35.10 MPG

435.1MI, 12.396 GAL @ $3.699 = 35.10 MPG

72,017 total miles. Chevron on California Circle in Milpitas.

First year in review.

By now I've had the Hybrid Escape for just over a year and am still enjoying it very much. The gas mileage has been fantastic, it's very comfortable, and I think it looks great. It does everything I need to do, has plenty of room in the back for all my gear, and I've used the roof rack several times for hauling boards and other long items. So far it has been very easy to maintain, and I really haven't had that many problems. It doesn't turn as sharp as my old Volvo 240, but in just about every other way it's a perfect combination of my two previous cars (1985 240 and 1984 Accord).

I started recording my fill-ups at 55,643 miles, and my most recent one was at 71,582 miles. This is 15,939 miles. In this period I used 439.44 gallons of fuel, if I've added correctly. This is around $1600 at recent gas prices ($3.66/gal.). My insurance for the Escape is about $650/year (USAA). My monthly car payment is $320, and last year $750 of those payments was for interest. I spent $375 on air filters, oil changes, replacement parts, and other service items.

Total cost of ownership for the first year = $3375 ($1775 + $1600 gas).

Average fuel economy over this period is 15,939/439.44 = 36.27 MPG. Not bad at all.

35.79 MPG

484.9 MI, 13.550 GAL @ $3.799 = 35.79 MPG

71,582 total miles. Chevron N.Mathilda Ave in Sunnyvale.

New Washer Pump Motor.

Recently I've noticed a small foamy puddle under the front right corner of the Escape. The washer fluid reservoir and motor are between the bumper and front tire, and my washer fluid is empty, so it must be leaking. I was pleased to find that it's fairly easy to remove a few bolts under the bumper and peek behind the front fender.

The motor pulls out of the tank (and the washer fluid then runs all over the ground). The little hoses also pull off easily after releasing the small plastic clips. Save these clips, as they DO NOT come with the replacement motor.





Sure enough, there is a drip coming out of the motor. Fortunately it's the motor and not the tank itself, as that would probably be more expensive and much more difficult to replace. The motor part number is 8L8Z-17664-AA. Looks like it's been leaking internally for a little while. Even with all the rust it was still functioning, just constantly leaking.

Amazon stocks the replacement washer motor for $24, WG-308, which I paired with another air filter for the rear battery AC for free shipping. One note, the generic picture for the washer motor is not correct, but rest assured it is the correct part. I've uploaded some pictures below.

The Dreaded Yellow Wrench.

UPDATE : My "fix" described below was not successful in avoiding the yellow wrench; to really fix it you need to replace the actuator. But the steps to replace are as described below. See this post for the eventual successful resolution:

https://hybridescape.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-yellow-wrench-returns-and-is.html


I've been getting the yellow wrench light sporadically for the past few months. Several times I was able to pull over, turn the car off and then back on, and it didn't return (during that trip) so I assumed it wasn't urgent. I did call the local Ford dealer and they suggested I bring it in as soon as possible to get checked out; "It's likely just the blend door actuator but you never know what could go wrong with those hybrid systems." He wasn't able to give me a verbal estimate of what it would cost to diagnose (I didn't like this), and acted concerned when I told him that it was not under warranty. I figured (as he did) that it was probably an issue with the actuator motor for the rear battery AC vents. I noticed that the light was most prone to come on when I was doing a lot of low speed driving in full electric mode, such as in stop-and-go traffic.

The hybrid Escape has a battery pack in the rear of the car that gets warm with use. To keep it cool there is a special AC system fitted in the left rear of the vehicle. Just like the main AC system, there are two modes: "recirculate" or "fresh-air". Most of the time it recirculates air inside the system, but occasionally it wants to open the vent and get some new air in from outside. That's where the blend door actuator motor comes in.

It's pretty easy to pull off the rear trim to get to the battery AC system, but getting the motor itself off is a real pain. There are three 5.5mm screws holding it in, and one of them is nearly impossible to remove. You can see two of the screws in the picture here; when reinstalling the motor I only put in the easy two screws, in case I ever need to get in there again.

Here's a diagram showing all the little bits you'll need to remove to get access to the motor. It's actually not as hard as it might look.

After removing the motor I decided to pop it open. It's actually pretty simple inside: a DC motor, some reduction gears, and some carbon tracks with a wiper used as a potentiometer or variable resistor so the controller can tell where the motor is (open/closed/in motion/etc). I didn't see anything obviously wrong with it. I was particularly interested in the two small clips that the motor lugs press into to allow easy assembly. However, I noticed that when the motor was in place in these clips it wiggled slightly and it looked to me like it might lose contact with the clips. Just to be sure I installed the motor and soldered the lugs to the clips. I also wiped off the wiper tracks with a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol.

