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Hybrid Vehicles Ford Escape Hybrid Ford Escape Hybrid Safety Issues
15 messages, Last post on Mar 13, 2008 at 7:21 AM
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http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6588860.html?highlight=5343970 Wow...Double that, WOW..! I have NEVER seen a more direct admission of the hazards of engine braking on a FWD or front biased AWD in my life, never really expected too, from FORD yet. Good-o. You should note that the FEH/MMH regenerative braking is significantly reduced ONLY at, near, or below freezing. Regenerative braking is instantly reduced to zero if ABS needs to release the brakes to prevent lockup. But what about the ICE itself, does it raise the ICE RPM simultaneously to prevent actual engine braking? Now I am very sure, certain, sure, I never want to drive a FWD or front torque biased AWD in wintertime conditions. |
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Now I am very sure, certain, sure, I never want to drive a FWD or front torque biased AWD in wintertime conditions. I have owned two FWD cars where it snows a lot. A Subaru in Alaska and a Honda in Minnesota. I was not impressed with either one. I have had much better control especially on ice with RWD vehicles. Both my 70 Datsun PU and 74 Dodge van were better in deep snow and on ice than the Subaru or Honda Accord FWD cars. My Chevy PU trucks were all 4WD so they were great. |
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"I have NEVER seen a more direct admission of the hazards of engine braking on a FWD or front biased AWD in my life, never really expected too, from FORD yet. Good-o." Ummm, you DO realize that this patent is listing what Ford does to maximize safety on the FEH? Seems to me they have it locked down. I can see that you didn't get my original response. It is the driver and his/her understanding of the vehicle and conditions that determines winter time safety. Any vehicle can be safe; any vehicle can be unsafe. |
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Replying to: stevedebi (Sep 29, 2006 11:29 am) That is true. Some vehicles are better adapted to winter driving conditions. Just as tires make a difference. I have never driven an AWD on ice or snow, so cannot give any experience. I would think they would be better than a 2 wheel drive vehicle front or rear drive. My biggest complaint with FWD in deep snow (8 or more inches) was the fact that both the Subaru and Accord would start hopping and lose traction. The Subaru was so bad it would pop out of gear going up hill in deep snow. Thank goodness I am retired from that nasty weather. No more snow or ice for this kid.
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Replying to: gagrice (Sep 29, 2006 12:38 pm) The key is to make sure you have sufficient weight over the rear wheels. I drove a 1972 VW Type 402 in Germany, which was RWD (with the engine in the back). During the winter I put 25 kilos of deer feed over each front wheel. No traction problems at all.
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Replying to: stevedebi (Sep 29, 2006 12:45 pm)
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Replying to: gagrice (Sep 29, 2006 12:48 pm) It was good for that, but what was really impressive was the space utilization. This was a station wagon model, and having the engine below the cargo deck, plus having the area under the hood of the car, gave it tremendous capacity. It also had two heaters. One worked by bringing air off of the air cooled engine. The other system burned gasoline in a gas heater! |
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Replying to: stevedebi (Sep 29, 2006 11:29 am) Absolutely! But the question here involves which one is the most safe. With RWD your natural native human instincts come into play nicely when recovering from a skid. Not true for FWD or front biased AWD. Quickly now, I just drove onto a long bridge with a slight sweeping curve outside of St. Regis MT that is totally iced over, tell me how to quickly recover from plowing, understearing, in a non-clutch FWD vehicle... RWD: Get off the gas and let what little traction exists at the rear keep it behind me where it belongs.
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Replying to: wwest (Sep 29, 2006 2:19 pm) If you are totally iced over, you will spin out in any car that does not have studded tires. Go out on a frozen lake sometime and try it. When you let off the gas in a FWD, the car slows, putting more traction in the front drive wheels. So you just steer where you want to go. When you let off of the accelerator in a RWD, you are still shifting weight to the front of the car - away from the drive wheels. As I said before, I recommend some weight over the rear axle for severe winter driving. This equates to having the same weight over the rear tires as RWD, while still having the traction advantages of FWD.
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