Fuel consumption and performance of ur Fiesta WS

Omarko · 24-03-2011, 09:11 AM

hi guys

My missuz bought a 2010 Fiesta WS (new) last year, the Zetec version. Its a 1.4l Auto. She commutes about 30kms a day each way in heavy traffic. What boggles my mind is the fuel consumption. It sits at 10.3L / 100kms . Average speed is 31km/h according to the trip computer.

One of the reasons why we bought this car was hope for better fuel economy thinking it will be more like 8L max ... especially since its a 1.4l engine. I mean my 6L V8 eats 16-17L and thats engine 4 times the size of the Fiesta !!!

The other thing is that the car sometimes does not start or when it starts and you put the gear in right away , it stalls. This has not happened in last couple weeks but did happen number of times before. Ford are no help at all.

Finally, I find the car completely gutless. I mean you can floor it when you take off at lights and it takes a while to respond and unless you are revving at 3.5K+ rpm, its very unresponsive. I know its a 1.4l engine but it does have 71kW so that should be more than enough for a small car like this.

We use 91 fuel so not sure how much difference will 95 or 98 make.

Does anyone else have the same car and be able to share with my their fuel consumption in city driving ?

thanks in advance

In Focus · 24-03-2011, 09:58 AM

My auto Focus averages around 11L/100km in heavy traffic (gets down to around 7L/100km on a long trip at constant 100kmh speed).

My wife's new WT Fiesta has been averaging around 8.5L/100km, but that's mostly short surburban trips (down to shops and back). It's not getting caught in the bumper to bumper crawl, but it is only going a couple of kilometres per trip a lot of the time.

My suspicion is that the WT automatic will use less fuel than the WS because of the extra 2 gears (6 vs 4). It's also geared up to rev through the first two to get to higher cogs quickly, which are more economical.

In your case, I think your wife's paying a few prices for the 1.4 4 speed.

1. It's on the low side of "powerful", so the motor must rev harder just to get anywhere.

2. That constant stop-start of heavy traffic only increases that workload.

2. The torque converter uses more fuel "making up its mind" than the new dual clutch 6 speed, which I find does a lot of shifting at 50-70km, as if making fine adjustments to optimise its selected gear.

What can you do? Apart from the obvious trade-in on the newer model and/or getting a manual (I'm guessing your wife is like mine in not wanting a manual), perhaps she can use the semi-automatic function. Try to keep it in the highest gear possible (just above stalling). If it's like the Focus semi-auto it will downshift if it does look like stalling, anyway. The other thing she can try if the traffic is literally crawling along is keep it in second.

Other than that, I don't think there's much she can do, apart from the usual stuff like keeping it properly tuned and the tyres are regularly inflated etc.

Omarko · 24-03-2011, 10:08 AM

hi in Focus ... thank you very much for your post.

I think you are right, the heavy traffic and 4 speed tranny are the main culprits here. What probably also does not help is her running the air con all the time.

I told my missuz to drive with the semi-auto but she does not want to.

I will be keeping an eye on the fuel consumption as the winter comes and she uses the AC less and I am also curious to see if better fuel gives ie better fual economy and more power.

Ms_Jam · 24-03-2011, 12:31 PM

Here is my experience with the WS Fiesta Zetec manual.

Done about 25,000km.Have run BP Ultimate from the second tank. Mainly doing the peak-hour grind from the Northern Suburbs to Melbourne CBD. Plus a lot of shopping.

Anyway, I get around 7.6. A bit on the high side? I will ask for a software update at the next service.

On the other hand, on a day trip to Queenscliff recently, I was getting as low as 4.8, which pleasantly surprised me.

Omarko · 24-03-2011, 12:38 PM

damn ... thats a HUGE difference .. plus the manual is 1.6L engine right ?

hmmm,,,,

Ms_Jam · 24-03-2011, 12:56 PM

Yes, it is 1.6 litres. I'm vaguely aware that the 1.6 engine has a variable thinggamy which the 1.4 litre does not. Don't know if it matters, though, with fuel economy.

I have the air-conditioning running all the time in summer.

