[LostinTransit]

I was made aware of this system while installing new parking lights on our 2020 Transit Connect. I had removed the entire headlight assembly when I noticed these slats moving closed or opening after driving and all this was when the van was off.

If one is unfamiliar with this shutter system, Automakers starting installing these shutters on cars and trucks ca. 2015. So your car or truck may not have these shutters. It is their claim that when at highway speeds these shutters open and close in order to allow for better fuel economy. However Our experience with a 2020 Connect (facelift) is like driving a brick.

We've noticed that the van's fuel economy was getting worse. We've added a few new parts and even changed up fuels and stations.. nothing was helping. Until I thought about the shutter system. I thought "What If" I was able to remove the system and If I did would we see better fuel economy.

However, if one removes the entire shutter system (like the Focus guys do so that can install new intercoolers) They simply leave the system disconnected, but could end up getting a check engine light. I was not willing to remove the entire from bumper cover, grill etc just to access and remove the slats. Instead, using a flat head screw driver I popped/pried one slat at a time from the outer edge of the rails and while holding the slat I was able to pry off the 2 peg end form the motorized setup all while doing this through the front grill.

The idea was to remove 10 of the 14 slats from the system just so the system could continue to be active and move open or close. leaving just the top and bottom rows. We've driving the van for 3 days (today makes the 4th day) and have seen new numbers.. In the past and for the last 3 years the city MPG's has never gotten over 23.. yesterday afternoon we seen new numbers and for the first time the van MPG's were 23.8 and it's still increasing.

In other words, I have a feeling we're about ready to debunk this "active Shutter system" is used for saving fuel or getting better fuel economy. Our van has never seen any of these types of numbers. Even the window sticker says 24 city 28 highway.. We've never come close to any of those types of numbers. But may be this will change.

Although we're still in the testing stage, I can tell a difference in the performance aspect of the van and all of this is because we removed 10 slat as to allow for more air flow when typically the system remains shut 80% of the time.

With a 300+ mile road trip coming up.. We can't wait to see more data/stats from this simple modification. Now will this work for your vehicle? hard to see.. but it's clear that our van is running better and we're getting better fuel economy at least for the time being. Some would say it the price of fuel or that we've checked out tire PSI.. Fuel today in the Baltimore area is running 4.48 gal and my tires PSI has never changed 44psi. Plus we've never run the van in ecomode. As I said the only thing that's changed was the removal of 10 slats form this shutter system.

Our Road trip is coming up this weekend as we're looking forward to seeing these and better stats. Stay tuned..