Crappy Fuel mileage

[SoJourner22]

I am really disappointed and wondered if others are having similar results. I get about 19MPG around town and was very satisfied with that, but now I took it on a road trip and only got 18.8MPG on the highway at 74MPH with cruise on. I was blown away by this and checked it again on the way home and got the same thing.

Anyone have any ideas? The truck seems to run right and shift properly, so I don't get it.

I posted a while back about teh fact that when I pulled a utility trailer with a 900LB motorcycle on it I only got 11MPG.

I am really upset and wish I never gave up my PAID for F150.

Mine truck is a 2008 Double Cab 2WD Prerunner SR5.

Thanks,
Mark

[the.phantom]

on the highway at 74MPH

what is the millage at 65?

the truck is not aero friendly so what is the millage at 65?

[08TRDOFFROAD]

I don't know what to say, I get better mileage than that in my 4x4.

I do know that I eat up alot of fuel economy by not doing the speed limit. If you drive between 55-65 mph you will get better fuel economy. Our trucks eat alot of gas when you go any faster than that.

I would expect you to be getting better mileage than that out of a prerunner. Have you taken it to the dealership to have it checked out?

I am really upset and wish I never gave up my PAID for F150.

I can understand that you would be frustrated, but wishing to give up your Toyota to go back to driving a Ford....I don't know about that...

[eyedoc]

my trip the other day (on a new tank of gas "with 10% ethanol" and a passenger, with tailgate up) averaging 75mph on interstate i got 20.2mpg.

my last two tanks have hovered around 21mpg and I usually drive 60 or under with a LIGHT foot on take off.

I say give it a while..... my mileage didn't improve until after 15-20k miles. it'll get there... just take it easy on your take offs and don't let the rpms rise above 1750.

I can't complain.

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Originally Posted by eyedoc

my trip the other day (on a new tank of gas "with 10% ethanol" and a passenger, with tailgate up) averaging 75mph on interstate i got 20.2mpg.

my last two tanks have hovered around 21mpg and I usually drive 60 or under with a LIGHT foot on take off.

I say give it a while..... my mileage didn't improve until after 15-20k miles. it'll get there... just take it easy on your take offs and don't let the rpms rise above 1750.

I can't complain.

Good point eyedoc. How many miles do you have on the dial? I was only getting about 16 mpg while the motor broke in. I saw a steady increase in mileage from about 5k on the dial, and I am still seeing a steady increase and I only have 10k on the dial in my 08'.

[2 tacomas]

Originally Posted by SoJourner22

I took it on a road trip and only got 18.8MPG on the highway at 74MPH with cruise on.

That's your problem...these trucks drink A LOT more gas when you start going over 65mph. Whenever I go to our hunting camp I always track my mileage on the interstate....when I go over 65mph my mileage ALWAYS drops between 2-4 MPG's compaired to when I keep it at 65mph. Also, I have found that the cruise control tends to cause the RPM's to stay a little higher, especailly on roads that aren't flat and that burns more gas as well. If I'm on a semi-hilly road I have found that I get better gas mileage by not using the cruise control. When you set the cruise control the computer is only trying to maintain the set speed...it's not worried about what RPM you are at.

[eyedoc]

Originally Posted by 08TRDOFFROAD

Good point eyedoc. How many miles do you have on the dial? I was only getting about 16 mpg while the motor broke in. I saw a steady increase in mileage from about 5k on the dial, and I am still seeing a steady increase and I only have 10k on the dial in my 08'.

between 33-34k right now.....


I know some people are gonna doubt my mileage with my 4.0 v6.... but i shit you not!

i haven't changed my plugs yet either... as is recommended at 30k miles.... and I'm not gonna until i see my mpg drop off.

[SoJourner22]

I ran 74 because the speed limit is 70 in Alabama and I didn't want to get run over.

I haven't taken it to the dealer yet, but I will.

I have 6K on the odometer.

