BearCat

Yeah, I am not sure the Hybrid is my best bet, but I wish to exhaust all my possibilities prior to making a purchase. Plus 3K can purchase a lot of gas too. I drove an I4 2010 Fusion and was delighted with the drive. (about 500 miles as a rental). I got 28 MPG while driving about 80+ most of the way and then some very short bad 5 mile drives from the Hotel to the mill. I would be going for a I4 SEL, no SE.

Do you startup cold, drive two miles and see that display?

I am looking for fuel efficiency. However part of my daily drive is a horrible 1.6 mile drive to work and from work. So 3.2 on the day just for work. Yes, I know...brutal on a car. But because of how the roads are bicycling is out of the question and walking is even worse. Does anybody do this kind of brutal driving? How bad does the MPG dip? I know its not enough time for the engine to warm and EV kick. Just trying to get an idea if I would be better off saving the 3000 price point between a Fusion Hybrid or a Fusion SEL I4.

I keep mine about 10. That way I can pay the car off, have a year or two no payments and then buy the wife a car and the trend continues. I LOVE cars, but they are the biggest waste of money. I would be keeping my Maxima if rust had not set in on the wheel wells.

I would like to know that the tech did the procedure as described by Ford. MY guess is this is more or less a delicate situation and should be performed to the letter of the bulletin.

Also remember most forums are about people looking for answers to problems. As a potential Fusion buyer, I landed here to watch how Ford addresses the sloshing problem. Cars will have problems. Its how they are received and fixed is what makes the difference between manufacturers. Dont really get to see all the "Good" that can be these cars.

How much of this is due to regional influence versus "Ford" stepping in? Did they buy the car back due to no-fix (per regional representation). Or did they buy the car back due to research? Or did they buy the car back in an effor to quiet a squeeking wheel (dont take it offensively, My family and I have won all our lemon law "suits", Chrysler was the only one that went 15 minutes to court date to see if we would fold). I like Ford. I have Ford HIGH on the next purchase list. We can all speculate "why", but I wonder if anybody can put some fact to the matter as to which cars get purchased and which ones are "thrown under the bus"? I have owned foreign for over 10 years now. My last Domestice was a 95 Ford Probe GT which I loved and traded for an 01 Maxima. Close to 10 years of ownership and no warranty items. One dealership snafu, but that isnt a representation of the company, just the local schmucks. We have seen several examples of a "fix" that have made the owners happy and an example of a less than co-operative dealership that seems to be stonewalling. Watching with interest.

Positive signs!

I have a perfectly fine V6 now but am looking for better gas mileage without the premium requirement. Yes, the new Sonata is on the list but I am looking also at the new Focus (2012) and the Fusion. Since I have well over six months to look, I have the advantage of the waiting game. Its just a shame. I ditched Ford years ago for quality issues (I also had a Taurus with the 3.8 and a 95 Probe) and am just now looking again. We owned a 2002 Focus with no trouble, but that was for the wife and she is less demanding. Ford can do it, its just whether or not that WANT to do it. While I am registered, there are quite a few lurkers that watch forums like I do to get an idea of quality and response to issues. Ford should know that while they lurk, so do us potential buyers and actions speak louder than words....

Well I have read in this thread about SD's running the car "old school" with an open cap and elevated front to work bubbles from teh system only to have the car exibit the same issues again less than 20 miles of driving. I am curious as to the "Official Ford blessed" procedure to bleeding the cooling system and how it deviates from what service has been done to the cars already. This doesnt even address the horrid idea that you have set up by pockets being created in the system as part of daily use! Cars have issues. If you dont address the issues your name becomes tarnished. Ask Toyota. I know as part of a potential buyer pool I look for forums looking for how things get handled. So far at this time I am hesitant to jump. I will not be jumping until early 2011 but threads like this and lacking corporate response makes one believe that they are not serious about a solution.

How is this new? I have seen previous posts indicating that this process was done and the problem remains. Can someone give clarificaiton of the Oasis posted reference to system filling and bleeding versus what owners seem to have had done? This appears to be a stop gap "pacification" type response. Cliff Notes: Who has access to the Ford approved drain/fill/burp process for the cooling system?

As a person that is considering the 2.5 Fusion and the new 2012 Focus, this is disappointing to read. While the Focus is borderline in size, the Fusion is what I need but I wont trade in a car that has had ZERO reliability issues for something that cant be diagnosed. I will be following this thread closely. I understand that forums show usually the worst and its a low percentage of overall users/owners. But no diagnosis is no diagnosis. From guessing to casting, to hose resonators and so forth. I very much enjoyed my 500+ miles on a basic fusion as a rental and I hope Ford gets it right and puts customer service at the top of the list.

I think this is a similiar arguement to those that want to turn off the seat belt warning.

I guess I am not the "classic" person. I enjoy a connected to the road feel. In fact I have owned ONE automatic in my 20 plus years of driving. My four door sedan is a 5 on the floor row your own variety. I would have a manual in my wife’s SUV if I could find one that offered it with the necessary options. I have an 91 MR2 that has aftermarket suspension (stiffer). My Maxima has aftermarket suspension (stiffer). I put that stuff on (after the OEM stuff wears out) because I enjoy that "non-floaty" feeling. I toss my cars around. I also go over speed bumps slow because they tear cars up regardless what type of suspension is on them. You should use reviews as a reference, not gospel truth. Use it to help narrow or be a devils advocate to your decision making process. Relying on a magazine article to tell you something is "perfect" or "for you" is not the best methodology. When was the last time you agreed with a movie review? As for the other references to TV media and music; you were given a hand to operate the channel/station. Change it. I agree with the content and my “choice” is to find something else. I think there is a generational issue at hand more than anything else, which isn’t a build construction/design/implementation issue. And I agree with the above posters. CHECK THE AIR. However given the statements seen here and the timeframe of cars referred to, I doubt it will make enough of a difference.

This quote is pretty much dead on. The cars of the "60's" were tanks on 13" to if you were lucky 15" rims mounted on sloppy underperforming, uninspiring suspension. The cars you reference are decades upon decades old. The TV you watch isn’t the same. The radio you listen to isn’t the same, so on and so forth. As technology (and somewhat taste) progresses, things have changed. And no offence to the OP, but you should have easily been able to determine ride quality prior to purchase. I have a set of 17” and 18” rims for my Maxima. When I put on my 18” I get a REAL reduction in road comfort. A LOT. More and more cars are having larger rims put on them, but in the case of the Hybrid the rim isn’t “that” large. This isn’t a FOMOCO thing guys. This is where cars are today. You can pick which side you want (just be honest with yourself in your desires for ride quality). If you want sloppy uninspired driving, go get a Camry or a Malibu. I have driven both of them ('10) and they are the soggiest, boring non-drivers car out there. However, it seems that type of suspension is still desired by some. That predicament in not necessarily a good or a bad thing but it does point that this issue is not a manufacturing problem. It’s a buyer’s problem. Not enough research/driving/understanding prior to purchasing the car. If anybody has read any of the marketing of the Fusion, it’s not a "Caddy" or "Buick" or other such vehicle that "slops" around. Ford, in their own way right/wrong/indifferent, has tried to market this car as a "sporty" sedan. I know prior to purchasing a car and spending that LARGE amount of money I drive it city, highway, dark, light and in the rain if possible. My cars have to last a long time and being "stuck" with something I am unhappy with makes the additional time spent irratating sales people worth it. Being that it’s the Hybrid, the OP has the smallest rims available (largest sidewall/cusion). His only hope is to give up and get rid of it (like he indicated) or replace suspension pieces (not cost effective).