The 4.8 figure was with one passenger.

kiwijohn42 · 24-03-2011, 01:08 PM

1.4 + auto + aircon + 91, fuel economy is going to suck.
Best thing you can do is switch to 98. Caltex has been working better for me than BP.

loxxr6 · 24-03-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms_Jam

Here is my experience with the WS Fiesta Zetec manual.

Done about 25,000km.Have run BP Ultimate from the second tank. Mainly doing the peak-hour grind from the Northern Suburbs to Melbourne CBD. Plus a lot of shopping.

Anyway, I get around 7.6. A bit on the high side? I will ask for a software update at the next service.

On the other hand, on a day trip to Queenscliff recently, I was getting as low as 4.8, which pleasantly surprised me.

I have the same car (model/transmission) and I think we're sitting on 8.1-8.4. I only ever use 95 fuel and we also don't do big trips - mainly short distances. I think factory quoted figures are about 6.1 ??

BrisVegas · 24-03-2011, 04:05 PM

definitely the 1.4 and auto combination is to blame. I've got the 1.6 manual and rarely manage higher than 6's with two adults, two kids and the aircon blasting.

Caydus · 24-03-2011, 04:25 PM

Think the quoted figures for the 1.4l auto WS is 6.9l/100km combined. Dont really remember the city figures. the 1.6L Auto WT is 6.1l/100km combined, and the city for that is 8.1l/100km i think

GoesLikeAZetec · 24-03-2011, 04:26 PM

Most of the WS manuals on here average 6.0 - 6.5ltrs around town and most see high 4's on the freeway.

Alot of the users who have the 1.4 auto complain of the same thing... 71kw is ok for a small car, but the auto just sucks the life out of it. This in turn means you have to press the pedal deeper to get proper acceleration which leads to more petrol use, and thats before you even think of turning the air con on.

an average of 31km/h is pretty low per tank, she definitely wont drive a manual?

also the fiesta's are meant to be run on at least 95 octane, so maybe even start by changing to 95. I use 98 and it never pings and gets good economy.

Some of the tanks in our zetec average 45km/h but it's still around 6.5ltr/100 and that includes lots of hills.

Maybe try and see if there is a new software update that might help economy from your dealer at the next service.

Apart from that, it seems there isnt much to you can do, besides buy a manual or the new six speed auto.

I dont think they even offer the 1.4ltr auto in europe. Danny would know.

Omarko · 24-03-2011, 05:14 PM

I rang Ford service and complained about the fuel economy again and they said that its perfectly normal and that there is no new software update for the ECU ... just pathetic ...

robjh80 · 24-03-2011, 08:04 PM

My XR4 uses 9.0L/100km .. all heavy Brisbane traffic getting to work and back every day, the aircon is always on .. the average speed on the trip computer is 36km/h .. "Oh, and I don't exactly granny drive it either!" ..

I have only ever used 98RON fuel ... all Fiesta's have to use at least 95RON fuel.

greenfoam · 24-03-2011, 08:21 PM

All the 4 speed auto 1.4 litres had fuel economy similar to that. That's why most of us got the manuals even if we would have normally preferred an auto. My wife had to learn to drive a manual because of this car

. I actually get better economy in town than on the highway. I can get 4.5l/100 in town driving in a sort of spirited way (not a big city so not much stop and wait) and high 4's/low 5's on the highway if it's flat and smooth. But yeah the manuals are much better on fuel than the auto, the new 6 speed should by all rights be much better than the 4 speed

Foobar · 25-03-2011, 10:09 AM

I know this info won't help much but it does show that the claimed numbers are achievable.

I have a 2010 WT diesel LX manual, barely covered 1500k's so far. First thing I did was order a diesel 'tuning box' from DTK tuning to take the car from 66kW to around 85KW. I was a bit skeptical that this was possible but after installing the unit, whoa - what a difference. Torque is also boosted from 200 to around 255 and boy does it show.

Currently my average speed is showing 44kph and fuel consumption avg is 4.3L per 100k's - .1 less than advertised. I don't know if the tuning box is in any way responsible for the fuel consumption as I didn't have the car long enough without the box to find out but they do claim less fuel usage with it installed. Once the motor loosens up (as it's only 1500k's old), I expect a bit more power using a bit less fuel so hopefully it's only going to get better.