It snapped back together easily and I reinstalled it (minus the third screw). You'll notice on the outside of the motor there is an arrow pointing to the shaft, and there is a flat spot on the shaft that lines up with this arrow. When you reinstall the motor the doors will not be shut, nor will they be open all the way. They will be in the middle of their travel. Usually the doors are shut. When you turn the car back on it will reset the door to the right position.

I haven't seen the wrench light since (one month so far) but I'll let you know if it ever comes back.

Finally, here's the text from the related Ford TSB (technical service bulletin). The last step mentions recalibrating the battery module, which I am not able to do, but it is not required.


TSB
07-25-12
WRENCH LIGHT ON - DTC B1239
Publication Date: December 7, 2007
FORD:
2005-2008 Escape Hybrid
MERCURY:
2006-2008 Mariner Hybrid
ISSUE:

Some 2005-2008 Escape Hybrid and 2006-2008 Mariner Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a wrench light on with DTC B1239. This may or may not be accompanied by driveability symptoms including reduced power.
ACTION:

Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.
SERVICE PROCEDURE

Replace the Traction Battery Auxiliary Mode Door Actuator.
Remove the left hand D-pillar trim panel. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 501-05.
Remove the four (4) battery airflow duct screws, the one (1) pin-type retainer and remove the battery airflow duct assembly.
Remove the two (2) auxiliary climate control fresh air inlet duct nuts and remove the duct.
NOTE: THE D-PILLAR BRACKET WILL REMAIN IN PLACE.
Remove two (2) upper climate control housing bolts and two (2) lower climate control housing nuts.
Position the climate control housing to gain access to the auxiliary mode door actuator.
Disconnect the auxiliary mode door actuator electrical connector.
Remove the auxiliary airflow mode door actuator screws.
Remove and replace the auxiliary airflow mode door actuator. Inspect actuator for free movement from any obstructions including the wiring harness.
Install the auxiliary airflow mode door actuator screws. Tighten to 18 lb-in (2 N-m).
NOTE: THE AUXILIARY CLIMATE CONTROL HOUSING MUST BE INSTALLED BEHIND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE D-PILLAR BRACKET. WHEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY, THE AUXILIARY CLIMATE CONTROL HOUSING BOLT WILL GO THROUGH THE D-PILLAR BRACKET FIRST, THEN THROUGH THE HOUSING MOUNTING LOCATION.
Connect auxiliary mode door actuator electrical connector and position back the climate control housing.
Install two (2) upper climate control housing bolts. Tighten to 62 lb-in (7 N-m).
Install two (2) lower climate control housing nuts. Tighten to 53 lb-in (6 N-m).
Install the auxiliary climate control fresh air inlet duct and tighten nuts to 62 lb-in (7 N-m).
Install the battery airflow duct assembly, pne (1) pin-type retainer and the four (4) screws. Tighten to 18 lb-in (2 N-m).
Install the left hand D-pillar trim panel. Refer to WSM, Section 501-05.
Reprogram the Traction Battery Control Module (TBCM) to the latest calibration using IDS release B52.5 and higher with Patch 7. This new calibration is not included in the VCM 2007.11 DVD. Calibration files may also be obtained at www.motorcraft.com.

PART NUMBER PART NAME
8L8Z-19E616-E Auxiliary Mode Door Actuator

33.54 MPG

433.6 mi, 12.927 gal @ $3.659 = 33.54 MPG

71,097 total miles. Chevron on Hamilton and Bascom.

Just before this fill-up I checked the tire pressure and put it back where I like it (40 PSI). I'm expecting the next tank to be much improved over the past few months, but this one was already gone when I re-inflated.

Inflated tires to 40 PSI.

Well I may have been wrong about the "winter gas mixture" causing my mileage to fall. I've noticed that since mid October it's been lower than usual, and have been slowly debugging all the possible causes. Today I finally got around to checking the tire pressure, and they were all sitting nicely at 35-36 PSI. I suppose I can thank my local dealer for that, although the last oil change was in September and I had pretty good mileage all through October.

Anyway, I put them all back up to 40 PSI (cold). I've got about 60 miles left on this tank, so we'll see if the next one improves.

Also, always remember to check the air in your spare tire when inflating the others. I've found the spare tire to be nearly flat in many vehicles, both mine and family member's. A deflated spare tire is useless; you might as well just leave it at home and save yourself the weight and space. In this case mine was fine because I'd checked it previously less than a year ago.