Can someone explain how the hour meter works on these cars? Does it only capture hours at idle only or capture hours anytime the car is running (and driving down the road)?

Thank you very much.

From what I have read it is only the time that the car has been sitting idle (park, neutral). So your car could have 50,000miles on it, but have 8,000 idle hours which is far worse than a car with 100,000miles running but only 1500 idle hours.

Absolutely. An idle hour is roughly equivalent to 30 highway miles driven (where engine wear is concerned). Those 8,000 idle hours you mentioned would be 240,000 miles!

How many idle hours does the average 03-04 police interceptor have when it leaves a department with 106k miles?

It varies so much it is impossible to guesstimate

The idle meters are dumb. I dont know many fleet managers who use it for anything as Ford had intended.

Mine was a Lieutenant's car, only saw about 3-4 idle hours...that's what I tell myself at night when I'm trying to fall asleep anyways

Hahah mine never had a cage in it and the dealer i bought it from said it was a detective car but i'm skeptical, no antenna or light bar holes either just the undercover ones that go behind the mirror and third brake light

If your car never had antenna holes then it probably was an admin. or detective car. No antenna = no radio = no patrol = a lot less idling = happy engine!!

Mine had 102,000 with 950 hrs. (state trooper) Not bad considering my work car has 64,000 w/ 16,500 hrs. on it. I almost didn't believe the hrs on mine until I called up a friend at the motor maintenance department who told me that it's not uncommon as they shut off the car when running radar or sitting for long periods.

I had an 03 with 184 000km, it had 8900 hours ( it came with an aftermarket meter), The car still ran good

Well each idle hour is equal to 33 Miles Per Ford and that is no joke. It only measures when the car is in park or neutral and personally I've only put 3 hours on in the 5 months I've owned it.

My Highway Patrol Vehicle had 101,500 Miles when it was retired and had 1,514 hours on it when i purchased it. Also when i did a ride a long, the officers 2009 had 64,000 miles and 2,200 idle hours on it, but it's a city owned vehicle that is shared by numerous people. My car was a take home vehicle that ran commercial truck traffic on the highway, so the hours are lower.

Anything under 06+ your going to have no idea what amount of time they idled, just know that it's probably a whole lot more than you want to know.

LOL
You forgot to add the 50,000 miles to the total.

Mine had 194 hours at 3 years old and 50,000 miles. Now it has 68,000 at 4 1/2 yrs and 215 hours. I am confused as if I am sitting listening to the radio waiting for the kids or wife I don't let it idle and shut the motor. Yet I am cautious of the hours and still racked up 21 hrs in 18 months.

The book says it only adds time if in Park and Neutral with the motor running. I sometimes beg to differ.

Yes, I somehow doubt the claimed 1 engine hour idle time = 33 miles myself.

Since I bought my car I have personally added almost 35-40 idle hours in about a year. And, even when it snows out to let my car warm up, there is no WAY I let it idle that long.
IDK how the computer calculates "one hour".
Someone want to do an experiment ??