2016 MD Mondeo idle issue

[Kiwi67]

Hi guys,

Hopefully someone can give me an answer to this issue thats bugging me.
I've got a late 2016 MD Mondeo 2.0 petrol ecoboost wagon with 39,000 KM on it.
I'm running 98, fuel economy is crap, granted I'm doing town runs on the Gold coast incl some motorway but 350 per tank is a joke. Was repping the last 15 years so yeah, i know how to drive efficiently. Tried 95 about 8 months ago but it pinged like mad and when sitting in gear, and the car jerked constantly at lights.
I've now noticed since a storm 2 weeks ago, the idle is very erratic. It feels like its well, i dont know, missing. I've taken it to the mechanic who did its 30K service, ( the guy tunes Mercs, Golfs, even Bentleys, and nope, Not going to Ford again), booked it in for a service in case. But when i told him, he just looked at me like i was mad. Had the car for 2 years, apart from the bad fuel economy, i love it but this is bugging me to know what it is.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Cheers guys

[DougalXR6]

I have a 2015 Ecoboost Trend hatch that I always run since new on Vortex 95 with no problems at all. I have also tried it on E10 94 once or twice without any problems.

I tried standard unleaded once which didn't cause any problems however the car felt very flat and lacked performance.

My usual consumption from the trip computer is 8.7 giving me a range of 600 to 700 Km. This will easily drop to the low 7s when I drive to Sydney from the Canberra region.

As I live just outside of Canberra most of my driving is on the highway and suburban Canberra.

There are no problems with idling at all.

[Kiwi67]

I'm running Freedom fuels 98. Around town its hovering between 92- 10.4. Motorways getting 7.5- 8.9 depending obviously on the road conditions. But it runs like a turkey on E10 95. For which i definitely reckon isn't right. I'm on getting on average 350 - 380 per well lets say 3/4 of a tank as i always fillup at 1/4. But its the idle issue thats making me wonder if its an injector problem or something. Seems odd its just started the last 2 weeks after a rain storm.

[asteele-xr6]

My late 2016 Titanium now has 73,000km on it and I haven't seen any issues with idling or running at all.

I almost always use 98 (Costco) and am getting an average of around 8.2L/100 on my trips to/from Sydney, about 10.4 otherwise. I have from time to time need to use E10 or 95, and didn't notice any issues - but I would have quickly topped up with 98 anyway.

Your problems are surely either to do with air, fuel or spark - and even a basic service should be able to check the air filter, fuel filter, and condition of the spark plugs... maybe this is one for the local Ford dealer!

Good luck!

[asteele-xr6]

I forgot to add that I also get frustrated with only getting around 500 to 525 from a tank... (725 if solely on highway) seems like I am always filling it up, and ferrying the kids around at the weekend uses half a tank!

I had a Peugeot 508GT diesel that would get 1,600km from a tank - that was nice - stupid overall running costs though, hence now the Mondeo which is now 4yrs old and I am very happy with it.

I know that nobody should ever run their fuel tanks to empty though, as that final suck of fuel will puck up any dirt and muck thats collecting in the bottom of the tank - but I do run it quite close. In my vehicle I know with certainty that when the trip computer says my fuel range is zero, I have about 50km still to go - so that is when I fill-up. It always gets the wifes heart racing, but it's never caught me out.

If you are always filling up at the 1/4full mark, then you could still have 175km in the tank.

Just check when you fill it up how many litres the 62L tank takes, and if you are only putting in 55L (as example), then you know you still had 7L left - so thats 90 ish km's!

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Kiwi67

I'm running Freedom fuels 98. Around town its hovering between 92- 10.4. Motorways getting 7.5- 8.9 depending obviously on the road conditions. But it runs like a turkey on E10 95. For which i definitely reckon isn't right. I'm on getting on average 350 - 380 per well lets say 3/4 of a tank as i always fillup at 1/4. But its the idle issue thats making me wonder if its an injector problem or something. Seems odd its just started the last 2 weeks after a rain storm.

I'm getting similar fuel economy readings. I drive mostly around town and I get close to 500km per tank (although I don't fill up until the 40km low fuel warning comes on).

I'm not sure if it's anything wrong at all. If anyone's getting better than 10L/100km around town with an Ecoboost Mondeo, I'd love to hear about it.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Kiwi67

I've now noticed since a storm 2 weeks ago, the idle is very erratic. It feels like its well, i dont know, missing.

As for your issue with idling, this happens to my car too. I've found, however, that it behaves better when it's fed with 98RON, so that's what I give it. BP Ultimate 98 and Mobil Supreme 98 works best for me.

[Kiwi67]

Thanks for your replys guys,

I do have to add too, cruising along inside lane, doing say 100ks, take foot off of the gas, and the fuel per KMS starts rising from 7.5 up to 24.2 foot is completely off the juice, and no, cruise control was off.
Work that out.

