The ICE is loud.

[Kalistis]

I drive on EV 90% of the time, but within the last 2 days have used the internal combustion engine quite a bit carting family from out of town around. Has anyone noticed just how loud the ICE engine is? Also, when I accelerate quickly it doesn't sound like it "shifts" to a higher gear. It almost sounds like I'm reving the engine when I'm really only pushing down on the accelerator a reasonable amount to get to desire able speed.

 

On EV it's silent. Could it be I'm just not accustomed to hearing the engine on so when it is on its noticeable? I asked my boyfriend who regularly drives my 2010 Honda if he thought my fusion was louder than the Honda. He seems to think it is as well. I really only notice a difference when I'm accelerating, but it doesn't seem to effect the car's performance.

 

What do you guys think.

 

2013 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium with 550 miles.

[Fat Fusion]

I think it's louder than your avg point A to point B car when you're putting your foot into it.  At cruise it's not very loud at all IMO.  But you are correct in that you drive so often in EV mode where it's just so quiet that when the engine is on it's more noticeable.

[meyersnole]

I drive on EV 90% of the time, but within the last 2 days have used the internal combustion engine quite a bit carting family from out of town around. Has anyone noticed just how loud the ICE engine is? Also, when I accelerate quickly it doesn't sound like it "shifts" to a higher gear. It almost sounds like I'm reving the engine when I'm really only pushing down on the accelerator a reasonable amount to get to desire able speed.

 

On EV it's silent. Could it be I'm just not accustomed to hearing the engine on so when it is on its noticeable? I asked my boyfriend who regularly drives my 2010 Honda if he thought my fusion was louder than the Honda. He seems to think it is as well. I really only notice a difference when I'm accelerating, but it doesn't seem to effect the car's performance.

 

What do you guys think.

 

2013 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium with 550 miles.

 

 

Hi Kalistis

 

I agree that the engine does sound a little loud, but some of what is catching your attention is that you are not hearing what you expect to hear.

 

The Fusion uses a CVT, Continuously Variable Transmission, to achieve higher gas mileage. This does not work the same way a fixed gear transmission works. You will get different rev patterns which may take some time to get use to, as you are correct it is not shifting gears.

[jeff_h]

Hi Kalistis

 

I agree that the engine does sound a little loud, but some of what is catching your attention is that you are not hearing what you expect to hear.

 

The Fusion uses a CVT, Continuously Variable Transmission, to achieve higher gas mileage. This does not work the same way a fixed gear transmission works. You will get different rev patterns which may take some time to get use to, as you are correct it is not shifting gears.

 

And to add to the above, the type of ICE that is used in hybrids is designed for efficiency more than power and thus sounds different than you may be accustomed to hearing.  The first Ford hybrid we had was a 2006 Escape hybrid - ran great but made a strange groaning sound like a lovesick wildebeest, the Fusion hybrids tend to also have a groan but thankfully a bit less 'amorous' than the Escape was.

[murphy]

An additional point that you may not be aware of:

 

The accelerator pedal is not connected to the engine.

It consists of two variable resistors that are fed to the computer and basically tell the computer what position the pedal is in.

The computer controls the engine.  There is very little correlation between engine RPM and highway speed.

It's possible, under the right conditions, to increase your speed and have the engine reduce RPM.

The result of this is the engine noise is not linked to highway speed like it is in  a traditional car.

[howardbc]

It's amazing that I continue to learn new things in this forum - although I hope there won't be a quiz. 

 

I too have noticed that the engine/motor/ICE sometimes seems loud after the initial battery power is depleted. All of the posts have helped me to understand why. I know, for me, a lot of it is simply because I so enjoy the quiet of the EV mode and hate when it stops. 

 

It's funny ... I used to love high-performance muscle "vroom vroom" cars - Corvette, Shelby Mustang, etc - but now I get a kick out of a silent car. I just hope the politicians don't make the manufacturers add noise to cars like ours. Yesterday a bicyclist in Tucson was hit and killed by a Nissan Leaf. Very sad but I don't know the circumstances yet. 

[meyersnole]

It's amazing that I continue to learn new things in this forum - although I hope there won't be a quiz. 

 

Take out your pencil and a single sheet of paper....

 

:happy feet:

Edited November 26, 2013 at 12:30 AM by meyersnole

[meyersnole]

And to add to the above, the type of ICE that is used in hybrids is designed for efficiency more than power and thus sounds different than you may be accustomed to hearing.  The first Ford hybrid we had was a 2006 Escape hybrid - ran great but made a strange groaning sound like a lovesick wildebeest, the Fusion hybrids tend to also have a groan but thankfully a bit less 'amorous' than the Escape was.

 

Just to add a link to Jeff's comments, the motor type is call Atkinson Cycle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkinson_cycle

[howardbc]

Oh boy. I'll never remember all this ... 

 

It's already so hard to explain the car to my "Nothing but a good ole Amurican truck is fit to have" brother-in-law. But lately it dawned on me that using examples they might understand will help. Like "I can drive all the way to such-and-such a mall without using any gas." Or "I can drive to my grocery store without using any gas." Of course some people just seem to like things the way they've always been - even if the new-fangled ways are better. 

