Poor Gas Mileage, what to check?
#1
Poor Gas Mileage, what to check?
I have an '03 Maxima automatic, and my gas mileage is bad - its averaging 15.9mpg according to my dash gauge. What does everyone else get? What are some things I can check that might be causing this? It seems to run fine, and the pickup is decent. I dont drive with my foot to the floor all the time. When I'm on the highway, I get 20mpg(if I reset trip computer while on the highway). All of this is not using AC. My pulley belt looks a little cracked, could this be causing my poor mileage.
#3
First, you need to understand how UNreliable the trip computer is at averaging your fuel economy. The only true way to measure this is by filling up, resitting your A tipometer, then filling up near empty (or 1/4 to 1/8 tank). Divide the miles traveled by the number of gallons used to fill up. That simple.
Then IF you are still getting that poor economy, you need to look at overall maintenance. NGK platinum plugs? What grade gas you using? Anything lower than premium will begin to reduce mpg performance. Several other things, but until you really verify the miles you are getting per gallon, I can't be sure you really have an issue. You should (in an automatic) be getting 330 miles per tank or more. I average 21-22 mpg. When I've run Lucas fuel additive (I get the big bottle)...I typically run 22-23 mpg on average.
Definately, do a search for some great references on this very topic.
Then IF you are still getting that poor economy, you need to look at overall maintenance. NGK platinum plugs? What grade gas you using? Anything lower than premium will begin to reduce mpg performance. Several other things, but until you really verify the miles you are getting per gallon, I can't be sure you really have an issue. You should (in an automatic) be getting 330 miles per tank or more. I average 21-22 mpg. When I've run Lucas fuel additive (I get the big bottle)...I typically run 22-23 mpg on average.
Definately, do a search for some great references on this very topic.
#4
I get just over 20 mpg around town running Plus. Jumps up significantly on the hi-way when I can run in 6th.
Car just turned 100k today (yippee) so I will be puttin in Iridiums next week and we'll see if I get much of an increase.
Car just turned 100k today (yippee) so I will be puttin in Iridiums next week and we'll see if I get much of an increase.
#10
I have been having the same problem. I get about 200 miles to a tank. Brand new maf, and air filter,fluids every where, just had the tires worked on so pressures should be right. Anyone one got any ideas for me?
EDIT<and i have a new hi-flow cat still nothing.
EDIT<and i have a new hi-flow cat still nothing.
#13
regarding grinding noise and stuck caliper, shouldn't you be able to smell some burning after driving for while?
regarding bad cat, i believe you can drill hole pre and past cat to do pressure testing. search youtube on videos of such (user scottykilmer has good info).
p.s. is it just me or Post quote reply is gone?
regarding bad cat, i believe you can drill hole pre and past cat to do pressure testing. search youtube on videos of such (user scottykilmer has good info).
p.s. is it just me or Post quote reply is gone?
#14
the ones that will clog first will be the precats in the exhaust manifolds
#18
I would try all of these before I did anything else.
#20
my car has burned out a maf completely with throwing a code, and it has done that twice. i dont really trust my ecu.i think it might be a little slow.. but im still going to try all these like yall are saying.
thanks for the help!
#21
Ses is not. Plugged in a scanner, and there were no stored trouble codes. Is a burning smell a prereq of having a stuck caliper? I don't smell anything, and the rotor doesn't feel any hotter than the front one, bout the outer edge of the rear rotor is scored, and very rough. Could this just be a bad pad?
#22
Ses is not. Plugged in a scanner, and there were no stored trouble codes. Is a burning smell a prereq of having a stuck caliper? I don't smell anything, and the rotor doesn't feel any hotter than the front one, bout the outer edge of the rear rotor is scored, and very rough. Could this just be a bad pad?
#23
if you have not messed with the TB check your vaccum lines for cracks. if you cleaned your TB a relearn procedure may help. I was having a mileage and other problems and I removed the cable from the positive terminal for aboutg thirty seconds. This causes the computer to reset. It helped the gas mileage a lot and also cleared up my other problems. my vaccum lines were dry rotted and cracked.
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