[Kiwi67]

Well here's an update,

Had my mechanic do a 60K service, ( cars only done 39500KMS ) changed plugs, cleaned MAF sensor, filter etc and its still doing what its doing. Car shudders, revs fuctuate, feels like its going to stall. I've had 8 company cars when working for people over the years, ive never had this with any of them. Called the local Ford dealer who immediately blamed my mechanic, ie, serviced it wrong, installed wrong plugs etc thsts the problem its him and go back to him. WELL WRONG!!!!!! Car was doing it 3 weeks before he looked at it. Guy at dealership then said we can look at it but it'll cost you $143 per hour!!!!! WTF!!!!?? I dont even charge that and i do mobile scratch repairs. So i called my mechanic who said call Ford direct.
So question time, has any of you come across this issue with your Mondeos? Cars running 98 , always serviced early, and doesnt get ragged ( it's my own company car ) .
Cheers

[Peter B - CV8]

Is there a chance you've picked up some contaminated fuel (you mentioned the problem arose after a recent storm) ???
500ml of metholated spirits into a fuel full tank will help get rid of any water that might be in your tank.

[Kiwi67]

I did think of that but its been 3 weeks now, with 3 different station used on those 3 fills. Plus at the time it happened the fuel gauge dropped to zero then back up to full again while the car was going stupid, and its still doing it.

[Kiwi67]

Car going Ford dealership for a diagnostic ( that I've already done twice) to find the issue on monday. Filled up late on Wednesday afternoon with BP 98, thinking yeah a better type of 98. Wrong.
Filled up at 1/4 of a tank as per usual, readout said I'd done 302km. Thats total crap now. My mileage is getting worse, theres no codes. Cars not running rich, lean, medium, well done or even grilled. Lol. Its actually running good but its sucking fuel like a $10 hooker. V8's get more mileage. Contacted Ford AU who have agreed with the fuel issue and have given me warranty ref #.
So why am I thinking I'm gonna get stitched??
Can i ask what's your readout told you how far you've gone when you've filled up at 1/4 of a tank? 302 km is just unacceptable and so far off the mark of what Ford say the car should be getting around town. Hell, I'm driving via what the instant meter says and keeping it between 5 - 6 per 100 at 60 kph. Still drinking it like a V- frickin 10 .
Cars a late 2016 MD Mondeo Ambiente wagon petrol, its only done 39660 kms. Just done a 60K service on it to try sort the problem out. Nope, didnt do a thing. New plugs, MAF sensor checked and cleaned etc and no joy. $650 bucks. Not a happy bunny. At all.

From what I've read now I'm a bit distrustful of the blue oval head office and just want to know WTF is going on with my car. Its my own business car, if it goes bang, my business wont survive as im a mobile paint repairs.
If any one has any suggestions i can take on monday I'd be grateful.

Cheers guys

Have a great weekend.

[fiestaz]

It would be interesting to know how much fuel is going into your tank (in Litres) vs kilometres to then do the calculations manually. From what you and others have said, it sounds like the trip computer is giving you expected figures from the 2.0T mondeo.

The running like crap thing is odd. Someone else may know better with the Mondeo but what about a computer reset via battery disconnect? Or even battery on the way out? I know many cars get weird gremlins when the battery is not too happy or coming to end of life.

[Kiwi67]

Well battery is 3 months old, fuel, i put in 39.78 litres, off the top of my head ( sorry doing school run at the moment, ) it works out 301.3 kms ÷ 39.78 = 7.574 km per litre.
Which equals 13.20 litres per 100 kms.

That sucks.

I filled it just above 1/4 and the trip meter said i had 162 left to go. At that fuel rate no way was it 162 kms left.
After i filled up, meter said 505km till empty. After driving 15 km to do a quote it dropped down to 440 km remaining. Before i bought my business, i had a company car, a 2012 VE Commodore. I averaged 800 per tank, and yeah, sometimes that car got ragged, but still did good km.
We all know our cars, and something's amiss here.

[asteele-xr6]

The trip meter usually does a good job of calculating what your remaining range is, but it bases that range on a recent period of driving behaviour.

I do not know what the recent period is, but lets assume its based on the last 30 mins of driving. So, if the in previous 30 mins you have been cruising at a steady pace, then the predicted range is going to extended to suit... but if you have been accelerating hard etc, then that range is going to come down.

If you understand that the trip computers uses a combination of remaining fuel and recent driving characteristics, then that might explain the different numbers you are seeing.


My driving roads and attitude is going to be different to yours, but in my 2.0T I typically average 10.5L/100km, and if I refill when the tank is empty as per the trip computer, then I can expect to have travelled about 530km.

I know that my trip computer leaves me 50km in reserve when the range is reported to be 0 (easy to verifying this by seeing how much fuel is required to fill the tank - if it only needs 57L to fill up, then there must have been about 5L still in the tank, there's my 50km reserve!).

