is take it back to dealer and see if new ECU level is available. If nothing is available, then no dealer actions can change it. Also, it has nothing to do with "first year" Fusion. I've been in a lot of 2006 Fords and many had this characteristic design to meet emissions. The newer Fords were continually improved, likely due to customer feedback, like yours. 06 Fusions are great cars and one of best quality built Fords (see Consumer Reports!).

 

I'm well aware of what a great car the Fusion is. I've always been a Ford supporter, but I probably would not have purchased a Fusion had it not received such glowing accolades. (Ford's sedans from the 90s were .. as a rule, not great ...) As I said, I love the car minus two things: this idle issue and the lack of ABS on an upscale SEL model.

 

I purchased the vehicle with 20,500 miles when it was 2 years old actually - and it's pretty much always done this, but I have no way of knowing what it did before. The vehicle is from Florida and I am in the heart of the rust belt - Wisconsin. I also had a problem a while back where there would be an annoying buzz / rattle when the engine was loafing at lower speeds. I had that fixed under a service bulletin - but that was more frustrating than this yet.

 

I guess my concern isn't so much the fact that it revs up so much - but that it sustains that RPM for so long. I mean, we're literally talking about 2 minutes before it goes to what I consider a normal RPM at cold idle (1000 rpm or below). I'm sure this is related to heating up the catalytic convertor ... it's just irritating because high revs means a nice jerk when it's shifted into gear.

 

So - on the whole - y'all would recommend that I check my throttle body for sludge? It could be ...

Edited March 8, 2010 by SVT_MAN

[BlueOval5.0]

The engine will rev at 1500 RPM for a couple of minutes when cold and also cold outside. As has been stated, this is normal operation. I always allow mine to drop to normal RPM range before shifting but the owners manual states that this is not necessary and the vehicle will warm up as driven. I'd prefer to not shift into reverse at 1500 rpms so I allow it to warm up.