kimgyusang

Hey guys,

i know there are other threads out there that address MPG's but i think i have a rare case of bad MPG. here is the scenerio, and if anyone out there has any insight as to whether my car is a lemon or not, it would be appreciated..

live in NY.
i got the car about 1 month ago, currently have 850 miles on it, ill be going in for my 5th fill up tomorrow.
honestly, i dont push the car at all since it still in the "breaking in" phase..
the MPG gauge never went over 18 miles per gallon, and usually hovers around 13-14 miles per gallon.

the weather has been avging about 30 degrees.. the first two fill up's i really didnt worry too much because people told me the car is just figuring things out and stuff..but by the 3rd and 4th fill up's it looked really bad.. the last fill up, i purposely took kept it 90% highway going about 60-65 mph, and i've run about 170 miles so far and i have about 45 miles left according to the car..

correct me if im wrong, but if the gas tank can hold 17 gallons (minimum, some report higher) and worst case scenerio, i push about 15 MPG then 17x15 = 330 miles BARE MINIMUM the car should go before a fill up right?
i've been filling up every 220 miles or so..

what could be wrong?

the tire pressure is ok, never pushed the car..
is this something i should be worried about?
is it possible that there could be something really wrong with my car?

2007 acura TL type S
automatic transmission
navigation

i've been using premium gas.

just another tidbit of info, after my fill up, i check the total MPG i can get and the car always show 234+ miles, but after driving about 4-5 miles i hovers at 220 and proceeds to go down accordingly.. maybe my gas tank has a leak?

i dont know, is it an intake, engine problem? possible computer glitch?

thanks for your help guys.

mlody

New EPA for 07 TL-S auto shows 17MPG for city. Given that your car is not broken in and you are driving in freezing temp, ~15MPG is expected.
My 06 TL 6MT has about 4000 miles and during the freezing temp I never hit more than 17MPG during the city driving.

There is nothing wrong with you car. TL’s are nice, but engine sucks gas like a freaking SUV.

MR1

My experience is that the engine is very sensitive to stop and go driving. Watch your average speed in your MID along with the MPG. If you are averging <20 MPH I'm not at all surprised at the MPG especially considering that you have so few miles on the car.

It should improve at least a few MPG as time goes by even if your driving conditions don't change. As for the tank at mostly highway speed, if you have traffic between you and the freeway and back, that hurts too. Best MPH is at about any steady speed.

AlexH

I don't know about the cold climate but here in SoCal I average between 21-22 MPG with mixed driving. Occasionally I would step on the pedal a bit just for fun entering the freeway. The auto tranny in the Type S appears to me to be really smooth. Even when you let off on the pedal, the car still coasts along for quite a bit. Comparing to my S2000, it gets about the same gas mileage. That in my opinion is very good for a heavier car with a bigger motor.

datmrman

I agree here. You will experience better gas mileage after the break in period (post 1K, I believe) and when the weather warms up.

I disagree here. IMO, the TL is very fuel efficient. I have been able to get 31-34 mpg highway, but as MR1 pointed out, my quick errands around town give me about 18 mpg city. This averages to about 24 mpg mixed.

Converted

There's a few things you need to consider...

1. The tank is 17.1 gallons

2. Unless you're going ALL THE WAY TO EMPTY to get your calculation, your numbers are wrong

3. The low fuel light will come on with about 2-3 gallons to spare, and you won't be empty until well UNDER the last "E" needle.

In order to get an ACCURATE MPG reading, do the following....

Fill your car all the way up to the top, and reset trip meter. Drive until it's close to empty. Fill it up, and see EXACTLY how many gallons it took. Most likely will be 13-14 gallons if you wait until the light comes on. Take your range that you drove, and divide by your EXACT gallons you took to fill up.

That will give you a exact MPG reading. You can't go by 17, because you never truly empty the tank.

Other than that, your range does sound very low. This IS something you can complain about, and the dealer will have to investigate and fix. If you're not withing "reasonable" MPG range of what is advertised, then you're within your rights for them to correct the problem.