[meyersnole]

Just simplify it.

 

The engine is not your ordinary engine... its designed for efficiency. It works differently then you would expect.

 

The transmission is not your ordinary transmission... its designed for efficiency. It works differently then you would expect.

 

I barely burn any gas at all :victory:

[murphy]

I picked up my car in April and I still have 3/4 of a tank of the original gas.

[ChuckJ]

I drive on EV 90% of the time, but within the last 2 days have used the internal combustion engine quite a bit carting family from out of town around. Has anyone noticed just how loud the ICE engine is? Also, when I accelerate quickly it doesn't sound like it "shifts" to a higher gear. It almost sounds like I'm reving the engine when I'm really only pushing down on the accelerator a reasonable amount to get to desire able speed.

 

On EV it's silent. Could it be I'm just not accustomed to hearing the engine on so when it is on its noticeable? I asked my boyfriend who regularly drives my 2010 Honda if he thought my fusion was louder than the Honda. He seems to think it is as well. I really only notice a difference when I'm accelerating, but it doesn't seem to effect the car's performance.

 

What do you guys think.

 

2013 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium with 550 miles.

You are absolutely  right Kalistis, it is loud.  It's not on the highway at speed and it's not when it's using both ICE and EV (or just EV), so the way I get around the issue is to minimize the time I'm in ICE only at low speeds.  If my trip is going to be more than the battery capacity I currently have while I'm on the highway, I switch to EV later and save the EV miles I'll need after I get off the highway to the house.  Then when I get off the highway I put it in EV and silently glide home.  

 

BTW, I highly recommend a 220 charger if you are going to make several short trips during the day.  My Siemens charges the car up in less than 2 hours so most of the time the battery is full when I leave the house.

 

ChuckJ

[Kalistis]

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your very thoughtful responses. I'll admit I was freaking out a bit and even made a service appointment, but when performance really wasn't all that effected I figured I was probably just crazy. Just to be clear, I should set my EV setting to EV later on Thursday for my trip 175 miles North, then EV auto in town, then charge my car overnight to switch to EV later for the return trip home? I wonder how much gas I will use for the mostly highway trip?

 

I'm going to start toggling my EV settings to see what difference it makes. All of my regular commute is on side streets in stop and go type traffic, but I rarely drain my battery 100%. I'm working on getting a 220 charger, but for now the charger that came with the car works well.

[ChuckJ]

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your very thoughtful responses. I'll admit I was freaking out a bit and even made a service appointment, but when performance really wasn't all that effected I figured I was probably just crazy. Just to be clear, I should set my EV setting to EV later on Thursday for my trip 175 miles North, then EV auto in town, then charge my car overnight to switch to EV later for the return trip home? I wonder how much gas I will use for the mostly highway trip?

 

I'm going to start toggling my EV settings to see what difference it makes. All of my regular commute is on side streets in stop and go type traffic, but I rarely drain my battery 100%. I'm working on getting a 220 charger, but for now the charger that came with the car works well.

You will likely get between 41 and 44 on the highway under light wind conditions.  The key to maximizing this technique is to know where to move back to EV.  The navigation system will help you a little in that regard with EV circles showing how far you can travel, but after a while, you'll get used to how far you can go when the battery says 2, 3 or 4 miles.  It is normally about 1 or 1 1/2 miles further because the hybrid portion of the battery doesn't show a number, the bar just moves down.  BTW, the car will go into ICE automatically as you run the battery to 0 even if you set it on EV now.

 

ChuckJ

[Fat Fusion]

In all honesty it's not loud, it's just less quiet. Loud are the new Shelby GT350 Mustangs! They won't pass the 92 db sound restrictions at Laguna Seca. My Fusion is by far the quietest vehicle I've ever owned! :)

[shaggy314]

I concur. It isn't so much as 'loud' as 'not the quiet you are used to hearing'. I occasionally hear it, but usually feel it in the car when the engine comes on at first. If you floor it, you will hear it.

 

Remember the Energi has active noise cancelling as well to make up for the thinner insulation.

 

This car is So much quieter than my 20 year old Integra 5 speed...

[FusionEnergi]

I agree that the ICE is loud. It sounds like a growl. We took our first road trip in the Energi and heard the Engine for the first time! At first I thought it was the noise cancelling I had heard mentioned. As driving on the highway traveling about 60mph I kept hearing a growl sound coming on and going off. I guessed the Energi was supplementing the sound due to traffic and terrain, but then I heard it when no one was around and the highway way smooth. Then while driving I examined the instrument panel and saw the blue EV disappear and heard the loud growl as the engage display showed white. The sound I was hearing was the ICE. I continued to watch the display as the vehicle continued to repeat this over and over.

