All About Ford F-150 ECO Mode
The Ford F-150’s ECO mode can help you save money on gasoline, maintenance, and even traffic tickets. Click here to see all the benefits of Ford’s ECO mode.
Written by Matt Nightingale
Reviewed by Brenna Swanston
The Ford F-150’s ECO mode monitors and adjusts certain engine and transmission functions to help you reduce your vehicle’s fuel consumption by up to 20%.
Ford’s ECO mode was introduced on select Ford models back in 2011. The fuel conservation setting has become more common on Ford vehicles, including the Ford F-150. In fact, the 2022 Ford F-150 has eight available drive modes to help you get the most out of your truck, from the performance-oriented Sport mode to the work-centered Haul mode.
Here to talk about the Ford F-150’s ECO mode is
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat is Ford F-150 ECO mode?
Ford’s F-150 mode is a standard driving mode on all Ford models, which improves fuel efficiency and reduces aggressive driving.
The Ford F-150’s ECO mode is available throughout the F-150 lineup. It is a setting that helps improve your truck’s fuel efficiency by monitoring and adjusting engine and transmission performance.
ECO mode has three basic functions:
- Restricts engine responsiveness preventing wasteful acceleration
- Cuts access to four-wheel drive mode
- Regulates climate control functions like air conditioning which can put stress on the F-150’s engine
These three tweaks to your F-150 can go a long way to save energy and reduce fuel consumption. Engines are at their most inefficient at high RPMs. By reducing your engine’s responsiveness, you’ll not only save on gas, but you’ll reduce the wear and tear on your engine, helping you save money on maintenance and repair. And, by reducing your ability to accelerate aggressively, you’ll become a safer driver, too.
Using the Ford F-150’s ECO mode in conjunction with other fuel-saving utilities can help you reduce your cost of ownership even further. For example, using the built-in navigation system—available on all but the two lowest trims—will help you find the most efficient route to take, and can help you avoid being stuck in fuel-wasting gridlock traffic.
Key Takeaway ECO mode helps reduce your fuel and maintenance costs by monitoring and regulating your engine’s performance.
Does Ford F-150 ECO mode save fuel?
According to Ford, ECO mode can help you reduce your fuel consumption by up to 20%. According to Consumer Reports, F-150 drivers can realistically expect an increase in fuel efficiency of 2-3 mpg. How much you actually save will depend on how diligently you use ECO mode, and how much you cut loose with Ford’s less efficient drive modes like Sport mode.
Does Ford F-150 ECO mode charge the battery?
Ford’s ECO mode does not charge up your car’s battery, but the good news is, it doesn’t drain it either.
What’s the difference between Normal mode and F-150 ECO mode?
Normal mode is the name that Ford has given to its default driver settings. This mode is best in ideal driving conditions on paved roads. You’ll also have access to all four-wheel drive modes when you are in the Normal setting.
Normal mode won’t help you cut your fuel consumption, but you will be able to accelerate more rapidly. If you need to maximize your F-150’s responsiveness, Sport mode is your best bet. This mode increases the sensitivity of your throttle and switches to four-wheel drive, providing a more athletic ride.
How to turn Ford F-150 ECO mode on and off
Turning F-150 mode on and off is simple. When you get into your Ford, you’ll notice a little button near your ignition button or gear shifter that says “F-150” and “SPORT.” Just use that button to select the driving mode you want—and press it again to turn ECO mode off!
Fords equipped with four-wheel drive have eight available drive modes:
- Normal
- ECO
- Sport
- Deep snow/sand
- Slippery
- Mud ruts
- Tow/Haul
- Rock crawl
To select your preferred drive mode, make sure that your engine is on, then follow these easy steps:
- Press the drive mode button. If you have a column shifter—the kind that is attached to your steering column—it is located at the end of the shifting lever. If you have a center console shifter, your drive mode “DM” button will be located on the shaft of the shifter.
- Pressing the drive mode button will bring up your drive mode menu. Using the selector knob located to the left of your steering wheel, turn the knob left or right to scroll through the available drive modes until you land on ECO mode.
- Press OK to confirm your drive mode selection.
Your F-150 resets to Normal mode every time you turn your vehicle off. When you start it up again, you’ll get a message on your instrument cluster display asking if you want to return to the drive mode that the vehicle was in the last time you turned off your ignition. Selecting “Yes” will return your vehicle to the last drive mode used, while selecting “No” will keep all settings in Normal mode.
Is Ford F-150 ECO mode worth it?
Whether the Ford F-150’s ECO mode is worth it is really a matter of personal preference. If you do a lot of off-roading and towing with your Ford F-150, you may not be able to use the ECO mode enough to notice much of a difference in your fuel consumption. On the other hand, if you do a lot of paved road city driving, ECO mode might make a real difference for you.
There are side benefits to using the Ford F-150 ECO mode. Regulating your speed and acceleration keeps you from driving too aggressively. This can help you avoid costly accidents and traffic tickets, which can also negatively impact your Ford F-150 insurance costs.
How to save on Ford insurance
Ford F-150 ECO is a great way to save money on fuel and maintenance costs, and can even help keep you out of traffic court. Unfortunately, the Ford F-150 makes our list of the
10 most expensive trucks to insure
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