TLFourplay

iTrader: (1)

Generally you can drive 40-60 miles PAST 0 miles range. I have driven 45 miles past (didnt want to run out of gas) and still had a gallon in the tank. It really bugs the crap out of me, I wish they didnt give it so much room for driver error. Oh well.

Well anyways I was having some pretty miserable city mpg UNTIL I installed my UR pulley. I ALWAYS get 2mpg at least better. avg 18-19 getting on it like a scalded ape in city, and around 28 highway keeping it at or under 80

Nykor

Significant other has a Chevy trail blazer. She gets 18mpg mixed. Parents have an Envoy, and they get 19mpg mixed. I have a type S, and get around 20mpg mixed. Saying the TL sucks as much gas as an SUV isn't such a stretch as far as I can see.

Hardtimes

i too have less than 1k about 460 now. i am getting an average of 16mpg and mine is all city driving with a little backside of the mountain spirited twisty's. i am also running a softer compound tire than stock. i would say you are doing pretty average.

6spMike

What's your MID say for average speed (not what you guess) when you say "I got xx mpg"?
On my 06 mt, It shows 26 mpg and 26 mph for my everyday driving. It's shown as much as 34 with 60 mph. It's about 29-30 at 70-75 mph.
If the average mph is low, expect the mpg to be low too.

TL1999

ur car is fine...

don't be a worry worm

Converted

The V-6 is known to be one of the worst gas guzzlers... especially high output V6's... I'm surprised what a good job they did!

XS2K

Sometimes these lessons must be repeated, but it is important to know that gasoline is reformulated in the winter months to provide better oxygenation and provides much less MPG than the gas used the rest of the year. I lose about 5 MPG using winter gas. My TL, when new in October, gave me 29 MPG on a 200 mile highway trip but now in stop & go winter driving, I am lucky to get 17.

jlars77

I find I feel better about things by not paying any attention at all--mileage is what it is. Fill it up and enjoy life. If you're really worried get a Prius

Mokos23

maybe you're driving the TL-S like you stole it or you have a lead foot?

twinair

Your mileage should be much better than that. I have an 06 5AT (not a type s). At 400 miles I took a 420 mile road trip and got 30 mpg. I made the trip without stopping and still had gas left. I filled up when I got there and only put 15 gal in. This was before the engine was broke in. Around town driving with some highway I average 24-25 mpg. I do realize there is a difference between our engines, but not that much. If you can only go 240 miles on a tank, I would take it back to the dealer to find the problem.

mike03a3

The OP hasn't returned with more info, but based on his one tank where he says it was 90% highway @ 60-65 mph, I'd say something is wrong.

I get ~24mpg in mixed driving, 1/3 suburban, 1/3 interstate, 1/3 urban just going back and forth to work. Some weeks, when the traffic is lighter on the interstate I'll average ~26mpg (these are MID trip computer numbers, not measured actuals).

Going back and forth to my daughter's house (100 mile round trip, limited access 4 lanes or better, climb over the Blue Ridge on the way) I easily get 30+ for the trip. Without the Blue Ridge, I see 32-34 on interstates.

Comparing MID with actual, the MID seems optimistic by 1 or 2 mpg. As soon as I hit my first oil change I plan to keep a log for a few thousand miles and get some more accurate numbers. It's not very realistic to look at MPG one tank at a time - too many variables.

BTW - temps have varied from periods in the low 40s to a long stretch in the single digits with no noticable effect on MPG. One major ice storm, with a lot of slow stop and go as a result, knocked me down to 18mpg for that tank on the MID - still better than the OP.

Unless he means he's from NY CITY and not NY state, he should be doing much better, I would think.

acutee

Bring the car back. Your car has problem, period. in your case it is nothing about the weather, and nothing about the breaking-in period. a 500hp car consumes 20 gallons per mile would be a crap car.

Hardtimes

at 20 gallons per mile that would mean you could go .85 miles on a tank? that really would suck! LOL

drdug27

i have 3000 miles and i get 20ave

laidback93

I have an 03 TL-S and I average 17mpg all town. On road trips I've got up to 31mpg. Bottom line is that these cars blow for city fuel economy but shine on the highway.