Regarding your car, like others, I suspect that a 1.4 with an auto box is the problem. The Fiesta is a pretty big little car and you probably have to push a 1.4 auto pretty hard to get it to do what you want which means it'll guzzle the fuel even though it's only a 1.4.

Reset everything next refill and drive it calmly, no darting around in traffic, no foot to the floor to get off the mark or up a hill etc and see if it improves. I see people driving erratically all the time and all they seem to do is get to the next red light well ahead of everyone else so all they are doing is wasting fuel.

Also try using at least 95 RON fuel, I have read in a few places that being a Euro spec car/motor, the minimum fuel over there is 95 so 91 might not be up to the task. You could also try detaching the battery for a short while to reset the ECU so it forgets previous driving styles, particularly if you're going to start using different fuel.

This would be my list of things to do:

- next fillup, use at least 95RON fuel
- check tyre pressures while at the servo
- get it home, detach battery for 10 mins
- drive it a bit more sedately for at least one tank

If anyone else has anything to add, please do!

On a side note, I also test drove the 6spd auto before I decided on the LX diesel - didn't like it, box was hunting all over the place and seemed to make some very odd choices. I understand that this should get better as the car gets older, once it 'learns' my driving style but I've seen a lot of people unhappy with the 6spd so far. I came from a BA XR6 Turbo so this was quite a change for me but I'm pretty darn happy so far.

Omarko · 25-03-2011, 12:44 PM

thank you Foobar !

I will follow ur suggestions over next wk or so and post observations ...

kiwijohn42 · 25-03-2011, 03:07 PM

& turn the aircon off. You'd be surprised by the difference that would make.

sundae · 27-03-2011, 04:02 PM

Hey omarko,

I have the same car with the exact same issues.

See my thread 2010 ford fiesta zetec ws major problems.

My car stalls every morning and has loss of power issues every day and Ford have done nothing. I've complained to the dealership, service centre, complaints hotline and head office.

Took my complaint to fair trading. Ford told them they are waiting on a program from Germany. They have already held my car for 9 days with a disc from Germany and it didn't fix it.

Now taking the matter up with a CTTT hearing.

It's a joke! Glad to hear I'm not the only consumer with this major safety issue

DJ1979 · 28-03-2011, 06:34 PM

People scoffed at me for spending the extra to get a diesel (Econetic).
In absolute crap stop start traffic I nudge 4.7l/100, more often than not it is 4.2. Yeah, it takes a while to get the higher purchase price back in saved fuel consumption, but at more than 35k traveled in 8 months, I think that has happened

geelong festy · 05-04-2011, 08:46 PM

Hi, I have a 2010 WS Fiesta 1.6 manual with cold air indiction, 10mm plug leads, Iridium plugs, modified ECU, high-flow exhaust, cold air induction for the exterior of the inlet manifild, cold air induction for the oil coller and 17x7's with 205/40/17's and flog it mercilessly and still get high 6's running on BP ultimate. There is an upgrade to the ECU but it doesn't involve the engine tune. Believe it or not the entertainment unit (radio) is connected to the ECU and can play up and requires a patch from the dealer. Cheers, Lee, Geelong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omarko

hi guys

My missuz bought a 2010 Fiesta WS (new) last year, the Zetec version. Its a 1.4l Auto. She commutes about 30kms a day each way in heavy traffic. What boggles my mind is the fuel consumption. It sits at 10.3L / 100kms . Average speed is 31km/h according to the trip computer.

One of the reasons why we bought this car was hope for better fuel economy thinking it will be more like 8L max ... especially since its a 1.4l engine. I mean my 6L V8 eats 16-17L and thats engine 4 times the size of the Fiesta !!!

The other thing is that the car sometimes does not start or when it starts and you put the gear in right away , it stalls. This has not happened in last couple weeks but did happen number of times before. Ford are no help at all.

Finally, I find the car completely gutless. I mean you can floor it when you take off at lights and it takes a while to respond and unless you are revving at 3.5K+ rpm, its very unresponsive. I know its a 1.4l engine but it does have 71kW so that should be more than enough for a small car like this.

We use 91 fuel so not sure how much difference will 95 or 98 make.

Does anyone else have the same car and be able to share with my their fuel consumption in city driving ?

thanks in advance