FFVs running on E85 are as reliable as conventional vehicles and suffer no technical problems that may get in the way of their functionality. However, more frequent regular maintenance is required for FFVs compared to petrol or diesel vehicles. Further, energy consumption and performance are directly linked to keeping regular maintenance schedules.
Oil and oil filters must be changed 1,5 as often in FFVs than in petrol or diesel vehicles. The reason is that bioethanol droplets absorb water from the combustion and get in to the oil, causing it to loose its lubrication performance. This may be solved by developing engine oils that are more compatible with bioethanol.