It has only been the 2nd fill up since we got the car (02 Maxima GLE auto) and the gas mileage is really bad. First fill up was using Sunoco 94 octane. If I remember correctly, the fuel tank read less than 1/4 left with only about 150 miles driven. I filled it up again with Mobil 93 octane and the gas mileage still stinks. I just recently learned that the car was equipped w/ a MPG reading so I played around w/ the controls and saw that it read 15.3 mpg. Driving is 75% highway.

What should I do? Car has 15.9K miles. Bring the car to the dealer? or is there simple fix to this? Thanks!

 

15.3 mpg sounds a bit low. It is not unusual for the first tank or two to produce lower than expected MPG since you are probably still checking the car's acceleration ability at every opportunity. My '03 SE trip computer reports about 12-16 MPG around town if I apply plenty of right foot at every traffic light. It says around 24-28 MPG at a steady 70 MPH on fairly level interstate, maybe 22-24 MPG when it gets hilly. Highway mileage drops off 2-3 MPG when it is very warm outdoors (>100°F). The trip computer is optimistic compared to reality when I divide gallons added at the pump by miles driven.

 

On adverage how many miles per tank do you get on your 03? I get ~300...

 

wierd. i've been getting ~23-25 per mile.
lately tho i'm only averaging 17-19.
i suspect it might be the summer temps, but damn, that's a big hit.

 

90% of your mileage is how you drive. Slow down, don't jump on the gas when you start, don't rev over 3k rpm and you too can have mileage like this... (isn't even my best)

 

You have a lot of pride with your gas. I've seen you post that pic like 5x before.

 

On my 2000 SE, I'm getting 25 to 26 mpg using regular gas.

 

...or you could buy the new Maxima TDi which is rated at 28 City and 44 highway and floor it at every light. ;-)

C'mon, you didn't really buy the maxima to go slow, avoid acceleration and short shift... did you?

 

I know how you feel, i feel like I can actually see the needle move down slowly as I drive my max. @1.89/gallon for 94 Octane @ Sunoco, I do this almost twice a week guys! I love my max, but hunny be thirsty!

 

Man that is a low price for gas. Considering out here in california it is $1.99 for ****tty 91

 

hmm wierd dude for the low mileage... i got a 2000 5 speed and ran my tank for a range of 385 miles before the orange light... my o2 sensor is blown also...

 

yeh, the lowest fuel economy I've ever had was 23mpg... I've got as high as 26mpg once (2000 SE 5-speed)... mine's mostly highway though (usually constant speed cruising, with minimal dropping the hammer & passing people)

 

2003 SE auto here. I consistently get 340 miles per tankfull. All city driving with MAYBE 20 miles of highway here and there. I actually figured it out once, and it came to 18.5 mpg in the city. Not bad at all. I use Texaco 93 octane. I get those results when the trip computer says 20-21 mpg. So it's a little off...surprise.

 

just goes to show, newbies need to search on "mileage" before posting and we would have only seen it once.

That included some 'around town' driving, too. I got over 500 on a trip to/from my parents house (286 miles one way).

No, I didn't buy it to go slow and short shift, but if he's worried about mileage it'll help. I did a little experiment (very unscientific) and found for every time I got WOT from a light I seem to lose about 10 miles from that tank of gas. So if he goes WOT 10 times, that's 100 miles GONE from that tank.

But I've seen guys talk about not "driving hard" and then say "only revved it hard 8 or 9 times".... idiots... you get one or the other, not both.

 

Ditto. I've been in the 30mpg range on mostly highways and driving sensibly

 

I get nothing above 15mpg, then again I like to have fun with my VQ35....

so gas mileage sucks...at least the car has ***** to the wall

 

You ppl have heavy foots

 

Worst i've ever gotten is 21 (winter driving, 2 mile trips over the course of a month... bad) and now i average 26-29 mpg. 1/2 highway, 1/2 backroads. worst i've gotten in the summer so far was after a night of racing... 25 mpg for the tank highway cruisin my trip MPG meter reades between 30 and 32 all the time, doesnt matter if i'm crusin at 60 or 85

 

I drive roughly 85%/15% city/hwy, and average about 300-320 miles per tank (actually, there are about 2.5-3 gallons left when I fill up).

Also, keep in mind that if you have auto climate control and you leave it in "Auto" mode, it will cycle the A/C compressor, and that obviously drags your mpg down.

Another thing--check your tire pressure. I'm running 34psi all around right now, and mileage is slightly better than when they were around 30psi all around.

My winter mileage was worse. I was getting about 260-280 miles per tank (again, with a little bit of a reservoir).

 

I just filled up the second time too and calculated 18 MPG... I was a bit dissapointed but then again there was a lot of "testing" going on during the last week on my car. Mainly to see what the VQ3.5 BEAST was capable of... hehe. I hope to get better gas mileage this week since I have been taking it easy mostly.

 

If you are looking for milage, keep RPM at 2200, not much fun, but ihave tried it a lot on highway 28mpg with a/c on, 30 without 2002 6 speed se.

 

I keep mine even lower, around 1250-1500 RPMs and shift at 2-2.5K. If you're usually riding around at 2200 rpms, that won't get you great mileage.

 

i don't have a lead foot and the most mileage i ever got on my 03 is 300 miles per tank, pathetic.

 

Drive habits are very moderate. The Max is usually driven by my mom, I just look out for the car since I'm the "car guy" in the family. I've used the search, unfortunately it isn't 100% functional. Like I said, first 3/4 tank only netted me approx. 150 miles. I guess 02 sensors are the likely culprit huh? Do dealers cover this in bumper to bumper or is this considered a wear & tear item like the brakes. Thanks guys!

 

Get use to it the 3.5 just isnt a fuel efficient engine, all of us ***** but we love the motor! My 350Z is the same way it drinks and we both have heavy feet on the gas!

 

when i talked aabout 2200RPM i met cruising on the highway which is about 65/68 mph, and shifting from a stop thru the gears.

 

Ok, gotcha!

 

I drive about 90-95% hwy, and the best average for a tank so far is about 24mpg. Every other car I have ever had I have averaged 1-2 mpg more (at least) than what the EPA claimed but the MAX is lower, even when I consciously try to baby it.

 

I almost forgot about this picture i took a while back. Add my DTE to the Trip B #'s and that's right about how much i was able to squeeze out of 17.5 gallons. This is all highway btw.



Right now with a mix of about 5-10% backroads i'm doing better, though it's not consistent due to some traffic i encounter every now and then. But it's still in the 28-31mpg range (e.g. calculated the old-fashioned way).

City-driving, OTOH, is an entirely different ballgame.

 

if i do 85% hiway/15% backroads/city then i get aroun 385-400 miles that's with me cruisin at 78mph..

if i do majority city. then the highest i've ever gotten was 290 miles to my tank... the lowest i've gotten on a fullt ank was 185... heh.. fun times

 

Just an update to my Gas Mileage numbers.

80% Hwy driving (including shift downs to pass slower traffic) 25.58 MPG.

 

after another fill er up...results are 14 mpg. meter reads 15.3 mpg. wow

 

I usually get 17-19 mpg with about 90% city driving. Constant deceleration for stoplights, intersections, and speedbumps. Ridiculous.

 

I'm getting a little better mpg now. At last fillup it was 23.22 mpg (80 hwy/20 city).

 

Im working on my first tank
if the trip computer is right i will get like ~420 mile till empty
mostly city driving in noth scottsdale phoenix AZ where it is 100+ degrees
right now. I am using 91 octane gas
I have no mods on the car yet either