This shocked me because earlier on the trip I had turned on the heat(it was a cold morning) and when I turned on the heat / defroster the car gave the warning "Engine enabled due to defroster", but no growl sound from the ICE was heard. Since the vehicle had on a previous trip told me that I had traveled using the engine I just figured it was a nice quiet engine and didn't think much other than "Why is everyone saying the engine is loud?....I don't hear anything". The message stayed on for sometime and I did not press ok. I was driving in EV Now, The EV under the battery had turned yellow, but thanks to the message staying on that was about all I could see of the display. I thought since the "Engine was enabled" I would not continue to see my battery drop so quickly.

Now since I did not hear the loud growl I wonder if the Engine came on at all before the big battery was depleted(or even since we have had the Energi for that matter). I was only traveling about 40mph when the Engine enabled message initially came on, and you can definitely hear the engine quite well at 40. 

[ChuckJ]

I agree that the ICE is loud. It sounds like a growl. We took our first road trip in the Energi and heard the Engine for the first time! At first I thought it was the noise cancelling I had heard mentioned. As driving on the highway traveling about 60mph I kept hearing a growl sound coming on and going off. I guessed the Energi was supplementing the sound due to traffic and terrain, but then I heard it when no one was around and the highway way smooth. Then while driving I examined the instrument panel and saw the blue EV disappear and heard the loud growl as the engage display showed white. The sound I was hearing was the ICE. I continued to watch the display as the vehicle continued to repeat this over and over.

This shocked me because earlier on the trip I had turned on the heat(it was a cold morning) and when I turned on the heat / defroster the car gave the warning "Engine enabled due to defroster", but no growl sound from the ICE was heard. Since the vehicle had on a previous trip told me that I had traveled using the engine I just figured it was a nice quiet engine and didn't think much other than "Why is everyone saying the engine is loud?....I don't hear anything". The message stayed on for sometime and I did not press ok. I was driving in EV Now, The EV under the battery had turned yellow, but thanks to the message staying on that was about all I could see of the display. I thought since the "Engine was enabled" I would not continue to see my battery drop so quickly.

Now since I did not hear the loud growl I wonder if the Engine came on at all before the big battery was depleted(or even since we have had the Energi for that matter). I was only traveling about 40mph when the Engine enabled message initially came on, and you can definitely hear the engine quite well at 40. 

Yep, we get spoiled with that quiet, smooth environment, though I haven't heard it yet at highway speeds and we've taken several trips.  I think when you have any hybrid battery left it doesn't growl, but I'm not sure.

 

ChuckJ

[tangozulu]

I hear the growl the most when 1.  the motor is in hybrid mode, 2. the bar on the 2d battery display is below half.  3.  I am accelerating. 

 

During this time, I think the motor has two jobs... turning the wheels and charging the battery.  So I figure the system needs more power from the gas engine during this time.  Once the high voltage battery is re-charged or I stop accelerating, I hear an rpm drop and there is less growl.  I am unable to describe the amount of acceleration that I am doing when it starts to growl or quantify how much growl there is or how much less it growls when release the gas pedal. 

 

Also is it possible that noise cancelling systems are tuned to target a range of audible frequency patterns and above that range it gets more growly?

 

Keith

Edited January 5, 2014 at 04:52 AM by tangozulu

[DelS]

Mine seems to have quieted down, since I have put a lot of highway miles(ICE) on mine, with several trips up to NoCal.   Maybe the loudness is also an ICE break in issue?

[meyersnole]

Mine seems to have quieted down, since I have put a lot of highway miles(ICE) on mine, with several trips up to NoCal.   Maybe the loudness is also an ICE break in issue?

 

My guess is that you are getting use to the sounds. Only a decibel meter would tell you for sure. 

[musicalgreasemonkey]

I agree, these Ford I4's make a lot of noise; had an '09 Fusion and now drive a 2011 Milan Hybrid; the ICE is a bit loud, with a low growl. Specifically, I've noticed it on Ford 2.3 and 2.5 I4's; my brother has a Focus 2.0 I4 and I don't notice as much engine noise, that's a smooth engine. Can't speak for the 2.0 atkinson/hybrid setup, haven't driven one yet. You do get use to it, but I haven't noticed it as much on non-Ford I4's.

 

My guess is, because the exhaust is on the back side of the engine compartment versus the front, it's close to the firewall (very close), and so it seems normal that there would be more engine "grumble" coming through. I'm not sure if there was a standard practice in the past for exhaust at the front of the engine compartment (or perhaps exhaust on the back has always been a Ford thing), but these newer Fords have them turned around (perhaps for emissions, helps heat up the cat. quicker). I don't know a lot about exhaust design, but I suspect that having the exhaust on the backside of the engine, you are going to hear more sounds (maybe this has no impact). Take it for whatever it's worth, but you will get use to it. :)

Edited March 3, 2018 at 04:28 PM by musicalgreasemonkey

[bdginmo]

I've always chalked this up to it being an Atkinson cycle engine that revs higher than a conventional engine.

[4cylinder]

The ICE was uncomfortably loud on my 2013 hybrid, even when I replaced the plastic intake under the hood with one that included the job 2 muffler.

 

I think it's just poor noise canceling, because I saw a serious improvement in quietness when I switched to the 2017 Energi. Even when I put the pedal to the metal it isn't as loud as the 2013's.