I didn't realize when I bought it that I would have to baby it and keep the speed down to get the advertised fuel mileage. I guess I have always had V-8's and didn't expect a V-6 to do that bad. I bought my wife a RAV4 with the 3.5 V-6 and she gets 27 on the highway doing about 75.

[eyedoc]

Originally Posted by SoJourner22

I ran 74 because the speed limit is 70 in Alabama and I didn't want to get run over.

I haven't taken it to the dealer yet, but I will.

I have 6K on the odometer.

I didn't realize when I bought it that I would have to baby it and keep the speed down to get the advertised fuel mileage. I guess I have always had V-8's and didn't expect a V-6 to do that bad. I bought my wife a RAV4 with the 3.5 V-6 and she gets 27 on the highway doing about 75.

i dont think you're reading the posts above with all due respect. I've never owned a v8 that got 21mpg. I had a 350 v8 in a silverado that would get 19 if I babied it and it only had 205hp.... ours have 240 and get 21mpg....i'm more than pleased.

did you expect to run the wheels off your truck and get 20mpg??? your wifes rav4 should be getting 27mpg. you should be getting 20 in your truck but you have to take it easy on the throttle....very simple. i bet your wife could be getting 30mpg if she went 65mph and babied the throttle.

in summary, you're getting roughly 19mpg in a new truck.... BE HAPPY you are getting that. it will improve over time as the truck breaks in. if you keep the foot off the right pedal, your mileage will improve.... you can't gut these things and expect them to be efficient. if you go to the dealership and complain about 18.8 mpg at 75mph, they will likely laugh at you to be honest.

[J4RR]

18-19MPGS!!!! Dang, I'm lucky to get 15mpg city/highway mix if I drive like grandma and 17mpg highway setting cruise at 75mph. . Be happy with what your getting now. I wish I was at 18-19 but then again I'm not running stock tires.

[remodelboy]

I was kind of disappointed with the mileage at first, then I added some air to my tires and picked up an extra 2 mpg. I'm at 21 mpg on the fwy (let's just say-over 65). Because the Tundra's mpg figures look so close on paper, I started considering the bigger truck, but a little more research convinced me that the real world average mpg for the Tundra was much lower. I need to be happy with what I have.

[SoJourner22]

Eyedoc, I get what everyone is saying, I just didn't think I was going to have to do 5-10 miles an hour below the speed limit to get the 20 MPG.

I never got 21 MPG with my V-8s, but I did get between 18 and 20 on the highway going 75MPH and never noticed much difference when I put a 900LB motorcycle on a trailer behind it. The Tacoma dropped to 11MPG with the trailer and motorcycle.

I don't jump on the throttle, I get it up to speed normally and set the cruise, just like I did on the V-8's. If this is the way it is going to be, I will go with another truck. I just don't see the cost savings with regards to MPG.

Thanks All,
Mark

[sechsgang]

11 mpg with that trailer really seems low.
I have towed our ~3K lbs camper over Snoqualmie pass a few weeks ago, with 4 people and the truck fully loaded with camping gear. I went up the pass at 70 mph in 5th gear all the way, so I did not really go slow by any means. I got 15.3 mpg, all of it was with the trailer behind the truck. And mine is a 4WD.
On the other hand, 19mpg around town sounds great to me. I never get even close to that. Something does not seem quite right with your numbers ....

[Johnson8537]

All i have to say is check your SPeedo/Odo with a GPS...
I bet your Speedo/Odo is off. Both the Taco's I have owned have been off.

In fact Now with my 32's on the speedo reads almost correct.

With the stock tires my truck showed a few miles per hour slow of what i was actually going. which mean less MPG when configured. You might very well be getting the 20-21 but don't realise it because your speedo is off.

(Might be worth checking into.)

if you have changed from stock tire size go here to see the differance in speed.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

For example stock 265/65/17 to my 255/75/17
4.9% off
which mean my speedo shows 60mpg when i am actually going 62.9

So if it had not GPS's my Speedo i would add 5% to each tank. But My GPS Shows my new tires are actually almost right on with speed.

[TacoNick]

Generally, your MPG's drop 5% for every 5 mph you go over 55.