03 Matrix Poor Gas mileage - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

zieglermaria · 03-08-2004, 01:11 PM

I just bought a 2003 4WD Matrix and have consistently been getting 28-30mpg. suddenly my gas mileage has dropped down to around 18-21mpg and the car is feeling more sluggish. My local dealer says that there is nothing he can do as the check engine light has not come on (it still works..... it illuminates upon starting the vehicle)

Anyone got any ideas?? The total mileage on the vehicle is 40K.

***Chris Corolla S*** · 03-08-2004, 01:38 PM

"My local dealer says that there is nothing he can do as the check engine light has not come on"

So he didn't even take a look at the car????

If your gas mileage has dropped that much and the vehicle is under warranty the dealer should take a look to see what's wrong!

1GR-FE · 03-09-2004, 03:31 PM

check the cat convertor ive seen a few of them plugged

zieglermaria · 03-09-2004, 07:23 PM

I wish I could get someone at my local dealer to do something other than grumble about the loack of a check engine light. Just called another Toyota dealer and his suggestion (and I'm not kidding!) was to run the car into the ground until something breaks and causes the check engine light to come on..... only then can something be done about it! I always thought Toyota had great custiomer service but now I'm seeing otherwise.

***Chris Corolla S*** · 03-09-2004, 08:16 PM

That's utter bullshit.

You are letting them jerk you around.

You need to talk to the service manager.

zieglermaria · 03-22-2004, 04:28 PM

OK, so after much complaining on my part, I finally got the dealer to check out the car. I gave him a list of things to check, starting with the O2 sensor. Lo and behold he tells me that the O2 sensor is shot and needs replacing. This seems to have helped the gas mileage, but it is still not back up to its previous level. Any ideas???

RyanOrion · 03-22-2004, 06:04 PM

Heh, i had the same thing happen to me a year ago. And they replaced my O2 sensor, but then had to replace my cat converter shortly after cuz the bad O2 sensor fried the cat. So u might want to get that checked too. But yeah my car is runnin like crap right now and the dealer wont look at it until the engine light comes one, so i'm gonna take it somewhere else..... Dealerships blow.

04_rolla_S · 03-26-2004, 05:50 PM

run some injector cleaner and check the ol sparkies
make sure you have a clean air filter too

RyanOrion · 03-26-2004, 09:10 PM

Dealership changed a VSV valve and some vacume hoses, and i have new plugs, new oil, new air filter, etc, and gas mileage is still being lame..... 23mpg on a 2001 A/T.... and I am used to 28 to 32 range, wierd...... hmm, shakes fist!!!

RyanOrion · 03-27-2004, 01:14 PM

Ok this is freakishly wierd. New tank of gas, i'm at 110miles with barely 1/4 tank used. So at that rate, i should be at 440 or so on a full tank. Errrr ok so cars like to fix themselves apparently?

zieglermaria · 03-28-2004, 06:50 PM

You give me hope

Car is going back to dealer tommorrow and I'm going to ask them to check everything, wish me luck!

RyanOrion · 03-29-2004, 09:48 AM

Ok yeah i spoke too soon. After a half a tank, the gas mileage dropped dramatically. I am now barely above 1/4 tank left and only have 250 miles. I drive hard, so that might have something to do with it...... i should try jet fuel and see how good of gas mileage i get then. 91 Octane isn't cutting it!!!