NHTSA Complaint #11311004 — 2010 FORD FUSION

IT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED THAT IN MANY IF NOT ALL FMC 4 DOOR SEDAN HYBRIDS WITH THE 2.5 LITER ENGINE AND NICKLE METAL HYDRIDE BATTERIES, OEM SOFTWARE STARTS TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE ELECTRIC VEHICLE OPERATION SOMETIME AFTER THE HYBRID WARRANTY EXPIRES. THE EFFECT OF THIS IS THE CAR'S ACCELERATION AND FUEL EFFICIENCY IS DRASTICALLY REDUCED AND AUTOMATIC PERIODIC BATTERY RE-CONDITIONING CEASES. THE CAR ESSENTIALLY CEASES TO FUNCTION AS A HYBRID AND THE ENGINE RUNS ALL THE TIME EXCEPT WHEN AT A STANDSTILL. UP TO 70,000 VEHICLES MAY BE AFFECTED. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THIS ID CONTROLLED BY A BATTERY AGE FEATURE IN THE SOFTWARE. RESETTING THIS AGE TO ANY LOWER VALUE RESTORES COMPLETELY NORMAL HYBRID BEHAVIOR AND PERFORMANCE. FMC HAS REFUSED TO DO THIS INSTEAD QUOTING BATTERY REPLACEMENT FOR $8,000 AS THE SOLUTION. D.O. E. TESTS MANY YEARS AGO SHOWED ROBUST PERFORMANCE OF THE BATTERY OUT TO 160,000 MILES IN ACCELERATED TESTING. THE FIX IS A TEN MINUTE SOFTWARE BATTERY AGE CHANGE THAT FMC REFUSES TO DO. THE REDUCED ACCELERATION IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE ATKINSON CYCLE ENGINE WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE UNASSISTED BY THE BATTERY AND HAS VERY SLOW POWER ACCELERATION WITHOUT IT.