Charles Bronson
Member
If there was an issue with the fuel delivery system, the ECU is smart enough to pick it up and throw a code. Don't waste the dealer's time calling them.
I'm on many automotive forums and routinely hear MPG complaints from those living the NY/NJ area. A few things to consider:
1) Winter fuel. Winter was introduced a few months. Due to the additives, winter fuel will account for around a 10% reduction in MPG alone.
2) Extended cold starts/warm up. Sub 50 temps will result in extended cold starts/warm up. An engine runs quite rich in these situations, especially if the vehicle spends it's life outside. Teamed with winter fuel, you can expect 15-20% lower fuel economy in the winter assuming most of your driving is more city than highway.
3) Short drives. If most of your drives are less than 10 miles, then MPGs take a huge hit, especially in the winter. The motor never fully warms up thus isn't at peak efficiency. Short drives are a MPG killer as well as a oil killer because the oil dilutes with fuel because of the cold starts and lack of oil getting up to operating temp to burn off the fuel. It takes at least 10 minutes of driving on a cold motor to get oil up to temp. Short drives are typically the main MPG killers in the NY/NJ.
4) New motor and differential. Freshly built motors have higher internal friction, especially at the piston ring. You can expect around a 5% mpg improvement once the motor and differentials break in.
5) Fuel quality in NY/NJ. Fuel sold in NY/NJ is heavily oxygenated to reduce air pollution. It's about as bad at "ACN" fuel used on the west coast. These fuels will see lower mpgs.
5) Fill back up, reset the mpg gauge, and use an entire tank of fuel and see what the number is. ALSO, take the miles driven on the tank and divide by the number of gallons added to get to full. That will give you the most accurate picture of mpg. My BMW M235 mpg calculator is within 0.5 mpg every time. My wife's 2020 ORP and son's 2016 Outback mpg calculators are off by 1-1.5 mpg (typically under reporting mpg).
I'm on many automotive forums and routinely hear MPG complaints from those living the NY/NJ area. A few things to consider:
1) Winter fuel. Winter was introduced a few months. Due to the additives, winter fuel will account for around a 10% reduction in MPG alone.
2) Extended cold starts/warm up. Sub 50 temps will result in extended cold starts/warm up. An engine runs quite rich in these situations, especially if the vehicle spends it's life outside. Teamed with winter fuel, you can expect 15-20% lower fuel economy in the winter assuming most of your driving is more city than highway.
3) Short drives. If most of your drives are less than 10 miles, then MPGs take a huge hit, especially in the winter. The motor never fully warms up thus isn't at peak efficiency. Short drives are a MPG killer as well as a oil killer because the oil dilutes with fuel because of the cold starts and lack of oil getting up to operating temp to burn off the fuel. It takes at least 10 minutes of driving on a cold motor to get oil up to temp. Short drives are typically the main MPG killers in the NY/NJ.
4) New motor and differential. Freshly built motors have higher internal friction, especially at the piston ring. You can expect around a 5% mpg improvement once the motor and differentials break in.
5) Fuel quality in NY/NJ. Fuel sold in NY/NJ is heavily oxygenated to reduce air pollution. It's about as bad at "ACN" fuel used on the west coast. These fuels will see lower mpgs.
5) Fill back up, reset the mpg gauge, and use an entire tank of fuel and see what the number is. ALSO, take the miles driven on the tank and divide by the number of gallons added to get to full. That will give you the most accurate picture of mpg. My BMW M235 mpg calculator is within 0.5 mpg every time. My wife's 2020 ORP and son's 2016 Outback mpg calculators are off by 1-1.5 mpg (typically under reporting mpg).
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