View Full Version : MPG Mystery SOLVED!
otterhere
12-12-2008, 10:04 AM
Okay; I'm a dipstick... Was driving some guys around for the first time since I got the car and was complaining mighily about my disappointing mileage... One remarked that the engine seemed to be running awfully hard and fast; then they started listening for the gears to shift (it's a automatic) and determined that they weren't shifting correctly... Of course I'm having visions of days and weeks spent taking this LEMON back and forth to the dealer or arguing with them about replacing the car when someone noticed my gearshift... Apparently I've been driving it in "3" all this time instead of "D" (I thought it was kind of strange that I had to pull it down and then over, but figured this was just *more* bad design). Boy, did that engine ever settle down and drive smooth after that (also takes care of the "loud engine" complaint), and the guys also all assured me my mileage would improve from now on...
Just goes to show; sometimes it takes a guy!!!
:wub:
Glad to see you got it figured out! =)
PreciousPups4U
12-12-2008, 10:35 AM
You are not the first to do this. There have been numerous discussions about it..................and most of them were guys.
It would be nice if the sales people would take a bit of time and explain about the transmission though. I was aware of it when I bought mine, but not everyone has access to YW.:thumbup:
otterhere
12-12-2008, 10:38 AM
Well, I maintain it's really bad design; what's with all the little indentations, and why double-up two of the gears together? My Swift (not to go on and on about my Swift) had just a straight line of gears, all separate; user-friendly for the "dumb girl" driver.
Klink10
12-12-2008, 10:41 AM
I too am glad you got that figured out. The Yaris really is a good on gas car.
songa
12-12-2008, 10:47 AM
wow thats rough! glad to hear u found it ok tho. how long have u been driving like that? also, the autos are 4 speed transmissions, not 5, right?
dybbuk
12-12-2008, 10:49 AM
I like the back and forth design. I know exactly what gear I'm in by feeling it go back and forth. And no offence, but, going from D to 3 is a straight line. They aren't doubled up, you have to move the stick in a straight line to get from D to 3.
YAR1S
12-12-2008, 10:53 AM
HAHA! I did that when I first drove my yaris ... i was like "wow... this sounds like crap...does it always sound this bad??" sure enough, I was driving in 3rd and not "D".
enjoy your new yaris... hah.
YAR1S
12-12-2008, 10:55 AM
I tend to occasionaly bump it into 3rd sometimes (clumsy) and it sucks when that happens on the highway, scared the bujeezes out of me the first time.
KCALB SIRAY
12-12-2008, 11:08 AM
Yay! Now you can master the 4th to 3rd in and out of traffic shifting, lol. Nah have fun with the MPG's =)
otterhere
12-12-2008, 11:15 AM
After figuring it out, I put it back in 3rd for a minute and thought, man, no WONDER I was griping!!! hahahahaha
Anyone happen to have a photo of that gear thang so I can redeem self to friends???
voodoo22
12-12-2008, 12:01 PM
Okay; I'm a dipstick... Was driving some guys around for the first time since I got the car and was complaining mighily about my disappointing mileage... One remarked that the engine seemed to be running awfully hard and fast; then they started listening for the gears to shift (it's a automatic) and determined that they weren't shifting correctly... Of course I'm having visions of days and weeks spent taking this LEMON back and forth to the dealer or arguing with them about replacing the car when someone noticed my gearshift... Apparently I've been driving it in "3" all this time instead of "D" (I thought it was kind of strange that I had to pull it down and then over, but figured this was just *more* bad design). Boy, did that engine ever settle down and drive smooth after that (also takes care of the "loud engine" complaint), and the guys also all assured me my mileage would improve from now on...
Just goes to show; sometimes it takes a guy!!!
:wub:
Full respect for admitting you were making a mistake:w00t:
Hard to do and rarely done these days.
otterhere
12-12-2008, 12:23 PM
Full respect for admitting you were making a mistake:w00t:
Hard to do and rarely done these days.
That others might be saved, LOL...
:laugh:
I tend to occasionaly bump it into 3rd sometimes (clumsy) and it sucks when that happens on the highway, scared the bujeezes out of me the first time. did that when we 1st test drove an '08 YARIS sedan . Very easy to do and could be a hazard if on ice , snow , or very wet roads . This is where VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL could help the situation .
dybbuk
12-12-2008, 03:24 PM
How would a stability control you hitting your shifter? Not trying to sound arrogant, but, I've never had one problem with, have never bumped or anything like it. If you're knocking your shifter in traffic you should try putting both hands on the wheel.:iono:
How would a stability control you hitting your shifter? Not trying to sound arrogant, but, I've never had one problem with, have never bumped or anything like it. If you're knocking your shifter in traffic you should try putting both hands on the wheel.:iono:
He's saying it would help in case you accidentally downshifted on ice, snow, rain, etc.
landrym28
12-12-2008, 03:27 PM
Glad you figured it out, but why is there two separate threads about this?
