Horrible MPG's

[TacoHawkRanger]

I have been averaging 19-20 (1500 miles total now) with mixed driving. It's been hot and humid here, so that doesn't help at all. My drive to and from work varies from open highway to stop and go heavy traffic.

For what it's worth, I switched from Walmart to Chevron or Shell (depending on what I drive by; both top-tier fuels) and I did go from 18 to 19.5 between the two.

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[kieefer]

If your truck is not stock, I suspect your add-ons contributed to your horrible mpgs.

If you have a GFB DV remove it and see what you get.

 

[Mcoop57]

I waited until I had 1900 miles on the odometer before I checked mine. STX Supercab 4X4, w/Retrax bed cover closed. Mostly mixed driving but there was a 110 mile lunch run on the interstate where I set the cruise at 71 mph. I REALLY pussyfooted the thing, as though there was a raw egg between my foot and the accelerator pedal for the whole tank (drove me crazy). 20.4 pretty disappointed. I will try it again at 3,000 miles, and in the mean time , run the living f*** out of it, as if I had stolen it. It is a LOT more fun.

 

[Rigwright]

I just drove from NE Ohio to Chautauqua Lake in New York State and back with 4 people in my 4WD Lariat. Apprx 75 MPH on the freeway part of the ride. I'm pleased with 25.7 MPG. How you could get 16 is beyond me. Strange.

 

[Chuckitall]

My XLT Sport, 2wd, has 2600 miles and I am averaging 22 around town.. Last weekend we did a 500 mile interstate trip and at 75 usually I averaged 26 mpg. No complaints

 

[olgzr]

I've actually considered much of this... I started thinking a lot after such great replies and Ive come to this:

I do go to work on the highway daily (70-80 MPH and 10 miles there an back, so short trip). I also go to mom n dad's daily as they're both in need of physical help with day-to-day stuff. My neighborhood and most of the surrounding town is 25MPH strictly enforced and theirs is 30, also strictly enforced. The temps since I got it are upper 90's and triple digits daily so I do run the air during the day - I love windows down in the morning and after dark but my day generally takes place in between. I use remote start sporadically (if I couldn't grab a shady spot at work) but never let it go past 5-7 minutes. Sadly I have not had the opportunity to get in a good long highway trip away from the Metroplex. That is much needed for my sanity as well. I'll bet the truck is fine...... 2 things now top the list. Good long highway drive and if that doesn't give me some needed info then testing a similar Ranger along my routine route..... I really appreciate all the great insights!

In regards to your driving with the windows open in the early morning and after dark. I saw a MPG study a number of years ago that showed the best mileage was with the windows closed and A/C off. Second best was windows closed and A/C on. The worst mileage was windows open and A/C off. Windows open greatly adds to the aerodynamic drag of the vehicle.

 

[CaptainAmericaRob]

So to start I don't live in boost or WOT. I drive pretty normally and admittedly take full advantage of the turbo while getting on the highway/passing, etc. I'm at a little over 3k on the odo and have been getting 16mpg pretty consecutively. I put in 89 octane (as opposed to 87) yesterday to see but time will tell, in one day it's about the same if not a little worse...... Ideas?

I just got back from vacation to Quebec for a week.
put over 1,100 miles on my truck.
majority was freeyway (70-75 mph) the rest was 2 lane roads around 50 -60 mph. Big rolling hills in the Larentian mountains.
I averaged for the entire trip 23 mpg
here's a dash pic at speed. at 75 mph i was getting 25.3

 

[RCMUSTANG]

I posted a how to adjust the accuracy of the mileage meter a while back. I was constantly getting higher than manual calculations. It took 2 adjustments, initial and then a smaller one, and now I get almost dead one between the computer and manual with a variance of +/- .00-.03. I still do that every fill up to verify and compare. So, some of the higher mileage people may still be getting a false estimate. Not saying everyone but you could be.

 

[SRAces]

I posted a how to adjust the accuracy of the mileage meter a while back. I was constantly getting higher than manual calculations. It took 2 adjustments, initial and then a smaller one, and now I get almost dead one between the computer and manual with a variance of +/- .00-.03. I still do that every fill up to verify and compare. So, some of the higher mileage people may still be getting a false estimate. Not saying everyone but you could be.

I agree that without making the adjustments that your post explained (great post), there can be a variance between the truck computer and manual calculations. Mine have consistently been less than 1 mpg off between the 2 with the truck computer being the higher one. I might eventually do the adjustments you made as well. I am just happy with the fact I know I'm getting mid to upper 20's regardless.

 

[MSG W]

I would do the adjustment, but mine is not the same difference between hand and computer calculated. Guess I could do an average variance and see what happens.

 

[DHMag]

When I first got the truck, I would never get anything over 18mpg. I noticed that when going from the Ranger to my wife's car, her car required more throttle input to accelerate at a normal pace. I had been driving her car for 6 months before I bought the Ranger. Knowing this, I started to see the mph in the truck start to rise once I changed how much throttle I gave the truck to accelerate. I'm at 4700 miles now and the computer says 22mpg, but like Ray mentioned, my computer readings are about 1mpg higher than hand calculated.

 

[Mellow]

I typically drive 'til the tank is at 1/4 tank.. then I rinse and repeat... the actual mileage is pointless to me.. I purchased the truck and the mpgs are within what I expected but even if it was a little less... Better to just drive it and enjoy it vs stressing about the mileage... love the truck so far.

 

[kieefer]

I think there’s something wrong with my wife’s car, like the trunk is full of bricks, like a slug, no power, so boring.

 

[Mellow]

I think there’s something wrong with my wife’s car, like the trunk is full of bricks, like a slug, no power, so boring.

Just tell her she has some junk in her trunk... should fix everything soon, you'll be able to drive your truck again... to your new apartment.

 

[kieefer]

Just tell her she has some junk in her trunk... should fix everything soon, you'll be able to drive your truck again... to your new apartment.

Oh no, she’d have no idea if something was wrong, unless it didn’t start. 3weeks went by before she told me a new light was lit on the dash (CEL).

No, I drive my truck, my sports car or my motorcycle, she drives her car unless we take the dog for a grooming. We did that last week.

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