Hey everyone I'm a newbie and just joined up and got a 2000 Limited 3.4. I just emptied the first tank and it took me approx 250 miles with the needle pretty much at empty (this is driving approx 55-60mph to work all highway). But when I went to fill er up again it read with only 14.8 gallons put in when the tank is 18.5 gallons. Are gen 3 fuel gauges off or am I just re****ed? Any ways at increasing fuel mileage on the 4runners? Thanks for the help all!!!

Used to have a pathy and it would get me around 340miles per tank and it was the same size tank I believe!

Gas gauges are notoriously bad in these. However, may gas light came on today, 244 miles, filled it up and it took 15.6 gallons. OUCH! Mileage in these isn't great, if you're averaging 18+ you're on of the lucky ones. General tune up: plugs, wires, fuel filter, air filter, PCV and O2 sensor will keep you running as efficient as you can though.

I get about 17.5 highway and city mix.

I always fill up and go to empty, clock my mileage, and calculate my MPGS every time i fill up. Coming from a 99 limited 4X4, i usually get between 16-21

everytime someone starts another one of these threads a 4Runner dies.

Lol good one brian.


The max you will fit is 15gal even though the tank is a little bigger then that due to the fill neck design . But yes if your averaging 17-18 mpg your doing ok.

I know there's a few guys that claim 25 and bazaar numbers like that, but that's only on cross country all highway non-stop road trips . Or guys drive 50mph on the highway without any stop and go in their route.

Enjoy your new 4runner, the reliably makes up for the fuel mileage.

I keep fuel records for every fillup (I know I'm a geek).

In the summer I average about 18.5 sometime as high as 19 or 20 (highway only).

In the winter I average about 16.5 to 17 mpg because of government mandated winter blend fuels.

Isn't it great? The govt is saving the world from our vehicles by making them burn more gasoline...........

.

It really depends on conditions. (A LOT of conditions.)

When I towed a 12 foot trailer with a mattress and 2 bikes on it (as in pedal bikes, not motorcycles) behind a fully loaded 4Runner, across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, I was getting between 19 and 21 MPG. Even in West Virginia, stuffed chock full of hills, I STILL got around 15 or 16.

I'd say average, from what I've seen, is around 17MPG. I go solely by how many miles I have gone on my odometer, divided by the # of gallons I put in to fill it up.

I see your geekery and raise you one: Not only do I keep a notebook with all my fuel-ups, I keep track of it online at Fuelly | Share and Compare Your MPG.

No kidding. How long has it been since we've had a "My MPG sucks" thread. 5 minutes? Ten?

Better words of wisdom have not seen my eyes......................... At least not today....

I put 17.7 gallons in my 4runner last Sunday.

I was sweating bullets on alligator alley (no gas stations for 40+ stretches), it was my first long trip in the 4r, first time on that road. I'll never make that mistake again, but I did make it to a gas station.

Filled up with 18.098 gallons at 336 miles. The light was on for a while..

Ok,for the umpteenth time the 4Runner fuel tank is 18 gallons or so but there is a little over a gallon of unuseable fuel due to the fact that the fuel pump doesn't sit on the very bottom of the tank and most people fillup their 3rd gens with between 15-16 gallons of fuel.


Martinjmpr.you say you filled up with 17.7 gallons. How many clicks past "full" are you going since if you are squeezing every bit into the tank as possible then you are most likely overfilling it and will eventually kill your evaporative purge system.
I never fill past one or two clicks and never fill gas up into the filler neck since there will be no room for the fuel to expand a little when it gets warm and thus causing high pressures in your fuel system forcing fuel to saturate your charcoal canister.

I've driven on "E" for what seemed like a while and even with me pushing it I only filled up with a little over 16 gallons but my average fillup usually is 15-15.5 gallons.

^ I have always only filled up with a max of low 16gal, most often is 15gal.
I wait 5 seconds after one click and stop at the 2nd click. In my experience this is generally how much fuel the tank takes when the light has been on for ~10 miles

The 18.098gal was a fluke and my fault for letting it get so low. But I used the same fill up process as always. I'm not saying anyone should try to run their tank dry to do the same thing. I was convinced for about 20miles that I would be walking, but lucky for me it just kept going. I wasn't proud of it (still not) and the last thing I cared about was trying to pretend I could put more gas in my truck than anyone else could or what it's designed for.

I used to get 19 mpg, but since moving I have been getting closer to 17mpg on average. After replacing plugs, wires, fuel filter, air filter, cleaning MAF I haven't seen an increase. I figured out that the station I used to fill up at didn't have ethanol, but all of the stations around me now do. I've read that usually that alone will account for a 2mpg decrease, so that's my theory.