Real World MPG with 5th Gen?
- Thread starter AZDropTop
- Start date
bjohnston115
New member
I have a 2011 Trail and when I got it CPO just over a year ago the miles to empty gauge showed about 400 miles on a full tank. After 8 months of ownership it settled down to about 330 miles.
I just recently had to remove the passenger side knee airbag so i disconnected the battery for about an hour and when i hooked it back up the mile to empty was back up at 400 miles and i am now driving 400 miles until the gas light comes on. ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE in driving habits but now somehow getting another 70 miles per tank just by 'resetting' everything. Anyone have thoughts?
I just recently had to remove the passenger side knee airbag so i disconnected the battery for about an hour and when i hooked it back up the mile to empty was back up at 400 miles and i am now driving 400 miles until the gas light comes on. ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE in driving habits but now somehow getting another 70 miles per tank just by 'resetting' everything. Anyone have thoughts?
ToyoDriver
New member
That's interesting. I'd be curious to see how many gallons it takes when you fill up.
My T4R always has the light come on around ~19.5 gallons. In fact, I've run it to 0 miles to Empty and it's never taken more than 20 despite having a 23 gallon tank.
I wonder if your truck just relearned that it does indeed have a 23gal capacity?
PaulsTrail
New member
We also go to the mountains nearly every weekend, generally on 285, and get very similar results (usually around 20-21 mpg, for the highway portion of our trip). Our mileage on these trips is better than straight highway driving in the eastern plains. I think the extra gas used going up uphill into the mountains is more than made up for when coasting back down. This is consistent with our other vehicles - we can usually squeeze 30 mpg out of our Outback on trips to the mountains, but are lucky to average 25 mpg on trips to Kansas (of course, we're usually going a lot faster on the trips to Kansas :zoom
.I've always wondered if altitude has anything to do with the better mileage in the mountains, since the engine's getting less air, and therefore using less gas (and making less power too
hwell. I'll probably be changing out the stock tires to BFG AT tires, and anticipate that our mileage will drop because of that. The mileage in our Grand Cherokee dropped noticeably when we did that.
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Bilbo
New member
By disconnecting the battery, you reset the MPG back to the ECU's default value, which I think is right around 19 MPG.
I’ve been keeping records for a few years about cruising range, and here’s what I think I know:
1. Cruising range is based on the displayed MPG, a “full tank” value of 78 liters* (about 20.6 gallons), and remaining fuel.
2. Displayed MPG is based on total fuel consumed and total miles since the last MPG reset. If you never reset your MPG and never disconnect your battery, your MPG will settle down to a value that never changes more than about 0.1 gallons.
3. By the time you run through another tankful your cruising range should be back in sync with your actual displayed mileage.
*78 liters?! Well, that fits my data. And after all, the system was designed by engineers who think in metric.
h20wakebum
New member
For a weekend "trip" vehicle I'm not so worried about the mileage, just want something to have fun in!!
TravelWest01
New member
How low can you go
My Limited is now down to 10-11 mpg city driving now that have the new MT tires. They took about 1.5 mpg. Good thing I don't put many miles on!
My Limited is now down to 10-11 mpg city driving now that have the new MT tires. They took about 1.5 mpg. Good thing I don't put many miles on!
Hydguy
Member
My '15 Trail Premium, that I bought used with 8k on the clock was getting about 20.1 going from The Fl panhandle to NW Indiana until my last trip, where it got 18.7. I'm guessing the real cold weather had an adverse effect, but I don't know for sure. Around my AO in FL,I was getting about 19.1-19.4, until I went to trade it in, and got 20.6 on my last tank.
I'll report on what my '16 gets when I head up there at the end of the month, but far, about 19.2 on my first tank of gas.
I'll report on what my '16 gets when I head up there at the end of the month, but far, about 19.2 on my first tank of gas.
alext72888
New member
With my 275 E Rated KO2's and winter gas, the center console tells me Im getting an average of 15.5. This car also has poor aerodynamics and going over 60mph really hurts mpg more. Here everyone drives around 70-80 in CT.
5th Gen Pwr, efficiency
Several years ago, we bought my daughter an '07 sr5 2wd. I've driven it many times, and it feels like it has much more low end pwr & consistently gets 4-5 mpg better hwy mileage than my '16 TRD Pro. I would expect @ a 2mpg difference for 4wd, but not 4-5. I thought I was buying the same drivetrain, but I guess not. Love this thing otherwise. What gives?
Several years ago, we bought my daughter an '07 sr5 2wd. I've driven it many times, and it feels like it has much more low end pwr & consistently gets 4-5 mpg better hwy mileage than my '16 TRD Pro. I would expect @ a 2mpg difference for 4wd, but not 4-5. I thought I was buying the same drivetrain, but I guess not. Love this thing otherwise. What gives?
1engineer
Moderator
progress4m
Member
It is not exactly the same drivetrain or trucks:
5th gen is at least 500 Lbs. heavier and physically bigger.
5th gen has engine with dual VVTi, rollers camshaft and consequently extra 35 HP, bigger front and rear differentials, bigger (heavier) stock tires, I think the only physical part is the same is the trany.
And if you are using the MPG based on computer readout, then it is not true comparison: 4th gen MPG readout is around 20% too optimistic; in 5th gen it is either spot on or actually reads up to .5 mpg low.
Also, I can assume your TRD has AT and your daughter’s 4runner has HT tires… so here is another MPG difference and that could be as much as 1.5 mpg pending on what AT and what HT she has that would also explains your feel about low end power difference.
Just FYI: my 2013 Trail with Nitto TG AT gets from 20 to 22 MPG on my current weekly (highway) comute to work and back with rush-hour traffic.
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calculated mileage comparison. I guess they gave up torque to get hp. We both have AT tires. I'm getting 18.5 mostly hwy. I do believe they've changed the transmission since then also; hers downshifts much less. The throttle feel is poor by comparison, also. I've had several Toyotas over the yrs, never seen them move backwards on drivability/ efficiency. It's not a huge issue, just an annoyance.
jimster716
New member
Safari Snorkel MPG Improvement
I previously posted in the Real World MPG thread that I was getting 12.9 mpg (computer display and manual calculated validated) for months.
I'm running Cooper STT Pro 285/70/17 tires, Gobi rack, full armor (front, tranny, t-case, fuel tank and rear diff) plus Relentless low profile winch bumper.
I've had the Safari snorkel on since late Saturday and my computer has updated for the first time in months. It's now showing 13.6 mpg, a gain of 0.7 mpg or a 5.4% improvement.
Anyone else with the snorkel showing gains? I just filled up this morning and reset both mpg and trip odometer so I can manually verify again on my next fillup.
The snorkel's going to pay for itself in 3.62 years (at 12,000 miles per year and at $3.05/gallon). LOL
I previously posted in the Real World MPG thread that I was getting 12.9 mpg (computer display and manual calculated validated) for months.
I'm running Cooper STT Pro 285/70/17 tires, Gobi rack, full armor (front, tranny, t-case, fuel tank and rear diff) plus Relentless low profile winch bumper.
I've had the Safari snorkel on since late Saturday and my computer has updated for the first time in months. It's now showing 13.6 mpg, a gain of 0.7 mpg or a 5.4% improvement.
Anyone else with the snorkel showing gains? I just filled up this morning and reset both mpg and trip odometer so I can manually verify again on my next fillup.
The snorkel's going to pay for itself in 3.62 years (at 12,000 miles per year and at $3.05/gallon). LOL