On a related note, I just paid $3.16 for 91 at Chevron! Ouch!!!

weedeater

Are you resetting the trip meter when you fill up? If not, then your MPG will be way off, in that you are averaging it over the life of the car, not just the one tank.

getmilton

i've read all the other "mpg" threads and haven't chimed in, but i'm glad someone out there has similar mileage to me...i drive mostly city miles and short trips in this february cold and i'm getting 18-19 mpg average according to MID and my own calculations.

waiting to see what happens during warmer months before i take it in for a check. any way we can find out when gas companies switch over to summer blends?

mandeson

I've had my TL-S for a little more than three months now. Almost 3000 miles on it so far and the average that I get is 18 MPG. This is always using 91 octane with a 70/30 city - freeway mix. I usually go about 250 - 260 miles on a full tank. Have not taken any long trips yet but I'm not looking for anything better than 23-24 anyway when I will. My old 2003 CL-S was not much better either at around 18-19 MPG.

avs007

That doesn't really give you an "exact" measurement either, because it won't fill up to the exact same point. There pump stops when the nozzle thinks the tank is full, but each time it will pump differently. Ever have the pump stop when you aren't even half-way done, because the way the nozzle was situated in the filler neck, made the foaming gas think the tank was full?

Personally, that's why I was disappointed that the TL's MID doesn't have a reading for fuel consumed, like my other car does. I found that reading to be dead-accurate. (It should be, becase the ECU is pulsing the fuel injectors, and should know precisely how much fuel is being injected).

As far as winter blend gas... That's why I'm glad I live across the river, in another state, where they aren't required to use reformulated gas... If I see an "oxygenated" sticker on the pump, I'll go to a diferent station. (Some stations still use winter-gas even if not required to). If I'm low on gas at work, I'll run on fumes just to make it to a gas station across the state line...

I think I would be classified as someone who beats on my cars, as I take both our TL and G35 to redline everyday and I still average > 20 mpg, even in the winter. (I buy my cars to enjoy them, not to p**sy-foot around)

MKE Squid

I've got an 07 TL-S and my mileage is averaging between 18 & 19 mpg. Total mileage is about 1900 miles, driving on winter gas in cold temps (Milwaukee, WI). I'm also pretty heavy on the pedal.

I think something is wrong with your car based on your description of your driving habits and other factors. I would take it in and get it looked at.

kimgyusang

thanks guys for all your feedback..

hmm..im getting mixed reactions..some people saying nothing is wrong, and some saying to take the car back..

in the event that something is wrong? what happens? do i pay to get it fixed? is it covered by the warranty?

new to this stuff.

im from new york city, but the suburb portion of it, bayside to be exact..
everywhere i go, its by highway with minimal street driving. when i say cold weather, i wasnt referring to freezing temps..worst it gets is about 20 degrees, but more like 35-40 these days.

everytime i fill up, i reset the instruments.
my avg MPG is 15 and my avg MPH is 24.

i might take it back afterall..
maybe they'll give me a new car..
=)

6spMike

Here's a way you could test it:
Fill the tank up at a station next to a freeway, and reset trip a.
Get on the freeway, go around 50 or so miles using the cruise control for a constant speed (whatever the speed limit is) in top gear.
Turn around and come back, then fill up at the same pump. Divide the number of miles trip a shows by the number of gallons it took to fill up. You should get around 30 mpg. If it's less than 25 or so, there is probably a problem.

Note: to make sure you have filled the tank the same each time, use the same pump, and go until the pump automatically shuts off. Then fill slowly until it shuts off again.

This will take a couple hours, but at least you'll know.
The shorter the distance you go, the less accurate the mpg calculation will be.

mike03a3

"everywhere i go, its by highway with minimal street driving"
"my avg MPH is 24"

Dude, that's not highway driving, unless you're in heavy traffic. With that low an average MPH, it sounds like a lot of short trips and stop 'n' go, which tracks with the poor MPG. How long is your average trip? Short trips make MPG a lot worse due to more running rich with a cold engine.

All: posting your MPG is useless without a matching description of driving conditions.

TL1999

I have 05 TL and I am average 24 MPG where I am in stop and go traffic.

And if you do not feel comfortable with this then I suggust you take it to the dealer have them check it out and it SHOULD be under warranty.