It's a very bad idea to run the tank to empty, the lust gulp of fuel is going to be full of contaminants sitting at the bottom of the tank... but, I often push my refuelling to 20 or 30km past the trip computer range reporting 0 - if that coincides with a convenient refuelling location... and it means I am getting nearly 580km from a tank... and have seen as much as 725km when doing very long highway cruising.

[Kiwi67]

My trip meter also says on avetage 10.5- 10.8. But keeping the instant fuel around 5.5 @ 60 kph for 5 km shouldn't cause 48 km to come off of remaining fuel distance. This is my issue. Travelling 5km shouldn't cause you to loose 48km . Been driving 34 years, had 1 speeding ticket when i was 17. Did 15 years as an Automotive paint company rep. Believe me, when you get phone calls asking about how much fuel you've used this week, you learn to be frugal. I saw a general post on another site last night, someone said they get 370 from a tank, the answer they got from 2 people was ECU is on the blink.
Think about this, the ECU tells you everything that's wrong with anything electrical in the car. But, there's nothing to check if the ECU itself if going out. It actually cant say to anyone, " God, i feel f$*ked.

[cobrin]

Took my folks '15 MD Titanium ecoboost for a spin today their recordings on Fuel economy was 9.1L - 100km had 380-400kms and were on 1/2 a tank. That's Cairns driving for ya. On the open HWY they see 6.1L-100km usually.

I've just done the 60K B service which was essentially new plugs (@$25ea from Ford) on top of the service and as they're heading off on a decent trip soon I took the time to flush the trans. Folks love the difference it's made, idle is smooth power is good and trans lovely crisp, the thing rolls and rolls off pedal.

[Kiwi67]

I spoke to an ex Ford mechanic the other day, he told ke straight away, its one of 2 things, fuel charcoal cannister in the tank, or ECU unit is tripping out. I looked under the car. As he told me what to look for. If the aluminium protection plate looks like its sucked in its the cannister. Well, it was. Its not dented as theres no marks on it, Plus i reset the average km meter and all gauges went dodgy then mileage leftin tank shot up. I reckon its either ECU or fuel unit.

[Robzta19]

Hi just wondering if you found out what the problem was ECU or the carbon canister? I have exactly the same issue with my Ford Mondeo 2016 MB 2.0 litre giving me an average of 13.2 litres to 14.1 per 100, my XR6 gives better mileage at the moment. Still under extended warranty with Ford at the moment who are saying no alarms no isues, completed 3 tanks of fuel to show mileage barely hitting 350k's.

[cobrin]

Step 1. Finds someone proficient with ODB2 scanners and get them to look into the coil packs or ignition issues, any miss fire is wasted fuel, and another cylinder/s might have to increase their duty cycle to keep up. I would be replacing the coils if any are found faulty. $100ea isn't kind on the wallet. Hot and cold, so the tester you find will want to be smart.



Step 2. Have the injectors tested and cleaned. Obvious reasons on this.


Step 3. How many K's on the engine and when was the last sparkplug change done. If you've had a rough idle it may help the solve the issue, or at least point you into the right direction.



Spitballing: Have you had your transmission serviced lately? an over filled trans (one that is higher than full, but not high enough to give show stopping results) can create a drag on the driveline and increase fuel consumption.

[Robzta19]

Hi will look in to this, I have it going to sinclair ford next week, see how they go with it next week.

The car has 31,000k's on it in total, will look at getting it's transmission serviced soon.

Anyone recommend a decent mechanic in Sydney with Mondeo troubleshooting?

Ford head office came back and said 14.1 litres fuel consumption - 380-400k's on a full tank is acceptable no issues.

[cobrin]

Sorry, don't get the transmission serviced just to see if the fuel consumption will lower, it won't.



I only meant that if you had it serviced recently, it may have been over filled and that will sap power which you'll compensate with a heavier foot and give a slight rough idle feel to it, then the fuel consumption will rise to ~10L/100kms minimum. I know this first hand.



I'd have the Sparkplugs replaced, regardless if they're iridium, it's cheaper than coils at this stage.



Then coils scoped, to see if any misfire is occurring, and if that's the related to the rough idle and fuel consumption.

[Robzta19]

Ok all, so I gave pictures to Sinclair Ford for my Odo before fill and after fill with receipts of 3 tanks full. Car was guzzling, they had a check and found a hissing noise rear passenger wheel area. Took permission to drop the tank and found the fuel pump was faulty, replaced under warranty and now done two trips to the snow just close to 900 per tank and local back up to 600+ per tank. Win Win.. hopefully it stays like that... Managed to get an extra 3 year warranty on mechanical from them, which will take the car to 9 years in total.. piece of mind as it's not cheap to replace parts on this beauty...