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NHTSA closes Ford F-150 EcoBoost acceleration probe

Typically when we report on the findings of an investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it's because the government body has discovered a safety issue and prescribed a recall. In this case, however, NHTSA has closed an investigation into a reported performance deficit without ever getting to the recall stage.
The issue revolves around the Ford F-150 - specifically those equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine - of which some 360,000 were built in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 model years. After receiving an initial 95 complaints, NHTSA opened an investigation last May - almost a year ago - into the reported issue of reduced engine power under hard acceleration. The agency has since received a total of 525 such complaints, and Ford itself reported receiving over 4,000.
Together, NHTSA and Ford determined that the problem resulted from cylinders misfiring, an issue itself stemming from water getting into the charge air cooler (CAC) mated to the turbochargers. In particularly humid or rainy conditions, water was found to get into the CAC, causing some of the cylinders to misfire, which in turn triggered the ECU to disable those cylinders in order to protect the catalytic converter from damage.

Ford finds flex-fuel engine design plays big role in emissions output

How bad is ethanol for your engine? There's been a lot of debate on this issue as the US considers upping the biofuel content in the national gasoline supply from 10 percent (E10) to 15 percent (E15). The ethanol industry and some scientists say higher ethanol blends show no "meaningful differences" in new engines while the oil industry says ethanol creates health risks. Researchers working at the Ford Research and Innovation Center decided to take a closer look at how a wide range of gas-ethanol blends - E0, E10, E20, E30, E40, E55 and E80 - affected the emissions coming out of a flex-fuel 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis. To see the full report, printed in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, requires payment, but there is an abstract and Green Car Congress has some more details. The gist is that, "with increasing ethanol content in the fuel, the tailpipe emissions of ethanol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, methane, and ammonia increased." At least NOx and NMHC emissions decreased. The researchers say that the effects are due to the fuel and "are expected for all FFVs," but that the way that a manufacturer calibrates the engine will affect NOx, THC, and NMOG emissions. It's this last bit that's important, since the researchers found, "Higher ethanol content in gasoline affects several fundamental fuel properties that can impact emissions. ... These changes can have positive or negative effects that can depend on engine design, hardware, and control strategy. In addition to direct emissions impacts, higher ethanol content fuel can also provide more efficient combustion and overall engine operation under part-load conditions and under knock-limited higher-load conditions." So, as we head towards more ethanol in our fuel supply (maybe), manufacturers are going to need to learn how to burn it most efficiently.

Final 2015 Ford Edge performance and fuel economy data released

Ford unveiled the brawny look and heap of new tech of the all-new 2015 Edge last summer, and confirmed some of the pricing in November. However, until now buyers couldn't be entirely sure what they are getting for that money in terms of power and fuel economy, but the Blue Oval is finally spilling all the beans. For customers looking for performance, the Edge Sport is the place to be with its stiffer suspension and plusher interior. The trim level uses a version of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 found in the latest F-150, but in this case the engine is tuned to 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That's a 10 percent jump in power and 25 percent improvement in torque compared to the naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 in the last-gen model, according to Ford. The mill should be a bit more useable too with peak twist coming on at 2,750 rpm, rather than 4,000 rpm in the previous Edge, and the Active Noise Cancellation system should keep it quiet inside, too. Front-wheel-drive versions of the Sport get EPA-estimated economy of 18 miles per gallon city, 27 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. Opting for all-wheel drive reduces the figures to 17/24/20, respectively. Of course, not everyone is looking for the power of the Sport trim. In a first for Ford, the standard engine for the Edge is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with 245 hp and 275 lb-ft. In front-wheel-drive form, it's rated at 20/30/24 mpg or with all-wheel drive at 20/28/23. For something in the middle the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 brings 280 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque and carries EPA estimates of 18/26/21 with front-wheel drive or 17/25/20 when powering all four wheels. Every powertrain gets a six-speed automatic. Sales for the latest Edge begin this spring starting at $28,100, plus $895 destination on all models. Upgrading to the Sport pushes the price up to $38,100. Performance and Power: 2015 Ford Edge Sport Certified as Highest-Performing Edge Yet • 2015 Ford Edge Sport is the most powerful Edge yet, thanks to a 2.7-liter EcoBoost® V6 making 315 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque • All-new Edge Sport, re-engineered from the ground up, features special sport-tuned suspension, specific Sport styling for exterior and interior, and a long list of available driver-assist technologies • Scheduled to go on sale this spring, pricing for 2015 Ford Edge starts at $28,100; Edge Sport starts at $38,100 – only a $500 increase from 2014 DEARBORN, Mich., Feb.