It would appear as though on my 2013 Maxima that there are 2 separate computers to track Miles Per Gallon. There is the one that is accessed via the buttons just to the left of the steering wheel, and then one that is integrated into the radio screen etc.

Here's the weird part... they can be separately re-set. Even more strange to me is that after I filled up my car with gas the other day, I re-set them both within seconds of each other and have been watching them to see if they match. They actually don't for some reason. The radio one says I am at like 19.8MPG, and the other is showing like 21.2.

Any thoughts on this odd design?

 

Other that it is odd, the only thing i have to say is that they are both incorrect. Still fun to look at though.

 

Exactly.

Pen and paper is the only 'reliable' way to track mpg. The digital indicators can be off by as much as 3-4 mpg either way.

One reason for the independent resets may be similar to having two trip-ometers. For example you only want to gauge your mpg for a certain portion of the trip whereas you can use the other one for the entire trip.

 

The only purpose they serve for me is that they do indicate that I've had my foot to the floor too often.

 

Yeah, I suspect this is why... i.e. the ability to gauge MPG on a portion of the trip and leave the other one for the entire tank etc.

 

I have the same thing going on with my '13... both show a different mpg reading.

 

It's funny... mine are typically within .1 to .3 difference, and I probably re-set them on my first fill up within seconds of each other. Who knows!

 

The radio screen MPG has the ability to provide you with average MPG trends based on how often you reset it. The one at the steering wheel tracks MPG on one time reset basis which is good to track MPG on select drives.

 

I normally just reset the one in the radio. I don't worry with the cluster stuff that often. To aggrivating to change and reset. I have the oil change indicators and everything else turned off in the dash. Don't need it in both places.