Only getting 22-23 MPG

[SWICKENSJR]

I know this is long so please bare with me and read it, I could really use some insight...

Ok, so I bought a used 2007 yaris sedan with 52,000mi (everything is stock except the aftermarket rims on the car look a little wider than what I've seen on other yarii) and have been watching the fuel economy from the get go. I fill up, reset the odometer at the gas station and drive away, when the last bar starts flashing I fill up again and divide the number of miles driven by the amount of gallons filled. But I've noticed that the last two tanks averaged were ONLY 22 and 23 mpg or about 220-230mi per tank?!? I'm seeing everyone getting 35-40 mpg and it's stressing me out that something is wrong with my car. I had it in the shop right when I got it for a fresh oil change and had the toyota dealer do a "gas 1" fuel system cleaning treatment or whatever it's called. The car seems to drive fine and doesn't seem to drag or hesitate and has no CEL. The alignment does seem to pull to the right a little though.

My driving habits are as follows:

I only drive 4 - 2.5mile trips a day during the week -- First at 5AM (2.5 miles to work) then at 11AM (2.5 miles back home for lunch), 12PM (back to work), and 5PM (home). During these trips it's all city driving with about 7-8 lights in between. I'm not super slow from lights but I never let RPMS go much above 2000 (maybe 2500 on occassion) when accelerating from a light and dont go above 40 mph. It's been cold for southern california lately, ever since I got the car, about 45-50F in the morning when I leave, but I only let the car warm till the RPMs drop to 1000-1100 and then drive (usually 30 seconds to a minute). The weekend I probably only drive another 10-20 miles doing various things.

So I know short trips are bad for MPG especially in cold weather but could how I'm driving really affect my gas mileage THAT MUCH? I mean 220-230 miles on a tank is insanely low!

It's seems crazy to me and quite frankly I'm worryin. Any help is very much appreciated!

[WeeYari]

You need to get that thing out on the open road. I mean a good long pure free-flowing highway road trip. Car needs to be able to stretch it's legs every now and then.

Short trips are bad yes, but 2.5 miles is ridiculous. If you really think about it, 30 percent of your engine run time is probably spent while car is not moving.

[redglare45]

22 -23 is pretty low.
- Since it's colder, have you been using your defroster more than before? That can affect your fuel economy.

Other things that come to mind:
- Perhaps check the air filter to make sure it's clean.
- Tire inflation: check that they aren't low.
- What MPG were you getting before you noticed the change to 22-23 mpg's?
- The aftermarket rims might affect the mpg's too. I used to have 17 inch rims and
would only get about 32 - 34 mpg.

[redglare45]

+ 1 on what WeeYari said.

[SWICKENSJR]

I only bought the car about 2 months ago. It has had this fuel economy since the day I bought it and started recording it. I was excited to see what I could get and am disappointed to say the least. I know that short trips are bad (espec 4 different 2.5 mile trips from a cold start a day) and that I am probably stopped just like you said 30% of the time but could that really affect it THAT much? I can't even find one person online who says they can only get 220 miles out of a tank.

I haven't used the defroster or AC even once.

[WeeYari]

When you consider that optimum fuel efficiency is achieved while cruising at ~45mph, you'll see that your car is never being given a chance to even briefly see that. It really does all come down to how the car is being used, and in this case it appears to be nothing but idle, accelerate, stop, idle, accelerate, stop...(repeat for every stop light).

Get some highway runs in. Some good hard runs to blow out some carbon (Italian tune-up), and monitor what your fuel efficiency is during some of these.

[SWICKENSJR]

Ok, well that does make sense. Even though it still seems really low for any conditions but I'm not very knowledgable about cars so who am I to say. I did test it and drove to a friend's house in Los Angeles and back (about 90 miles) and filled up right after and got an average 33-34 MPG but I was going 80MPH the whole way.

I guess I'm just paranoid that there is some underlying issue that isn't setting off the CEL but is affecting the car. Is there any diagnostics that Toyota could do for me that would tell me if everything was working fine like the engine and transmission and everything?

[WeeYari]

Originally Posted by SWICKENSJR

got an average 33-34 MPG but I was going 80MPH the whole way

Now that is pretty much right on the money for the average driver.

[Altitude]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

Now that is pretty much right on the money for the average driver.

Yup. That's what I get under those conditions.

[SWICKENSJR]

Thanks WeeYari I appreciate your advice alot man - you have no idea how much I'm stressing over this!

Is there anything mechanical that would cause it to get bad gas mileage only driving low rpms in the city and good mileage on the highway at higher rpms? and sorry to ask again but is there any kind of diagnostic tests for checking everything is good to go with the engine, tranny and all that?

[marcus]

im back to 35 mpg from 31 mpg with just changing bad driving habits

[WeeYari]

Originally Posted by SWICKENSJR

is there any kind of diagnostic tests for checking everything is good to go with the engine, tranny and all that?

OK, based on what I'm hearing, I'll hazard a guess that nothing is wrong with the car.

You do sound like an individual who would benefit from seeing real-time, the direct impact to mpg driving characteristics have. For this I would suggest investing in a Scangauge. You can pick one up for ~$200 I think, use it for a while, and resell it here on the forum. The $ difference between original purchase and resell of the gauge will be less than a diagnostic which will have probably told you the car is fine.

The above, however, is only my opinion.

[SWICKENSJR]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

You do sound like an individual who would benefit from seeing real-time, the direct impact to mpg driving characteristics have. For this I would suggest investing in a Scangauge.

I've been thinking about that and looking into it. Now the thing that confuses me about these does the screen show what my car SHOULD be getting by the way I'm driving at the time or what the car is ACTUALLY getting as I drive? If you know what I mean.

[R2D2]

SWICKENSJR,

I highly doubt there is anything amiss with your car.

Under the conditions you mention the FE you're getting seems about right. 2.5 mile trips in cooler weather mean your car is almost never fully warmed up and mixed with city conditions is an FE killer.

The highway figures you posted also seem very reasonable. The advice to get a scan gauge or other such device is very sound and probably the single best way to improve your FE. Also, make sure your air filter is fresh and your tires are properly inflated.

R2

[nemelek]

Check your odometer. With different tires you might be recording more miles than you are actually driving.

[SWICKENSJR]

Thanks for replying R2D2 and it's good to hear that this sounds pretty normal. The MPG just seemed EXTREMELY low and it's a used car that I (stupidly) didn't get checked out by a mechanic before I bought it from the dealer so I was hoping nothing was wrong with it.

I am definitely going to get a scanguage ASAP. I found a local shop that sells them so I'll be getting one soon and putting it to use.

[SWICKENSJR]

Originally Posted by nemelek

Check your odometer. With different tires you might be recording more miles than you are actually driving.

'

Wouldn't this mean I am getting even worse MPG than I think?

[WeeYari]

He got it backwards. I wouldn't focus too much on tire size. Any difference in diameter between what a person is rolling and OEM typically only amounts a maximum of +/- 3 percent.