2.5 Engine Long Term Question

[cwstnsko]

It’s pretty simple, the Jeep 4XE is a Plug-in ELECTRIC Hybrid and it can be driven for hundreds of miles over the course of several weeks without starting the engine, if your use case is short trips with recharging in-between.
The Maverick is a GAS Hybrid, so 100% of the energy to move it down the road comes from fossil fuels. There is no way to drive a Maverick much more than a few blocks without having the engine start.
The Plug-Ins have to have these sorts of engine/fuel monitors to protect from issues related to lack of frequent use of the engine and fuel systems.

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[ricklee4570]

Thanks to all who participated in this conversation. I am learning a lot about hybrids thanks to this forum.

I think this definitely makes me feel better: This 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid Has Over 400K Miles

 

[Brent Whittlesey]

I purchased a 2005 Escape hybrid that I still have. It has 212,000 miles and has never had serious maintenance. It’s the same Atkinson cycle 2.5 that is in the Mac.m

 

[Shelbyv8]

Since the fuel tank is pressurized, how is moisture getting in the fuel system. This is not your father's truck from 20 to 30 years ago. I have never had moisture buildup in my crankcase from the atmosphere.

 

[rgmiller32]

Several other people have hit the nail on the head when it comes to the Jeep vs Ford Maverick Hybrid. We own a 2016 Ford C-Max Plug in Hybrid, and it operates like your sons plug in Jeep. During the first year with the C-Max there was several times that the gas engine would not run for weeks at a time. The wife's drive to and from work was 14 miles total, and the plug in gave us around 20 miles of travel before the gas engine would kick in. After a few months of this a notice would pop up stating the gas engine was going to be operating due to not being used. I forget the actual warning
that appeared. After about 25 to 50 miles or so it would go back to normal operation. I did find the oil change due indicator was set for way too long of a period of time. The first change was for almost two years or 20,000 miles. I now change it once or twice a year as we never hit 5,000 to 10,000 miles per year.

 

[cthlyte]

I understand what you're saying.
I don't believe Ford has cleared that hurdle.
You're probably better off owning an EcoBoost being a more conventional style engine.

You "believe?"
"Probably better?"
"Ecoboost"+ "conventional style engine?"

Thanks for playing "Opinions and a$$holes" today. Needed a laugh.

 

[The Real Maverick]

I purchased a 2005 Escape hybrid that I still have. It has 212,000 miles and has never had serious maintenance. It’s the same Atkinson cycle 2.5 that is in the Mac.m

Very similar.

The early Escapes had a 2.3 liter.
The later ones did indeed have the 2.5.

 

[Oscarcat]

Hybrid: That's why I use Mobil-1 hybrid specific 0w-20 oil. If you read about it, it has more of the additives that fight moisture, corrosion etc. that building up in the hybrid 2.5L ICE engine due to low operating temperature.

 

[Suzukiridr14]

Google: short run times hybrid hard on engine

Almost every mechanic says that the short cycle on/off is hard on hybrid engines.

I am just wondering how Ford has cleared that hurdle.

Ford has a recall, that if your hybrid engine fails before 10 years, or 100K miles, they will replace it. That's good enough for me! Customer Satisfaction Program 23N06

 

[The Real Maverick]

Hybrid: That's why I use Mobil-1 hybrid specific 0w-20 oil. If you read about it, it has more of the additives that fight moisture, corrosion etc. that building up in the hybrid 2.5L ICE engine due to low operating temperature.

Not a bad choice.
Probably a good choice.
Especially if equal in cost and availability to "regular" Mobil-1 0w-20.

(Which I have used since 2005.)

Also the "extended use" 15,000 mile oils are also an option. They too have more of those additives.

An industry expert once told me, the modern oils never "wear out" in a reasonable 15,000 or 20,000 miles, just the additives do. Basically waste products of combustion create acids, so oils have neutralizing bases (and other chemicals) that get "used up".

But if you are going less than 10,000 miles per oil change interval, I'm thoroughly convinced standard Mobil 1 is more than sufficient.

 

[DScruggs]

FORM is VERY relevant on a PLUG IN hybrid but not so much on a regular hybrid.

My wife's Pacifica PHEV gets about 35 miles on a charge BEFORE the engine kicks in. She RARELY drives more than 20 miles per day. There have been times she has gone 2-3 months without filling the tank. FORM has kicked in a number of times. Once it does the engine is running 100% of the time although the now always fully charged battery also contributes. FORM switches off ONLY when the system detects a significant increase in fuel level. (There is also an algorithm tied to oil temperature but that one is very complicated.)

 

[MetalsGeek]

Google: short run times hybrid hard on engine
Almost every mechanic says that the short cycle on/off is hard on hybrid engines.

I'm retired and my driving habits seem a lot like yours. Many times I only go a couple miles to the gym or the grocery store and back in mild weather (no heater). The ICE may only come on once and never gets close to full temp; 12V battery probably doesn't get properly charged either. I only see maybe 4K miles on my annual oil change. I agree that low temps in hybrids are hard on oil and frequent starts increase wear, but it is what it is, and worrying about potential issues that may never actually appear AND that you cannot remedy is pointless. All I do now is put a charger on the battery once in a while when I get a Deep Sleep, and hope Ford comes up with yet another software recall to address this annoyance.

 

[James K]

I just purchased a 2025 Hybrid Maverick. My first hybrid.


My son has a Jeep Wrangler 4XE. His Jeep monitors the engine use. When the engine goes a certain period of time without being operated at operating temperature it goes into what they call "FORM" mode. (Fuel/Oil Refresh Mode) FORM is because your oil is calculated to be diluted with fuel because it hasn't reached full operating temp for long enough periods of time, or your fuel has gone too long between being filled with fresh fuel.

Ford doesn’t have this.

Wouldn’t the oil get diluted with fuel and other contaminants in the 2.5 and would this not increase engine wear? According to the engine temperature gauge in my Maverick, it hardly ever gets past the "blue" section. Also, the experts say that engine wear occurs most at start up and when the oil is cooler, wouldn’t this also cause more wear and tear on the engine?

I have read where Ford states that they fully expect the hybrids to go 200,000 plus miles. Just some interesting things to think about. I will probably change my oil a little more frequently than in my other vehicles.

For those of you familiar with this platform, does Ford have some technology built in to keep premature wear from happening?

yes.

the other half of what was mentioned was stale fuel. Ford does care about that a little bit, and will run the ICE more when the fuel hasn't been refilled in a while, and all hybrids that I know of use a pressurized fuel tank to enhance fuel life.

if a person really isn't driving any gas engine vehicle enough, it's probably a good idea to put in fuel stabilizer if a single tank of gas lasts more than 2 months, and this lack of usage probably would benefit from a battery tender also.

You're right, the worse gas out there should go 3 months before starting to go bad so anyone worried about that in a daily driver would save money by skipping ownership and just Uber.

 

[ricklee4570]

Since the fuel tank is pressurized, how is moisture getting in the fuel system. This is not your father's truck from 20 to 30 years ago. I have never had moisture buildup in my crankcase from the atmosphere.

It is called condensation and you wouldnt really see it unless you send your oil in to be analyzed.

 

[The Real Maverick]

It is called condensation and you wouldnt really see it unless you send your oil in to be analyzed.

For some it will be below detectible limits.

For most, it will be well below acceptable limits.

A little bit of snake venom is perfectly healthy for you.

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