Glad you figured it out, but why is there two separate threads about this?
The first thread was her complaining about Yaris gas mileage.
Second thread is her saying that it was because she was in third gear the whole time.
landrym28
12-12-2008, 03:34 PM
No, there's another thread:
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11743
No, there's another thread:
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11743
Oh. Didn't see that one. No idea. :iono:
otterhere
12-12-2008, 03:40 PM
Since I posted the initial question on both the "New Yaris Owner" and "Fuel Economy" forums (this is called cross-posting), I also posted the answer to the problem in both.
At least I HOPE that's the answer to the problem.
Okay; no more picking on the Yaris! This was "pilot error," so we start with a clean slate.
Cute little Yaris!!!
lita_g
12-12-2008, 03:45 PM
Cute little Yaris!!!
Now that's more like it :w00t:
Cute little Yaris!!!
:biggrin:
IllusionX
12-12-2008, 04:05 PM
lol
hey.. the 3rd and 4th are not indented? I had driven my sister's camry a few times.. and the 4th and 5th are in horizontal. You would pull it down and it's 5th, and push to the left and it's 4th..
btw, for the automatic drivers... all automatic yaris have this set of lights in the cluster that tell you which gear you are shifted to. :)
How would a stability control you hitting your shifter? Not trying to sound arrogant, but, I've never had one problem with, have never bumped or anything like it. If you're knocking your shifter in traffic you should try putting both hands on the wheel.:iono: explaining it and getting into a confrontation :wink: .
engelm_
12-12-2008, 05:05 PM
Driving in 3rd, FTW... wait, ftl!
I am glad your gas millage mystery has been solved, and it was nothing that was bad.
It would be nice if the sales people would take a bit of time and explain about the transmission though. I was aware of it when I bought mine, but not everyone has access to YW.:thumbup:
My salesmen explained a lot of things with the yaris and was very thorough. Plus he was required to explain most of the stuff anyways. However the overddrive (3rd gear) was the very first thing he explained to me when i stepped in for the test drive. Im happy he explained it to me then because I didnt know squat about cars at the time.
I like the design of the a/t shifter. You can tell which gear you shift into when pretending to be a manual without accidently shifting into neutral!
Glad you solved your problem though.
yarswiss
12-12-2008, 09:19 PM
Haha that happened to me in the first few days of ownership. "Why is the engine so damn loud at highways speeds?" It wasn't until I looked in the manual that I figured it out. I was even a bit scared that I might damage the car by shifting into 4th. :tongue:
That's what happens when you are so used to driving stick that all those little grooves on the Auto confuse the hell out of you.
PreciousPups4U
12-12-2008, 11:16 PM
Glad you solved your problem though.
Was not my problem. Was otterhere's.
My salesman did not take the time to explain it to me though. Luckily I already knew.
Actually, I had to show him the sliding fold flat rear seat thing. They were clearly no very educated on the Yaris.
YAR1S
12-13-2008, 03:08 AM
who me? Idk how I do... it just happens some times. I usually end up knocking it out when i reach for something. its not like it happens a lot, im not that silly. Its scary enough the first time you accidently do it... it doesnt need to be repeated.
otterhere
12-13-2008, 03:39 PM
Actually, guys, I just noticed that when the car's in P (park), the stick is all the way over to the left. You actually move it up and OVER to get it there; the opening is double wide like the opening in the 3-D slot, unlike the others.
Quite likely I made the unconscious association when it came to the 3-D and just assumed I needed to have it all the over the left here, as well... Again, without thinking too hard about it, obviously, but there were so many other things new and different to get used to that I probably just figured, well, if it goes, all is well, but da*n that engine is loud, and why such lousy mileage?
Okay; if everyone's done razzing me, we can move on to another topic now.
:redface:
rningonfumes
12-13-2008, 04:27 PM
Yes, lets.
At least now we have another "obvious" question to ask the next person who is exasperated with a low mileage yaris.
eTiMaGo
12-13-2008, 09:35 PM
oops didn't see there were two threads... problem solved!
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